The East Cape: April 2007

In this issue, Ma Orihaka catches up with Ray as he heads for Highway 35 and the 'Eastland' region of the north island. After a short stay in the unique ‘Prison’ backpackers hostel in Napier, he heads back inland to make the much anticipated Tongariro Crossing – one of New Zealand's most famous hikes and rated one of the top one day walks in the world.

In case you missed our last issue, Ma followed Ray to the 'Bay of Plenty' and witnessed his first ever tandem skydive! She also brought us highlights of his visit to the Coromandel Peninsula, and 'Lord of the Rings' fans were treated to a report on his tour of the 'Hobbiton' film set in Matamata, where 'The Shire' scenes were filmed. You can read it now at: 'From Maunganui to Middle Earth'.

The East Coast of New Zealand embraces some enticingly remote rural areas and increasingly sophisticated coastal towns. It is disarmingly charming, with eye-popping coastlines rising to forest-steeped mountains. Car bodies rust in the tall grass along the highway and farm outbuildings lean precariously. The Cape retains a vibrant Maori influence and rigorous community spirit. "The chance to spend time around Maori communities and get a first hand experience of Maori culture was really appealing and the main reason I decided to make the effort and visit the (not much visited by tourists) Eastlands region" said Ray.

Above: Map of the north island of New Zealand - the regions marked with a * are the regions which Ma has already covered for us in previous issues of The Daily Explorer, whilst the Eastland region is highlighted in a red circle (right)

Opotiki marks the start of the shore hugging, Pacific Coast Highway - 330 kilometres of curvilinear ashphalt that took decades to sculpt. "Leaving from Rotorua, having spent an evening with friends there, meant that I faced a long drive to get to Gisborne" said Ray. "The maps can be deceptive - they often give you distances between places but you have to allow for the uncountable number of bends, narrow passes and gravel sections on the roads that mess up your time calculations" explained Ray.

Above: Map showing Ray's route around the East Cape from Rotorua (top) to Napier (bottom). The detour just north of Napier shows Ray's planned trip to Lake Waikaremoana in the Te Urewera National Park. The arrow at the top shows the location of Opotiki, and the start of the 330 kilometre 'Highway 35'

The drive from Opitiki to East Cape is arguably the most picturesque part of Highway 35. "Mile after mile of jaw-dropping coastline" was how Ray described it to me. "It is possible to start taking it all a bit for-granted, as New Zealand has so much natural beauty, and I had seen much of it in the last couple of weeks, but this was simply stunning" added Ray.

Above: The drive from Opotiki to East Cape contains mile after mile of stunningly beautiful coastline

Along the route, travellers pass the active volcano of White Island, which is 48 kilometres offshore. "I was able to see the volcano quite clearly from the road, although I chose not to fly out to see it close up as, it was very expensive to make the trip" said Ray.

The spectacular volcano at White Island (above). It is New Zealand's only active marine volcano and perhaps the most accessible on earth, attracting scientists and volcanologists worldwide as well as many tourists. It is constantly erupting, although it is mainly steam, as you can see from the picture of the crater floor (below). If you have the time and the money, you can take a guided tour of the island

Around 45 kilometres from Opotiki, travellers on Highway 35 cross the Motu River Bridge. "The Motu river runs through some of the most awesomely scenic country in New Zealand" said Ray "I discovered that it's banks are covered with unique and rare flora such as orchids, koromiko, hebe and native broom" he told me, "and they grow in a setting of wild splendour scarcely touched by humans since time began" added Ray. 

Above: The Motu River Bridge on HIghway 35, travelling East

The geographical and geological beauty of the area are complimented by other points of interest for travellers in this part of the world. "Between Whanarua and Waihau, about 70 kilometres from Opotiki, is a tiny, wooden Anglican Church (dating back to 1894!) in the village of Raukokore" Ray told me. It is rather precariously perched on a headland though, and coastal erosion in these parts is very prolific, so I am not sure how much longer it will be there" added Ray.

The tiny church at Raukokore is perched on a headland right by the sea (above). Severe storms cause rapid erosion to the coast line, jeopardising the future of this pretty little wooden building (below)

If you take a look at the map of the Eastlands region (above), you will see the most easterly point on the top right hand corner of the peninsula, called East Cape. "As readers know, I like to make sure I have stood on the ground at the edges of every country I visit - I think it brings out the 'explorer' in me and gives me a sense that I have really covered the territory" explained Ray.

Above: Following Highway 35 from Raukokore to East Cape, travellers pass through 'Hicks Bay' - in times past, a freezing works and port were established at the western end of the bay, but both have long since gone. Originally named Te Wharekahika and renamed after the one of the crew on the HMS Bark Endeavour, it’s a truly lovely place and marks the start of the large sheep and cattle stations which extendrightalongtheEastCoasttothesouthern part of the North Island

Reaching the East Cape lighthouse involves a 40 kilometre detour from the coastal highway, along a narrow, twisting gravel road. "Like many of the remote points on the north island, these detours do take quite a long time, as the roads have to be taken very slowly and carefully, but they are always worth it and this was no exception" said Ray.

Taking the detour from the main coast highway to reach the lighthouse at East Cape, Ray was treated to some of the most isolated, beautiful, unspoilt coastline he has ever seen (above) - whilst reaching the lighthouse itself (below) requires a brisk 30 minute hike to the top of the hill on which it sits. Providing stunning Pacific Ocean views, it is the most easterly lighthouse in the world

There are two main cities on the East Coast - Gisborne and Napier. "I thought I would spend a bit of time in each, as they are both historically significant, although for different reasons" Ray told me. "The drive from East Cape is an automotive marathon and was actually taking far longer than I had anticipated - by the time I reached Gisborne, it was already dark and finding accommodation in a place you don't know, at night, is not a lot of fun!" added Ray.

Above: Between East Cape and Gisborne, travellers pass through Tolaga Bay, which is home to New Zealand's longest pier, at 660 metres. It is slowly disintegrating at it's southern end as the heavy seas that hampered the pier's construction exact their rusty revenge!

Gisborne has a population of about 33,000 and is a busy, sunny, river port city - in fact the sunniest place in the whole of New Zealand. Captain James Cook made his first New Zealand landfall at Kaiti Beach in 1769 and it is here that New Zealand’s European history began.

"Because of its closeness to the International Date Line, Gisborne is the most easterly city in the world and is the first on which the sun rises" said Ray. "Consequently, on 1st January 2000, the eyes of the world were focused on the activities taking place here to herald in the dawning of a new century" he discovered.

Above: The residents of Gisborne are the first city dwellers in the world to welcome every new day that dawns

Prior to the new millenium, the local council had spent months beforehand sprucing up the city, planting many trees and placing hanging baskets everywhere. "It's a really neat and tidy place" said Ray, "although there was not much to keep me here longer than a day or two" he added. "But it does have an interesting history dating back a 1,000 years and was one of the places that Captain Cook discovered, on his travels down under in the 1760's" Ray told me.

Above: There are more monuments to Captain James Cook in New Zealand than there are Indian restaurants in Birmingham! This one sits beside the shore of Poverty Bay, near Gisborne Harbour. The inscription reads "A fine seaman, an outsanding Captain and an honest man, Captain Cook was one of the last of the great explorer-navigators who helped to substantially complete the map of the world during his three global voyages of 1768-71, 1772-75 and 1776-79" - "It really feels like you are touching history here" said Ray

Below: On the 7th October 1769, New Zealand was first spotted by 'Young Nick', the cabin boy and lookout aboard Cook's ship, HMS Bark Endeavour - this statue, erected on the 200th Anniversary, in 1969 commemorates the sighting and the white cliffs across the bay now bear his name, 'Young Nicks Head'

Above: When Captain Cook's 1769 expedition attempted to replenish supplies here, there were skirmishes with local Maori's, six of whom were killed. Irked, Cook decided the area had a lack of offerings and the Bay was named 'Poverty' as a result. These days, there is a thriving logging business which supplies countries all over the world...

Below: ..... whilst the town itself is delightfully pretty

One of the main attractions between Gisborne and Napier for all travellers has to be the Te Urewera National Park. "I really wanted to see it, as it is one of the north island's most incredible natural wonders" he told me. "Although I was very excited about getting there, I couldn't resist a little detour to the Mahia Peninsula first" said Ray. When I saw the pictures he sent to me for publication in this issue, I could really understand why!

Above and below: The Mahia Peninsula is like Santorini crossed with Dover - bald hills interspersed with conifer stands give way to white sandstone cliffs and dark brown beach sand, sighing beneath the lilting cadence of a vivid blue sea. The peninsula was once an island, but sand accumulation has formed New Zealands largest tombolo landform

"One of the things I am so grateful for is that I do not have time constraints on my travel agenda, which makes it relatively easy for me to change my itinerary at the last minute - and how glad I was that I took the time to explore the Mahia Peninsula" said Ray.

Now back on track, Ray progressed to Wairoa, the tiny 'gateway' town to Te Urewera National Park. "There are quite a few towns I have come across like this one, which have no purpose other than to provide lodging and supplies to people venturing into the wilderness that lies adjacent to them" explained Ray.

Above: The old Portland Lighthouse in Wairoa dominates the town centre landscape and let's travellers know they have reached the gateway to Te Urewera National Park

As you follow the road from Wairoa into the National Park region, the terrain quickly changes. "I could not believe how colourful and lush the landscape was" observed Ray. At 225,000 hectares, the national park is the third largest in New Zealand and is the largest untouched forest reserve in the North Island. It provides an outstanding habitat for many endangered bird species including kokako, kiwi and blue duck.

"The vegetation is like a great green cloak as 650 types of native plants cover the hills and valleys that were shaped by continuous erosion" said Ray.  "The magnificent Lake Waikaremona, the centrepiece of the National Park, is home to one of New Zealand's great walks and it takes around 3-4 days to complete the 46 kilometre trip around the shore" he added.

Above: The 38 kilometre road from Wairoa into the Te Urewera National Park takes travellers through some colourful and lush landscapes

Lake Waikaremona was formed 2,200 years ago when a huge landslide blocked the Waikaretaheke River, forming a lake 248 metres deep. "I enjoyed finding out about this place" said Ray. "Maori legend tells quite a different story about how it came to be, and attributes the lakes formation to the struggles of a princess, Hau-Mapuhia who had been turned into a 'Taniwha' (water dragon). Needing the safety of the ocean before the light of the day turned her into stone - she panicked and formed great gouges in the earth, the waters rushed in to fill the gaps and gave the lake the name "Waikaremoana" – the sea ofripplingwaters"added a well informed Ray.  

Above: There are many shorter walks around Lake Waikaremoana - Ray climbed the steep track to 'Lou's Lookout', where he captured this shot of the lake. You can see his car parked on the road below (centre), which gives you an idea of how far up you can get in 30 minutes!

Above: Ray sent me these two pictures of the lake - "They don't really do full justice to the lake's sheer size and phenomenal beauty. Travellers could easily spend a couple of weeks in the regions and still not cover all of the ground" said Ray

Below: Another of the shorter walks in the National Park leads to the Papakarito falls - "I stood and watched the falls for quite some time, mesmerised by the total absence of any sound other than the water itself and the wildlife" said Ray. To see a short video clip, watch Papakarito Falls

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There are two main cities on the East Coast, with Napier being the furthest south of the two, situated in an area known as the 'Hawke's Bay' region. "Once I had left Te Urewera National Park, it was only a couple of hours drive away" said Ray. "I timed it so that I would arrive early evening" he added.

Above: The map traces Ray's route around the East Coast along Highway 35, with Napier at the Southern end of the blue line

Napier is the largest crossbred wool centre in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the largest apple, pear and stone fruit producing areas in New Zealand. It has also become an important grape growing and wine production area with the fruit passing from the growers around Metropolitan Hastings andthentoNapierforexporting. There are large frozen meat, wool, pulp and timber tonnages passing through Napier’s port.

"One of the reasons I wanted to see the city was the architecture" Ray told me. "New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world that sits directly on top of a massive fault line below the eath's surface" explained Ray. "In 1931, the whole town was completely destroyed by the Hawke's Bay earthquake. It lasted for two and a half minutes and was estimated to have measured about 7.8 on the Richter scale, and 7.9 on the modern Richter Scale. The earthquake struck with a massive upthrust, and half a minute later came a huge resettling. There were 525 aftershocks recorded in the following two weeks. The main shock could be felt in much of the lower half of the north island" he told me.

Above: Then (1931, left),and now (right) - Heretaunga Street, in nearby Hastings

Below: Napier was the scene of absolute devastation, with practically every building demolished by the earthquake

Nearly all buildings in the central areas of Napier, and nearby Hastings, were levelled and the death toll included 161 people in Napier, 93 in Hastings, and two in Wairoa. Thousands more were injured, with over 400 hospitalised. "The local landscape changed dramatically, with the coastal areas around Napier being lifted by around two metres" added a flabbergasted Ray. "Another consequence was that the whole town had to be re-built, at a time when when Art Deco was fashionable" said Ray.

Above: The Napier Daily Telegraph building is a fine example of the Art Deco architecture in the city, which was totally re-built after the devastating earthquake in 1931

Below: There are further Art Deco examples everywhere - this arch lines the promenade - "I really liked the inscription on the arch, which reads "Courage is the thing - all goes if courage goes" he told me

The earthquake prompted a thorough review of New Zealand building codes, which were found to be totally inadequate. Many buildings built during the 1930's and 1940's are heavily reinforced, although more recent research has developed other strengthening techniques. To this day, there are few buildings in Hawke's Bay taller than five stories, and as most of Napier's rebuilding took place in the 1930s, Napier architecture is regarded today as being one of the finest examples of Art Deco anywhere.

Above: Napier is one of the Art Deco capitals of the world

For those readers that are interested, there is a splendid photo library with more pictures from the earthquake, at the Hastings Government web site.

History recalls that a group of prisoners working at 'Bluff Hill' in Napier had four of their number buried by the quake. The remaining prisoners dug them out, but two had been killed. The prisoners re-assembled without any attempt to escape and were locked up in the Napier Gaol. "Imagine my suprise when I discovered that Napier Gaol was now a backpackers hostel" chuckled Ray. "When I arrived in town, I called a couple of places for a room, only to discover they were full, so that left me with the option of spending a night in a cell in the old prison - it wasn't my first choice, but I thought 'what the heck!' and decided to try it" recalled Ray.

Above: The old Napier Gaol has to be the most unique backpackers in New Zealand. This is the only real prison in New Zealand where you are free to go again in the morning! - "I found out that secuirty at the gaol had been pretty poor" said Ray. "This wall was actually built in preparation for a Royal visit in 1906, years after it opened" he revealed

Below: Stand still! - Ray (Inmate no. JF4454813) checks in.... "You are hereby sentenced to a couple of days of good fun, great company and some chilly nights in your cell" - a relatively easy sentence! In the last few years the prison was open, inmates were actually allowed to wear their own clothes, rather than uniforms

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Gazetted in 1862, the prison housed every kind of prisoner, including women, children and lunatics. "The staff were very knowledgeable about the building's history" said Ray. "We heard how the convict hewn sandstone which built the impressive front wall was cut from the quarry across the road by the prisoners on 'hard labour' and how the 'Centennial Gardens' were built on the location of the old quarry under the supervision of Officer Jack "the Bastard" Adams in the early 1970's" recalled Ray.

Above: The view outside from behind the prison wall. In the foreground is the house where the warden, Jack "the Bastard" Adams lived. In the background, are the Centennial Gardens, which Jack had persuaded the council to build so he could look out at them in his old age. Sadly, he died within a couple of months of his retirement as Warden

The prison was decommissioned in 1993 and acquired by it's current owner some 10 years later. Ray spoke to him to enquire where he got the idea from to run the place as a hostel. "There was an article in the newspaper about people who kept breaking in to the derelict building to sniff glue" he told me. "I already had one hostel in the town and was looking for a second site which had bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom facilities and the idea just clicked. I approached the council and the rest is history" said the enterprising chap. "I just love hearing stories like this" said Ray, as they are really inspiring".

Above: A Kiwi 'reality' television programme called 'Redemption Hill' was filmed on location at Napier Prison backpackers hostel. It provided a chance for ten 'out of control' teenagers to see if they could get back on the straight and narrow. Treated like prisoners, they were confronted with a range of experiences - "I haven't seen the show" said Ray, "and by the sound of it, I'm glad I missed it!"

 Below: Your room, Sir! - lights out at 10pm sharp and no talking!

Above: Ray stretches his legs during his short 'stretch' in the prison - "The cell was really tiny, with just about enough room for me to lay out flat on the small, hard bed" said Ray. "It really made me consider what life inside a real prison must be like, and how much I appreciate my freedom" he added

Below: The tiny cell was Ray's home for a couple of nights - "It was bloody freezing in there" said Ray. "I had two fan heaters in my room, plus half my clothes on in bed!"

Above: The conversion of the building has been done really well and most of the original features have been retained, with slight modifications. This picture is of the communal shower block in the courtyard. "Thank God I did not have to 'watch my back' in the shower room" said Ray

Below: Like all hostels, the prison attracts a huge variety of people passing through town - "I met a Kiwi guy called Mike, who was fascinating - he carves small statues from whale bones by hand" said Ray. "Many of the people staying here were seasonal workers picking fruit, so we were always well stocked with fresh, juicy apples!" he told me

The morning after his arrival, Ray was invited to take a tour of the prison. "To me, it is always fascinating to try and "re-live" the experience that people might have had in these sorts of places" said Ray. "We were told about how the guards did not understand the behaviour of lunatics, so they locked them up in tiny cells you couldn't even stand in" added Ray. "And we also heard about why there was so much cage wire around the exercise yard - chiefly because the food in the prison was so bad, that friends of inmates would throw food over the wall for people inside, not to mention the weapons and drugs!" discovered Ray.

Above: Staff member Laura takes Ray and some other guests around the prison and recalls some stories which bring the place to life....

Below: The 'Hanging Yard' - these days, the only thing hanging here is laundry, although there were five executions carried out here. Under New Zealand law, all convicts executed in prison mut be buried inside the prison grounds, and the warden believed that their punishment would continue into the next life if they were buried standing up, as their souls could not rest. "Most of us felt a slight chill of discomfort on hearing this story" confessed Ray, "and wondered if any of the 'ghost' stories were true"...

After the horrors of 'prison' life, a return to nature beckoned for our solo traveller. "Much to my surprise, I heard about a huge colony of Gannets, which were nesting in a reserve along the coast about half an hour away, and thought it would be really interesting to see, especially as the birds are not afraid if you stand very close to them" Ray told me.

Above: On his way to the Gannet colony at nearby Cape Kidnappers, Ray drove through a number of wineries. The Hawke's Bay region is one of New Zealand's leading producers of red wines and the most richest and complex Chardonnay's

Bird lovers love Cape Kidnappers. The gannet reserve there is rare in ornithological circles as it contains the largest and most accessible mainland gannet colony in the world. Known to the Maori as Takapu, the gannet is usually an island breeder but has made a notable exception here, on the East Coast of the North Island.

"Nothing quite prepares you for the experience that awaits" Ray told me. "Administered by the Department of Conservation, the area gives you a special, up close opportunity to observe the Gannet in its natural environment. Even though I am not a bird lover, I was captivated" he said.

Above: The Gannet, a member of the Booby family, is related to the families of shags, pelicans and frigate-birds. Adult Australasian Gannets have a wing span of up to two metres and an average weight of two kilos. Whilst ungainly on land, these birds are designed for graceful flying and diving from great heights into the sea to catch fish. As the birds are migratory, the first trip for the new chicks is to Australia where they stay for 2-3 years before they return to New Zealand to live

Below: The best way to reach the colony is along the eight kilometre, rocky beach, by tractor/trailer, or if you are feeling energetic, a two hour walk

The route to the colony follows the base of spectacular, stratified cliffs, and has to be undertaken at low tide. The sea and wind have carved interesting shapes out of the soft sands and shingles of the cliffs. "The geology is amazing" said Ray. "Some of the cliffs are the result of 200,000 years of erosion - when I realised this, it made me quite humble, thinking about my own, relatively short lifespan" said a reflective Ray.

Above: Ray joined a group of travellers on his journey to the colony - "The timing to Cape Kidnappers, both in and out has to be precise, otherwise the tractors cannot traverse the beach" explained Ray

Below: 200,000 years in the making - a stunning example of the quite amazing geological formations that line the beach at Cape Kidnappers - the semi circular shaped hollow is the result of constant erosion from heavy coastal wind and rain

"As we got nearer and nearer to the main colony, we could see small families of birds nestling among the rocks just off the shoreline" recalled Ray. "We had been warned by our guide that the season was coming to an end, so the numbers would be quite depleted. Nonetheless, it was still a really interesting sight to see and I was getting quite excited as we reached the end of the Cape" added Ray.

Above: Small groups of Gannets resting among the rocks on the way to the main colony at Cape Kidnappers

Below: The tractors stop on the beach, (which is visible in the distance, just to the left of centre) - "We had to make a thirty minute hike to the top of the hill where I took this picture, to come into contact with the main colony" said Ray

Upon reaching the top, Ray was struck by the pungent odour and the strange concert of bird noises. "Frankly, they really stink!" said Ray. "I stood and watched in amazement as they circled the small group of us that had gathered, listening to the chorus of weird sounds they make" recalled Ray.

When the season is at it's height, between July-April, there are estimated to be 1,500 breeding pairs on the plateau and a further 2,200 pairs in the Saddle colony below the lighthouse. "I reckon there were about 200 pairs still there on the day we visited" said Ray.

Above: The Gannet Colony on the plateau at Cape Kidnappers. Their average lifespan is 20-24 years, although some are known to have lived as long as 33 years. If you would like to see a short video clip, watch The Gannet Colony

Below: Ray picks up one of the hundreds of Gannet feathers laying around - "You never know when you might need it" he says. "If the Internet crashes, at least I'll have something I can write with, so that I'll still be able to send information about my travels to The Daily Explorer!" he quipped

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The Gannet colony visit marked the end of Ray's tour of the Eastlands region. "Readers of The Daily Explorer may know that I had to abandon my first attempt to make the Tongariro Crossing a couple of weeks earlier, due to bad weather" he said. "Now, the weather was improving, or at least I thought it was, so I decided to head back into the Taupo region to have another go" he told me.

Above: The red circle shows the location of the Tongariro Crossing, one of the most popular and challenging one day hikes in the world

Below: Ray passed this store on the way from Napier to Taupo as he headed back for another attempt at the Tongariro Crossing - "I bet the customer service in there is really bad" joked Ray

The route to the crossing took Ray past the Craters of the Moon, just north of Lake Taupo, which is a small but highly active geothermal field covering about 50,000 m². "There are numerous steam vents, constantly shifting, collapsing and reforming giving the whole area a desolate appearance, hence the name" said Ray. "The area also holds a number of plants not normally native to the area, but which thrive (or are the only ones that can live) in the hot and partly noxious environment" added our amateur botanist.

Above and below: The craters are significant as one of the very few geothermal areas in the world that appeared as a result of human actions. There was only light geothermal activity in the actual area until shortly after the building of the Wairakei Geothermal Power Station about 2,000 metres north of the field. This reduced the pressure in the area, thus allowing very hot liquid water to transform into steam (the boiling point of liquids rises with increasing pressure)

Booking into a hostel in nearby Turangi, Ray's weather forecast turned out to be worse than expected. "For a couple of days, it was a case of sitting it out and waiting as the crossing reaches nearly 2,000 metres at its highest point and the wind and rain can be very severe, even if it looks OK on the ground" Ray told me. "I knew it was very unlikely that I would be back here any time soon, so I thought I would wait, rather than miss it altogether" he added.

Above: To reach the start of the Tongariro Crossing from Turnangi (visible in the distance through the windscreen), travellers can take one of the many shuttle buses operating in the area - "It was an early start, but the prospect of doing the crossing was so exciting, it didn't really matter" recalled Ray

Below: Mount Tongariro, viewed from the crater rim of nearby Mount Ngauruhoe, showing Crater Lake

The Tongariro Crossing track passes over varied and spectacular volcanic terrain. "In the presence of active volcanoes, trekkers can experience some of Tongariro National Park’s special gifts" said Ray. "A cold mountain spring, lava flows, an active crater, steam vents, emerald-coloured lakes and magnificent views - I knew this was going to be an enjoyable and memorable trip" added Ray.

Above: This graph shows the progression of the track from left to right, with the elevations of each way point marked. It should take 7-8 hours to complete the 17 kilometre journey

Below: This is what the area looks like, on a clear day. Unfortunately for Ray, he was to have no such luck with the weather!

Above: Ray, pictured at the start of the crossing - "I had been told by numerous people that I needed to prepare well and have appropriate clothing" said Ray. "Unfortunately for me, my one pound fifty, orange plastic pac-a-mac that I bought in Thailand, did not qualify. By the time I was two hours in, severe 30 kilometre winds literally tore it to shreds and I was getting freezing cold and soaking wet" he recalled. "Luckily for me, a fellow tramper had a spare jacket which they kindly lent to me" said a very grateful Ray. "Since then, I have invested in some proper gear" he added.

From the summit of Red Crater (1,886 metres), the highest point on the Tongariro Crossing, the track descends down to three water filled explosion craters called the Emerald Lakes. Their brilliant greenish colour is caused by minerals which have leached from the adjoining thermal area. "I had to be careful on the descent as the track has lots of loose stones and gravel on the surface" recalled Ray.

Above: Red Crater (look for the reddish coloured stone around the volcano cone) and the Emerald Lakes - "One of the best walks I have ever done" was how Ray described it, even though visibility on the day was very poor

Below: This was Ray's view of Emerald Lake! The weather is subject to rapid change on the crossing and is very unrpedictable - "Even though the views were not as good as I had hoped for, I am still very satisfied that I completed the crossing" said Ray

On the descent, there was an opportunity to rest and warm up at the Ketetahi Hut - a popular overnight stop for 'trampers' undertaking some of the 2-3 day hikes. "By the time we reached the hut, my hands were freezing, as I had no gloves!" admitted Ray. "I rushed into the hut and headed straight for the wood burning stove and sat there until my fingers came back to life" he recalled. "I now know from hard experience, that anything can happen weather wise and I will definitely be better prepared next time" he told me.

If you would like to see a really cool panormaic view of the Emerald Lake on the crossing, then visit 360 Degree Panoramas

Above and below: These two pictures, taken only 3-4 minutes apart, show how quickly the weather can change - "I have learnt my lesson" said Ray, "and will definitely be better prepared next time"

Editors Note: Thanks Ma for another great article! We are getting some great feedback from Daily Explorer readers, who will no doubt be looking forward to your next instalment.

In our next issue, due online in a couple of weeks, Ma tracks Ray's journey as he takes the 'Forgotten World Highway' to New Plymouth, heads East to Wanganui and makes his way towards Wellington - the crossing point to the South Island. We will keep you posted!

MOZZIE BYTE

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