Saturday 21st March
Paihia to Orewa
Just as we were leaving Paihia lots of cyclists were arriving to take part in an annual race.


We stopped for a break on the journey at Mangawhai Heads and walked the long, and almost deserted , beach. We saw many large and beautifully coloured shells.These terns were landing in groups all along the shoreline.

In the distance we saw what we thought was a line of rocks. When we got closer we found it was thousands of birds feeding on the ocean surface. As we returned hundreds of birds flew past, in a long thin line, to another feeding area.

On our way back along the beach we noticed a long nylon line going from this reel into the sea. We stopped to ask the person standing near it what he was doing. He explained that on one end of the line was a small motor-controlled torpedo that took the line over one kilometre out to sea. Attached to the line were 25 hooks. It was to be left out for about an hour and then reeled back in using the motor on the stand. Yesterday he told us that he had caught 21 big fish with one haul.

Near to our destination we spotted some bright pink sheep and managed to get a photograph of the last one. Why their wool was dyed pink we have no idea.

Later in the afternoon we strolled through warm water along the beach near the hotel. Here we found more shells and spotted a couple of small fish.