A couple months ago, I contacted a charter ferry company called Kaitaia Cruises to see if I could arrange passage for me and Chris across Kaipara Harbor, avoiding a harrowing road ride on major roads into Auckland from the north. They only do charters, so I asked if anyone had inquired about chartering the boat around our dates that we could join. They gave me Sonja’s name and number in NZ and I called her. Thus began the connection that had us travel with them for the first week of the trip, meeting in person for the first time in Ahipara and now finally taking the ferry a week later from Pouto Bay. It’s been a lovely experience to meet and get to know them. They are an extraordinary family, the kind you meet and want to be around all the time. They are unusually friendly, humble and thoughtful, engaged as a family and lacking any pretension. And good riders! All 6 do BMX racing and they have about 40 bikes between them. They have more bikes than the average Boulder family! Each of the children is cute-curious and polite, and for some reason seem interested in us too. It’s an understatement that we’ve enjoyed their company, and I’m sure they will become part of our life.
Today’s ride into Pouto Point was the last day of this first chapter, during which Chris and I adjusted to a different type of bike touring in a land more known for natural beauty, green landscapes and sparse population than gourmet food and wine, castles and ancient bridges. It was a pretty short ride of 12.5 miles with about 1400 feet of elevation gain, but the roads are steep and so no ride is really that easy! Tomorrow’s ferry takes us out of the Northland of NZ and into the central part of North Island, from which we will cross Auckland before continuing our trip south.
Pouto Point Marine Hall Campground is kind of amazing…perched right on the coast overlooking the bay. The Marine Hall has a lovely inside space we can use, with couches and tables and a spacious kitchen, showers and a washing machine. And it’s $10NZ/pp which is an amazing bargain. The beach is just a short walk down the path.
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