Taiharuru

I heard a beach mentioned, thought oh yeah, I know where that is.  But when I came to think about it, I couldn't remember what it looked like.  I have a clear recollection of attending a Christmas party at a workmate's house there, around 15 years ago, can remember the house and everyone at the party clearly but not what the beach looks like.   Maybe I didn't go to the beach?

The day was warm and clear and the more I thought about it, the more I felt like going for a drive on a road that meanders along a narrow peninsula not far from Whangarei, past beaches and through very pleasant countryside, to Taiharuru.

Still waters of an inlet on the left

Waves crashing onto rocks on the right

I found the house where I had once partied and remembered catching a glimpse of the beach as I turned into my host's street. This time I got out of the car and had a good look around.  And consulted my map.  For years I've had an excellent map of Northland.  It's now been unfolded and refolded so many times it is in pieces.  I use Google Maps a lot, wonderful for finding my way to somewhere unfamiliar but you have to know where you are headed, right?  I had entered Taiharuru into my phone Maps but the street sign told me I was at Mc Gregor's Bay.  I now know it is also known at Taiharuru Bay.  Luckily, I'd stopped at the tourist information centre as I headed out of town and replaced my old map.  I was delighted to find a newer version of the same map.  Nothing can replace a paper map in my book for giving you the bigger picture, for seeing the lay of the land, the geography.

Looking left from the carpark

Looking right.  The little boy was obviously familiar with the beach at high tide.  He stopped and waited for a wave to recede before scampering around past the rocks.

My paper map told me I would come to Taiharuru Heads if I followed the road to the end and sure enough a few kms along the road, only about 50km from home, there it was.  Well worth the drive.

On my way back home I turned up one of the very few side roads, Mc Rae Road.  It was signposted as if it were a public road but only a little way along there was a farm gate.  It was open but made me think perhaps I'd come to private land.   I ventured a little further until I came to another gate.  The map shows the road runs down to the water on the inlet side.  I must find out if it's a public road and, if so, make another visit.

View from the second gate up Mc Rae Road