Easter Expedition to the Far North

[AnalogKid]

The Land Rover Owners Club Auckland went on an expedition this Easter to the Far North of North Island. We based ourselves in Pukenui on the Houhora Harbour, hoping to get access to either North Cape or Kokota, the white silica sands of the south head of Parengarenga Harbour. Unfortunatley we didn't get to go to either of these places, but it was a fantastic trip all the same. Here follows a brief log:

Day One
Breakfast at the service station before a 5.5 hour road trip north.
Off load the kit at the campsite and head for the trail.
Head back south via Ninety Mile Beach, then climb into the hills.
Drive the Tutu Trail (in the Ahipara Gumlands) to get to the top of the dunes.
Descend the dunes (hundreds of metres high) to a very steep section, we all get down but only one truck, Brian's, manages to get up. We exit the dunes to a creek, and Brian coments "I hope there's no quicksand."
Drive up the creek, which is all of 100 mm deep until encountering quicksand - 2 trucks stuck, one of them mine.
Out of the creek all the way to the beach, driving it back to camp as the sun sets.

Sorry no pictures of day one as yet, although if Blair, my rescuer, works his phone out, I'll get one of my 110 in quicksand up to the rock sliders.

[AnalogKid]

Day Two
Tide was too high in the morning, so set off by road for the Crunchy Trail, chaos in Kaitaia as we all split up in holiday traffic.
Start the trail, seems easier than the Tutu at first.
A Discovery gets stuck in a bog. Some of us take a very narrow bypass track, incurring scratches, dents and a twisted bumper.
The trail get harder, with steep, washed-out sections. I get bounced off line and lose a back wheel into a hole. I'm disappointed to need recovering again, especially as everyone else gets through, although a few take a couple of goes and one needs a slight push.
Again end up at the top of huge dunes. Take a longer route down. Get bogged following a Series 1 that gets stuck, I back out to firm ground then run to dig out the Series 1 and it gets a push to get going.
To get to a forest track we skirt between the beach, rock-crawling over fairly flat tidal rocks and climbing up grassy dunes. The biggest climb is too much for the Series 1, it gets a tow while a Series 2 takes a side route with better traction.
Out through the forest to the pub, then back to camp via the beach again.
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[AnalogKid]

Day Two Continued....

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[AnalogKid]

Day Two Continued...

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[AnalogKid]

Day Three
Late start due to disappointing lack of access to North Cape or the sandspits white silica sands.
Convoy heads out by road to the Takahue Saddle, an incomplete route due to access problems accross the last section to the road.
An initially easy trail gets steeper and tighter, with heavily bush clad slopes and long drops off to one side.
Soon after the summit is reached, a fallen bough causes some clearance work.
Progress is resumed but the track is ever narrower with some small wash-outs of the side of the track taking wheels very close to the edge.
Lunch is called while an inspection on foot establishes the remainder of the trail. The final desent to a stream is deemed in too poor a condition so we continue to the next available turning spot - a 5 point turn in a 110.
Back out to the road without drama, then an unbeleivably windy trail over metalled (i.e. gravel and lots of dust) roads to the end of yesterdays forestry section.
The forest route is taken back to the beach (reverse order of yesterday) and the steep hill desended before a final trip along the beach. On the way we drag a couple of horses being ridden bareback, they win up to 40 mph.

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[AnalogKid]

Day Four
Because of the access problems, we've used up all our known routes in the area. The group splits and we head for home.
We are lead by a couple of other trucks to a few attractions on the way home.
The Karikari Penninsular.
Kerikeri - the oldest stone and European wooden buildings in New Zealand.
Waitangi - The Treaty House.
Paihia and Russell - The Bay of Islands, my son gets to steer the ferry.
We head south and get back to Auckland after all the queues have subsided at 8:00 PM.

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[AnalogKid]

Last couple of pictures, a nice workhorse Series 3 Chassis-Cab we saw at Pukenui Wharf with a boat trailer on hitch, and our luxury accomodation for the weekend.

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[etsdit]

thanks for sharing your pics and experiences!!! looks a wicked adventure andy :)

nice sandy beaches and some interesting lanes there!

[toppa]

AW ******!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Im homesick now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Looks like a great trip, i spent loads of time up that way, excellant diving up there too....

CHeers