Introduction to today's journey
Today's journey heads south from East Cape along the North Island's east coast along winding road eventually reaching Wairoa, from where we will be heading inland tomorrow.
Today's Journey
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Departing East Cape in the early morning, we stop at the remote Tologa Bay. The beach sits between the rugged mudstone headlands exposed to tsunamis from the occasional massive earthquake from the fault line not far offshore. |
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From Tologa Bay, we continue following the coast southward towards Gisbourne. |
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A road cutting near Gisbourne showing the layers of mudstone deposited under the sea but uplifted with recent earthquakes. |
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From Gisbourne, the coast becomes less rugged with floodplains opening out for farming. We are now approaching Mahia Peninsula where New Zealand's space program is based. |
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We reach Wairoa in the late afternoon. Beside the river is the old Portland Head lighthouse which has been moved into the town. |
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Watching the sunset over the Wairoa River. The clouds are coming from the north west bringing rain to the west coast and clear weather on this side of the mountains. |
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Last light over the river slowly diminishes with the setting sun. |
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View of the Portland Lighthouse which is working in the darkness beside the bridge. |
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Bridge over the Wairoa River in the darkness of night. It was rebuilt after Cyclone Bola washed the original bridge away in 1988. |
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The lighthouse after the last of the dusk. |
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