Circumnavigate Waiheke Island. – Day 2

Next morning the wind has dropped and the sky has that “after the storm” clarity. We pack up and launch out heading around to the north side of the island. We set a rock gardening pace and explore every nook and cranny. The northern side of Waiheke is not a populated and we soon find ourselves alone with the raw beauty of this coastline. We stop in at a small bay with golden sands and make breakfast. The sun is well out and it is actually hot. There are a few houses along the cliff tops but the beach is deserted. We tuck into a sandstone cave to get out of the heat. We head off again exploring caves and slots in the comparatively calm water although there is still a ocean swell that keep us on our toe. While Andy and I were checking out a cave one of these larger set comes in and raise the water lever by a meter. I yell up to Andy that a big set is on it way in and he has enough time to start back paddling to keep from being shoved into the cave’s blackness.

We cover about 21 kilometers at this pace as the day starts to draw to a close. The days are growing shorter and it starts getting dark around 6pm.

We had planned on rounding the island and landing at Hooks Bay. But instead we pull in just shy or Thumb point into Ruruwhango bay which is just on the other side of Hooks but on the northern instead of the southern shore. In the failing light Andy spots a cave and we head over.

This cave is an old Maori hunters cave. The front is almost obscured and the Back of the cave is packed with dirt so that its is about 8 ft off the floor. There is an eerie feeling in this cave. People have been eaten in this cave! But it make on great camping spot. There is a helicopter flying overhead. It appears to be dropping water on the trees. Expensive watering if you ask me. We think that it sees us go into the cave entrance as a couple of time we can here it hovering right over us. After it leaves we actually build a fire. There is the first true campfire I’ve had on the North Island. It feels good and Andy and I lounge in the fire’s light and stare out at the night sky. This time we were sure that the tide wouldn’t reach us but all night long small bits of the caves ceiling sprinkled our us and our gear. Being in a tent I didn’t take any notice but poor Andy in his bivy kept waking up and when a small bit of rock would hit him in the face. I know that feeling after my night camped under the cliffs on the Cavalli Islands.