Epic Sunrise at Kaka Point

Wednesday 25 June

Spectacular sunrise! I popped my head out of Banjo around 7.30am to be greeted by an incredible purple pink glow in the sky so threw on a sweater and gum boots and drove down to the beach to watch the phenomenal kaleidoscope of colours as the sun gradually popped up over the horizon. Wow!

Our plan for the day was to head out tiki touring early then back for lunch. We were aiming for Pūrākaunui Bay but got waylaid by a message that we had to respond to urgently, so went back & forth looking for signal! The cows on the route were very confused at our comings and goings!

We did get to explore the bay eventually and marvel at the bizarre rock erosions all round the south end of the beach.

Took a quick visit to the newly emptied vault toilets at Pūrākaunui Bay (the poo truck was there on our first attempt to visit the bay and just leaving as we got back for the second time, so we presumed the loos would be lovely and fresh!) and I spent a while flirting with piwakawaka who were flitting around outside the toilet block... many were just teenagers with very short tails.

We detoured on the way back to the Pūrākaunui Falls which were rather picturesque but very cold - you could tell as the air temperature above the water was about 6*C lower than when we entered the woods.

We stopped at Kaka Point waterfront on the way back and enjoyed a picnic lunch overlooking the beach before retiring for a siesta & work (Louis) and a wee bush walk (me). The bush walk, as recommended by a local the day before, was very lovely and green, but distinctly lacking in the promised birdlife - though the trees themselves were quite interesting.

Took the drone down to the beach just before sunset but it was a bit grey & cloudy by then sadly. The dullness was in stark contrast to the beautiful colours of the seaweeds and shells we found along the way.

Dinner was nibbly cheese & crackers etc then time to catch up with some blogging while Louis binged Foundation (not my kinda TV show). Early night with no further feline or possum harassment!