Back to Pouto

In just over a week I will be flying to Cairns in North Queensland to meet my sister, Trish and start a road trip down the east coast.  I have so many things to do before then, the only sensible thing to do right now is postpone everything and do a post to catch up about my latest little road trip with my daughter, Leone to Pouto.  The theory is it will clear my brain.  Hah!

On Monday we left home around 9 am, spent time wandering around the shops in Dargaville, while my car was having a small part fitted in the garage, had lunch before leaving town, then took a couple of detours before finally catching up with my niece and her husband at Pouto Point, sometime around 4 pm.  Had we simply driven from here to there it would have taken less than 2 hours.
 
The weather was changeable from minute to minute.

Kellys Bay looked foreboding and moody at low tide.

The colourful poles on the little jetty brightened the scene.  You can see by the puddles in the foreground that it had just stopped raining.

All was calm looking down the harbour.  

Leone always enjoy going back to Pouto.  It was the first place we lived when we moved to New Zealand.  She, and her brothers have wonderful memories of carefree, happy childhood days on the beach and nearby bays at Pouto Point. 

It's always a thrill to walk out on to the beach, see that beautiful harbour, feel the wind in your hair. There's nearly always a breeze at Pouto.  I know this isn't much of a photo but it was my pick from the trip.  The cousins stopped before stepping on to the beach to talk about the olive trees.  My daughter really does have an odd listening pose, doesn't she?

It gladdens my heart to see how the bonds formed in childhood are still strong.

We enjoyed a pleasant walk, the morning was cool but warmed up as we walked.  Sometimes it is wild and blustery on the beach with the wind giving a free microdermabrasion session, but not on Tuesday.  
 

 Beach fluff

Beach sculpture

Walking down through the trees to the little beach just around from the point.  We stayed in this house, right on this beach when we first arrived.  After living in the dry north west of Queensland, it was like heaven.  (And still is!)

Recently blown in black sand on the beach.  The next storm could bring in snowy white sand.  And sad evidence of erosion.

Thank you to Christine for the wonderful tour you gave us to all the old sights.  Below is Sheehan's Creek (the photo taken from her brother, Simon's farm)  where the children and I returned to holiday a few times after we had left Pouto.

Christine's contented cows

My fascination for churches remains.  This is the little church at Waikaretu Marae with its beautiful window that I found impossible to photograph.

 

Christine and Andrew exemplify the friendliness and hospitality for which Pouto is well known.  I've never known them to be any different. May they never change.