Last New Zealand Beach

My quest was to find a beach with pure white sand. Passing over a mountain as I headed south, I caught sight of white dunes to the east. Behind them, was a sheltered lagoon. I imagined a perfect beach, but there was no road leading in that direction. Finally, some fifty kilometres further south, I turned into Rarawa and on to Henderson Bay and found the illusive white sand, powdery fine. I walked over the lonely beach dotted with shells. Ripples rolled in over the fallen tide and the seabed lay flat as if it would take a marathon to reach deeper waters.

Waitangi’s Treaty Site

Before returning to the Bay of Islands, I stopped at Waitangi’s Treaty House. The walls were lined with majestic portraits of Maori chiefs who signed the treaty with their tattooed faces visible in the dim light. A video boomed from the next room, a marked reminder of the significance of the place.

Paihia and the Bay of Islands boat ride

I headed to the tiny town of Paihia amidst the Bay of Islands. Booked on a boat cruise the following morning, I foolishly stepped on to the launch even though I’d caught a bug the day before and felt queasy.