On our last morning in the Bay of Islands we headed down to Paihia. The town is very different when a cruise ship is in port. New Zealanders come from miles around to set up their booths and tents to sell art and crafts items to the cruisers. Even Norm the owner of Cook's Lookout went down to Paihia and set up to play music for the cruisers and sell his CDs. Norm toured Europe playing music most of his adult life, living out of a mobile home that he had purchased in Elkhart, Indiana and had shipped back to Europe. When he and Shelagh got married they purchased Cook's and moved to New Zealand.
We had hotel reservations for that night on the west side of the New Zealand Northland in Opononi so we spent the day leisurely making our way to Opononi. As you will see later our activities during the day impact events that play out at the end of the day.
Bill having his morning coffee sitting on deck outside of room at Cook's Lookout.
After spending the morning shopping in Paihia we started our drive to Oponino. We first drove to the nearby site of the Treaty of Waitangi where the British signed the treaty with over 500 Maori chiefs in 1840. As a result of the treaty New Zealand became a colony of Britain and the Maori became British subjects. We walked around the grounds but decided to start our drive to Opononi rather than tour the museum. These types of decisions all during the day resulted us being in a specific spot at a specific time later in the day near Opononi. While driving to Opononi we passed a sign on the road advertising avocados for sale so we stopped. The lady and her daughter who was visiting from the U.S. greeted us and showed us around her property where she raised chickens and grew avocados.
View of the Hokianga Harbor from our room at the Opononi Resort Hotel. The Hokianga Harbor is the accepted residential place of Kupe, the first voyager and Maori to discover New Zealand over 1,000 years ago. He and his followers settled in the harbor area due to its protected waters and abundance of food.
After checking into the hotel we walked next door to a visitor center. At the visitor center we talked to the agent about activities in the area and she recommended a night walk in the Waipuoa Forest guided by a local Maori. However, the cut off time for making reservations was 3:30 pm and it was now 3:33 pm. She said she would try to make reservations for us but called with not much luck. She did reach someone who said they would try to reach the Maori guide via his cell to see if there was room on the tour. After about 20 minutes with no luck we finally said we would just do something else and not pursue the tour further. The agent said, "I guess it just was not meant to be." She did suggest we drive over to the Signal Hill overlook where there was a very scenic walk to the beach and beautiful views of Hokianga Harbor. We decided to go there and walked back to the hotel to get our car. The tour was not meant to be for a good reason and we lingered in our travels during the day and showed up 3 minutes late to make reservations for the tour for a good reason. Fate was taking us to Signal Hill at a very specific location at a very specific time.
Bill at the top of the cliff near Signal Hill at Arai-Te-Uru Recreational Reserve looking out over Hokianga Harbor.
Karen with the Hokianga Harbor in the background. We were passed on the path by another couple and we began our further descent. However, we heard what sounded like someone yelling. We hadn't heard it earlier but it sounded like someone yelling for help. We looked out in the harbor and saw a kayak in the inlet where we could see the waves from the sea meeting the out-flowing water from the harbor. The kayak was in the middle of the inlet and didn't appear to be making any progress. It looked like the tide was going out and he was caught where the sea current met the harbor current. Bill was going to go up to the parking lot and drive back to Opononi to get some help but we decided to contact the couple that just passed us to see if they had a working cell phone (ours didn't work in New Zealand). We yelled down to the couple and they came back up and said they had a cell phone. They had not heard the yell for help but could now hear it when they were standing where we were. They called the New Zealand equivalent of 911 (411) and the emergency operator asked them a number of questions about where we were (the couple was from Christchurch on the South Island so they new the name for the area where we were and could describe our location). The operator also wanted to know specifics about the kayaker so I took a zoomed in picture of the kayaker and then zoomed in on the photo on my camera to determine if he had a life jacket on and what he was wearing etc. After talking with the emergency operator for a few minutes they hung up and we didn't really have any assurances that help was coming. The operator was actually in Christchurch. We and the other couple continued on down to the beach. We could only hear the cries for help at that one spot on the trail. Once we reached the beach we couldn't see or hear the kayaker. We continued to watch the harbor to see if any boats seemed to be coming to the rescue.
Zoomed in picture of the kayaker in the inlet of Hokianga Harbor.
Finally after what had to be almost 2 hours we saw what looked like a rescue boat on the other side of the harbor. We weren't sure why it was there but it appeared they were convincing the kayaker to go to the far shore. We were much relieved and thought we would never hear the whole story of what happened. Fate was not done yet however.
We enjoyed the beautiful area in the Arai-Te-Uru Recreation Reserve much more after the apparent rescue of the kayaker.
Bill talking to a student who was relaxing and writing in her journal on the beach. She said she had not seen or heard the kayaker that was in trouble.
Bill climbing over the lava rocks on the beach at Hokianga Harbor inlet.
Bill walked over the lava rocks to take a look down the coast outside of the harbor.
These fishermen were the only other people on the beach or at the preserve other than the student, us, and the Christchurch couple that called the emergency operator. No one on the beach had heard or seen the kayaker.
Bill walked out to the south point of the harbor where you could see the Hokianga Harbor inlet and the coast south of the harbor.
As we pulled into the hotel parking lot we could see this Coastguard boat pulling up to shore and a trailer waiting to take it out of the water. This was the boat that rescued the kayaker. We also saw a man putting a kayak on top of a truck by the water. Karen said that must be the kayaker so she hopped out of the car and ran over to him. It turns out that the man and 2 ladies with him were relatives of the kayaker that was rescued and that there were 2 kayakers - one's kayak had sunk and he had been in the water the entire time until the rescue. We had not seen anyone in the water. The 2 kayakers were shaken up but okay. However, they had been taken to the hospital. We told him our story about hearing the call for help and getting the other couple to call emergency services. We also showed him the pictures we had taken of Joe in his kayak in the currents of the harbor. He then told us Joe and Andy's remarkable story. Thus, fate allowed us to hear the entire story of what had happened. The 2 kayakers, brothers Andy and Joe Te Paa had come to the Hokianga Harbor area along with other family members including their sister Loraine Te Paa, Arthur Gage, and Hailey Gage who we had just met, to dedicate the headstone of their mother's grave. After the dedication ceremony Andy and Joe had decided to go kayaking while the rest of the family went back to a local residence. When Andy and Joe got in trouble trying to get back into Hokianga Harbor, Andy tried to get his cell phone out of the kayak's water tight storage compartment but when he did it let water get into the compartment and the kayak began to sink. He was able to get a call to Arthur but Arthur didn't hear the phone and didn't get the call. Andy's kayak sunk and he was in the water with a life vest but was struggling in the current to get to shore. When the rescue boat showed up Andy was worn out but now safe as was Joe who remained in his kayak. Very remarkable that we were able to run into Arthur, Loraine, and Hailey to hear how the story turned out and for them to hear how the rescue boat was contacted. You would think that would be the end of the remarkable coincidences that caused our paths to cross with the Te Paa family - stay tuned because fate was not done yet.
We had dinner at the hotel bar which was serviced by the adjacent Boar and Marlin Restaurant. Our very pleasant server was try to raise funds for her Maori dance troup's trip to the national competitions so we completed her lottery card.
Bill in the Opononi Hotel Bar having a very pleasant dinner after an exciting day.
The Opononi Hotel had a lot of character and charm and with a colocated restaurant and bar and with the beautiful Hokianga Harbor a very pleasant place to stay.
Karen at the bar talking with our server and Maori dance competition performer.
The lottery number drawing - we didn't win but it was fun and went to a good cause.
We had hotel reservations for that night on the west side of the New Zealand Northland in Opononi so we spent the day leisurely making our way to Opononi. As you will see later our activities during the day impact events that play out at the end of the day.
Bill having his morning coffee sitting on deck outside of room at Cook's Lookout.
Karen shopping at the art and crafts booths in Paihia.
Norm singing for cruisers in Paihia and selling his CDs.
Karen trying on hats in Paihia.
After spending the morning shopping in Paihia we started our drive to Oponino. We first drove to the nearby site of the Treaty of Waitangi where the British signed the treaty with over 500 Maori chiefs in 1840. As a result of the treaty New Zealand became a colony of Britain and the Maori became British subjects. We walked around the grounds but decided to start our drive to Opononi rather than tour the museum. These types of decisions all during the day resulted us being in a specific spot at a specific time later in the day near Opononi. While driving to Opononi we passed a sign on the road advertising avocados for sale so we stopped. The lady and her daughter who was visiting from the U.S. greeted us and showed us around her property where she raised chickens and grew avocados.
Avocado lady showing us around her property.
Fruit trees on very well kept grounds.
Plenty of avocados and different varieties.
These 2 chickens were trying to hatch 2 rocks in this basket.
Not the smartest animals. Again our lingering at this avocado stand impacted when we got to Opononi.
We checked into the Opononi Resort Hotel which was very comfortable with a small balcony overlooking the Hokianga Harbor.
View of the Hokianga Harbor from our room at the Opononi Resort Hotel. The Hokianga Harbor is the accepted residential place of Kupe, the first voyager and Maori to discover New Zealand over 1,000 years ago. He and his followers settled in the harbor area due to its protected waters and abundance of food.
After checking into the hotel we walked next door to a visitor center. At the visitor center we talked to the agent about activities in the area and she recommended a night walk in the Waipuoa Forest guided by a local Maori. However, the cut off time for making reservations was 3:30 pm and it was now 3:33 pm. She said she would try to make reservations for us but called with not much luck. She did reach someone who said they would try to reach the Maori guide via his cell to see if there was room on the tour. After about 20 minutes with no luck we finally said we would just do something else and not pursue the tour further. The agent said, "I guess it just was not meant to be." She did suggest we drive over to the Signal Hill overlook where there was a very scenic walk to the beach and beautiful views of Hokianga Harbor. We decided to go there and walked back to the hotel to get our car. The tour was not meant to be for a good reason and we lingered in our travels during the day and showed up 3 minutes late to make reservations for the tour for a good reason. Fate was taking us to Signal Hill at a very specific location at a very specific time.
Bill at the top of the cliff near Signal Hill at Arai-Te-Uru Recreational Reserve looking out over Hokianga Harbor.
We began walking down the winding path to the beach. We stopped about half way down and took a few pictures. This is a view of Hokianga Harbor inlet from about half way down the cliffs. Notice the little speck in the middle of the inlet - that is a kayak.
Karen with the Hokianga Harbor in the background. We were passed on the path by another couple and we began our further descent. However, we heard what sounded like someone yelling. We hadn't heard it earlier but it sounded like someone yelling for help. We looked out in the harbor and saw a kayak in the inlet where we could see the waves from the sea meeting the out-flowing water from the harbor. The kayak was in the middle of the inlet and didn't appear to be making any progress. It looked like the tide was going out and he was caught where the sea current met the harbor current. Bill was going to go up to the parking lot and drive back to Opononi to get some help but we decided to contact the couple that just passed us to see if they had a working cell phone (ours didn't work in New Zealand). We yelled down to the couple and they came back up and said they had a cell phone. They had not heard the yell for help but could now hear it when they were standing where we were. They called the New Zealand equivalent of 911 (411) and the emergency operator asked them a number of questions about where we were (the couple was from Christchurch on the South Island so they new the name for the area where we were and could describe our location). The operator also wanted to know specifics about the kayaker so I took a zoomed in picture of the kayaker and then zoomed in on the photo on my camera to determine if he had a life jacket on and what he was wearing etc. After talking with the emergency operator for a few minutes they hung up and we didn't really have any assurances that help was coming. The operator was actually in Christchurch. We and the other couple continued on down to the beach. We could only hear the cries for help at that one spot on the trail. Once we reached the beach we couldn't see or hear the kayaker. We continued to watch the harbor to see if any boats seemed to be coming to the rescue.
Zoomed in picture of the kayaker in the inlet of Hokianga Harbor.
Close up of the kayaker in trouble in Hokainga Harbor.
Karen on the beach at Hokianga Harbor. We proceeded to explore the beach and monitor the harbor for any help for the kayaker even though we couldn't see or hear him anymore.
Bill and Karen on the beach.
The beach had a lot of lava flows as well as sandy beach areas.
Finally after what had to be almost 2 hours we saw what looked like a rescue boat on the other side of the harbor. We weren't sure why it was there but it appeared they were convincing the kayaker to go to the far shore. We were much relieved and thought we would never hear the whole story of what happened. Fate was not done yet however.
We enjoyed the beautiful area in the Arai-Te-Uru Recreation Reserve much more after the apparent rescue of the kayaker.
Bill talking to a student who was relaxing and writing in her journal on the beach. She said she had not seen or heard the kayaker that was in trouble.
Neat little cove that the student had found.
Bill climbing over the lava rocks on the beach at Hokianga Harbor inlet.
Bill walked over the lava rocks to take a look down the coast outside of the harbor.
Beautiful setting.
Very picturesque beach.
Karen on the trail back up the cliffs to the parking lot.
Bill walked out to the south point of the harbor where you could see the Hokianga Harbor inlet and the coast south of the harbor.
View down the coast south of the Hokainga Harbor inlet.
Another view as we walked up the trail from the beach.
Karen at the top of the cliff.
Panoramic view of Hokianga Harbor from the parking lot area. After an interesting, exciting and pleasant late afternoon at the Arai-Te-Uru Recreation Preserve we drove back to the Opononi Resort Hotel.
As we pulled into the hotel parking lot we could see this Coastguard boat pulling up to shore and a trailer waiting to take it out of the water. This was the boat that rescued the kayaker. We also saw a man putting a kayak on top of a truck by the water. Karen said that must be the kayaker so she hopped out of the car and ran over to him. It turns out that the man and 2 ladies with him were relatives of the kayaker that was rescued and that there were 2 kayakers - one's kayak had sunk and he had been in the water the entire time until the rescue. We had not seen anyone in the water. The 2 kayakers were shaken up but okay. However, they had been taken to the hospital. We told him our story about hearing the call for help and getting the other couple to call emergency services. We also showed him the pictures we had taken of Joe in his kayak in the currents of the harbor. He then told us Joe and Andy's remarkable story. Thus, fate allowed us to hear the entire story of what had happened. The 2 kayakers, brothers Andy and Joe Te Paa had come to the Hokianga Harbor area along with other family members including their sister Loraine Te Paa, Arthur Gage, and Hailey Gage who we had just met, to dedicate the headstone of their mother's grave. After the dedication ceremony Andy and Joe had decided to go kayaking while the rest of the family went back to a local residence. When Andy and Joe got in trouble trying to get back into Hokianga Harbor, Andy tried to get his cell phone out of the kayak's water tight storage compartment but when he did it let water get into the compartment and the kayak began to sink. He was able to get a call to Arthur but Arthur didn't hear the phone and didn't get the call. Andy's kayak sunk and he was in the water with a life vest but was struggling in the current to get to shore. When the rescue boat showed up Andy was worn out but now safe as was Joe who remained in his kayak. Very remarkable that we were able to run into Arthur, Loraine, and Hailey to hear how the story turned out and for them to hear how the rescue boat was contacted. You would think that would be the end of the remarkable coincidences that caused our paths to cross with the Te Paa family - stay tuned because fate was not done yet.
We had dinner at the hotel bar which was serviced by the adjacent Boar and Marlin Restaurant. Our very pleasant server was try to raise funds for her Maori dance troup's trip to the national competitions so we completed her lottery card.
Bill in the Opononi Hotel Bar having a very pleasant dinner after an exciting day.
The Opononi Hotel had a lot of character and charm and with a colocated restaurant and bar and with the beautiful Hokianga Harbor a very pleasant place to stay.
Nice view of Hokianga Harbor from the Opononi Hotel Bar.
Karen at the bar talking with our server and Maori dance competition performer.
The lottery number drawing - we didn't win but it was fun and went to a good cause.
Bill and statue of Opo the world famous dolphin. In the 1950's Opo the dolphin hung out in Hokianga Harbor and played with the children.
Hokianga Harbor at dusk from the Opononi Hotel Bar.
Nice sunset over the Hokianga Harbor.