Shells...

This is a 'Cask' or 'Tun' shell.
I found it  and several broken ones on
Tokerau Beach where I have been parked for a few days.
They live at a depth of 25-145 metres
and eat sea cucumbers, starfish, sea urchins, crabs and
burrowing shellfish, finding their way in by drilling a hole.
There has been stormy seas and a variety of shells and
lots of seaweed washed up.

They are amazing shells. This one is 15cm long.
They don't grow much bigger than this.
As you can see it has a big opening where the fish has been.
Details in my shell book told me is has no operculum,
or stopper (we can know them as cat's eyes)
to protect the fish.

It has a small hole otherwise it's a perfect shell...
Quite rare as the shell is very thin and brittle so easily broken.
They are only found round the top half of New Zealand's
north island on both the east and west coasts.
They are also found round Australia where they are known
as the 'Beer-Barrel Tun'.

 These are the others I found, all broken but beautiful colours
and shapes.
It's interesting to read about the home that this shell was
and the life of the shellfish...
Before I found them empty...
Floating in the low tide.

Half Way up Ninety Mile Beach... Huketere

I've been to Huketere before but decided to pay it another visit.
There was a very strong easterly blowing into Tokerau Beach...
Sand flying everywhere...
Which made any wind assisted fishing impossible.

So I decided to go over to the west coast.
Huketere is about 40 km north from Awanui, up State Highway 1,
then turn off at Whalers Rd and it's 10 km to the coast.
Where I park is part of a privately owned property...
Called Utea Park...

 Named after this nearby conical Utea (meaning Pathway) Hill.
Although it's not very high it's used as a fire lookout.

It's very much in the sandhills and wilderness...
There is a community room with a kitchen at one end...
Flush toilets and hot showers...
The charge is a 'Koha" (donation).

It's a vast stretch of beach... Used by many as the local highway.
The sand at low tide is very hard and in better condition than the road...
But a 4 wheel drive vehicle is definitely needed.
So about 16km in this direction (south) is the next exit off the beach
at Waipapakauri Ramp... Then it's a sealed road, not far to SH.


Me... I collected Tuatua... Again... I love them.
I keep them cool in a bucket of fresh sea water for 24 hours...

Then open with a sharp knife.
If I want to make fritters I don't double cook them...
They go tough very easily.
 
Here is the mix...
Chopped up Tuatua, an egg, small amount of chopped parsley,
tiny amount of finely chopped red onion,
1 small tablespoon of flour...
 b
And delicious fritters...

I also tried out my new fishing kite...
It was a grey day and a strong wind.
It flew off with great glee... Out about 600 meters.
The wind was so strong I had trouble winding it back in...
Onto my small reel.
Luckily a friend came to help me and saved the day.
Since then I have decided I need a much
bigger reel that pushes into the sand...
And I have bought 2 smaller kites and a lighter dropper line
more suitable for my small reel.
 
  Grey wilderness...
This long stretch of beach goes north to 'The 'bluff'...
About 35km...
Another popular fishing spot with a small camping place.

Coca Cola's New Campaign For 'Health'...

 

I guess we all have things that we get 'hot under the collar' about.
One of mine is the quality of the food we eat...
And the false advertising and marketing around it...
Trying to make us believe it's all right...
But increasingly it's not.

I receive emails from a web site...
Dr Mercola...

A lot of it I skim through... Other articles
grab my attention and I read and research them.
This article about Coca Cola makes me SO mad.

Luckily I don't like Coke or Mc Donalds food
or fast food takeaways.

From this same web site today I read about
the high percentage of contaminated horse meat in
processed meat in the USA
and how the USA is also making 'pork' from
the otherwise unusable innards of pigs and the
same glue that is used in making gym shoes...
And putting it in processed meats.

Another article I have just read is about the huge company
Monsanto developing a modified strain of Soya Bean
that doesn't need hydrogenating to stabilise it...
So they can use it in products like margarine and
call it healthy... What a dangerous hoax.

 Do visit this site and read more.
What are your 'pet' hates?

Saved By A Lifejacket...

We walked to the Rawene wharf get the ferry back to Kohukohu
where we had left the car...
To see a yacht that has been skimming through
the wind and rough sea...
Capsize and tip out both its sailors.

It all happened so quickly...
The outgoing tidal current swept them towards the side of the ferry...
But it was quickly evident that one man (on the right) couldn't swim....
And was being swept into deeper water...


This man washed into shallower water...

And was busy turning his yacht right way up...
 

But if the tide hadn't taken this man into
the side of the ferry...
And the quick thinking ferry skipper thrown him a flotation ring...
And he was wearing a lifejacket...
 
Another man grabbed a rubber ducky with an outboard motor...
And rescue was achieved.


And... so we left Rawene... Back to Kohukohu... To Herekino Harbour
and Owhata, then Whangape Harbour... And so home.
  We did a lot in one day... Makes a difference having a car...
In my bus I would have taken days, stopping longer at each place...
And trying for flounder at Whangape...
I'm told they are there.

Rawene... Mangrove Boardwalk

Although it was a very windy day it was sheltered
walking amongst the Mangroves
 

It's a well built walkway and lots of interesting information
about the history of the area and the  mangroves.

 

There is very good signage...
Despite it having been destroyed a couple of times
it has been replaced.


Remains of the old mill that covered a large area.

 
It was very smelly here so I was interested to read that
it is sulphur dioxide from the remains of the old rotting wood from the mill
buried in the thick muddy ooze.





 
The area above was all used by the mill.





We didn't see any Banded Rails but did see 100's
of tiny black crabs as they scuttled at lightening speed
into their holes in the mud as they heard us coming.


  To read about the mangroves was interesting...
The 'Avicennia Marina' is the only variety in New Zealand.
It's the most widespread mangrove species in the world,
extending from East Africa through to Fiji, Australia and New Zealand.
This species reaches its southernmost extent
in the world at Raglan Harbour
on the west coast of the North island (37deg 48 S),
and at Ohiwa Harbour on the east coast (38deg 00 S),
along with Victoria, southeastern Australia (38deg 27 S).
Limited frost tolerances are thought to set this latitudinal limit.
In 1996-1997 it was estimated that approximately 22,500 hectares of
mangrove forests  may be present in New Zealand.

I was very interested to read this sign about how the mangroves have
adapted and survive in their particular environment.


It's low tide, it was a good time to view the various survival
systems. At high tide all the pneumataphores, roots and crabs
would be underwater.


They cover a large area...


 


At the end of the boardwalk it loops around.
There are seats to sit for a while...

 
This is where we saw these roots...
Suuporting large old trees.
It's well worth a wander round here. 
 

Rawene... And the Boatshed Cafe

From Kohukohu we got the ferry across the Hokianga Harbour to Rawene

 

And made our way in the wild wind to the Boatshed Cafe.
We had been here before so looked forward to lunch with anticipation
The cafe has changed hands...
We were totally underwhelmed with the overpriced
food and wine selection...
Even tap water was 50c a glass!
When I asked what on their menu was guten free
I was very rudely told... Eggs are gluten free...
Well I know that!
I had a smoked chicken and mango salad that was
served with crispy noodles.
I asked for no noodles and instead 2 pieces of gluten free toast.
There was no discount for no noodles and an added charge
of $2 for the toast.
I had a glass of Pinot Gris - $9 for a small glass half filled.
There was a $2 surcharge for using a credit card...
My bill was $31.
My friend, Carolyn, had a small piece of tomato and basil
tart with a small side salad... $18.50... And the same wine.


Enjoying my wine despite the price...

It's positioned on piles over the water.
With an outside deck that looks over the harbour
but it was far too windy to sit out there...
And we won't be going there again...
The pub in Kohukohu is far better...
Food, service and value.

 

It's a shame as it's a cafe with character and some art displays
I do hope they realise soon that they are not in Auckland
and those prices and the rude service are not acceptable.

Old wharves...


Old historical buildings...


The old 'Ferry House' building... We got the impression
it's being restored...


Another unusual building... The art gallery it houses was closed.
As was another new gallery/2nd hand shop.


All in all... We thought Rawene has become a rather run down
place... The only interesting thing we did was the Mangrove walk...