New Zealand . . . and north to Mangonui . . .

Friday December 12

After an easy flight to Auckland on an almost empty 747, rented car and checked in to the Chalet Chevron in Parnell. We spent the next three days spent exploring Auckland: museums, music, movies, food, etc. Lots of hours car shopping. Finally bought a 1993 Mitsubishi V3000 at the Ellerslie Car Fair for $11,400 NZ.

Monday December 15

Dan took Mitsy to repair shop for new shocks and lube, and we were heading north out of Auckland by 1230. Shopped for groceries at Orewa; bought Christmas lights at Whangarei.

Pulled up to the wharf in Mangonui at 1900 and shortly thereafter moved into our little house on Mahoe Lane.

Tuesday December 16

Ian's house is missing a couple of essential furniture items, so Dan built a coffee table and computer desk from lumber found under the house. Met Mark and Heather Crosby at Coopers Beach tackle shop, and though theirs is not a rental shop, Mark put together a pair of stout fishing poles and reels for D & T to use for our month on Doubtless Bay.

Ian Cronshaw had put us in touch with Mangonuians Jerry and Kris Trussler. We'd been corresponding via e-mail and we finally met them at their house on Mill Bay. They have recently emigrated, lock-stock-and-barrel, from Santa Barbara and just this week got their final residency permits . . . a very rare and precious accomplishment in New Zealand. Kris is homeschooling daughters Leslie and April.

Thursday December 18

Dan and Ty had their first go at fishing down at the wharf. They caught 12 big kahawei, 2 John Dory. The John Dory is an odd creature, looking like something a deep ocean trawler would drag up from the abyss. It is much sought after and sells in the markets for $30/kilo.

After lunch we went snorkeling off rocks at end of Coopers Beach. Ty walked down through the forest past Rangikapiti Pa to visit April and Leslie (a Pa is an ancient Maori fort, and we would see them all around the coastline as we traveled through New Zealand. A good Pa functioned as a lookout for attacking dragon boats, and could be readily defended from above against seaborne invaders). Our Pa provides a spectacular 360 degree view of all the nearby bays and islands.

Friday December 19

Ty's birthday. He's a teenager now and a fine, strapping lad. We think very well of him, as do the young ladies down at Mill Bay.

Ty and Dan go fishing down at the wharf at dawn, and again caught plenty of big kahawei, plus two John Dory . . . gave away the kahawei, kept the John Dory.

Dan gave Tyler a special kingfish lure for his birthday. From his Mom he got a bright red boogie board.

Drove out onto the Karikari peninsula for picnic lunch. At Puheke beach we found miles of totally deserted white sand beach and clear azure waters. It was a beautiful spot with good breaking waves. . . D. and T. spent the next two hours breaking in their new boards.

Had a wonderful birthday dinner of sautéed john dory fillets. K. baked a peculiarly shaped (no baking pans), and delicious birthday cake for Ty.

Sunday December 21

Ty and Dan went down to wharf at dawn. Became very crowded with boats and fisherfolk . . . lots of crossed lines. Witnessed our first kingfish hookup. Fish broke water a couple of times, headed out to sea and never slowed down . . . stripped the reel of 250 yds. of 25 lb. monofilament. Again they caught plenty of big kahawei (gave them away), and Ty caught a nice John Dory (kept and filleted).

K. explored the streetfair along Waterfront Street. People were making Christmas music, arts & crafts, clothes, produce, jams, baked goods, etc. for sale.

In the afternoon we went to a Christmas party at Trussler's house. It was a big, catered affair (80 guests) held at a home they're renting at the harbour entrance while their new house is being built at Cooper's Beach.

Lots of kids at the party; swimming and jumping off the dock. Ty and several others grabbed their Boogie Boards and D. hauled them back over the Pa to Cooper's Beach. They played in the surf until dark (heedless of the big sharks that reportedly show up in the surf at dusk . . . everybody says they're well-fed and not to worry about them).

Monday December 22

Fished at the wharf in the morning. This kindly rascal named Jeff stopped by every day to see how we were getting along and was always glad to accept any extra fish we caught.

Drove to Ahipara for our first visit to the west coast of New Zealand. Ahipara is the southern terminus of 90-Mile-Beach. Big waves and lots of surfers. D. and T. used boogie boards for a while but quickly tired of fighting strong rip currents.

In Ahipara we visited the shop of an ex-pat American who turns bowls from long-dead kauri trees that are dug up from peat swamps along the coast. These old logs are 40-50 thousand years old and sometimes 5 meters through. The wood is preserved by its natural resins and by the oxygen-poor peat swamps into which they've fallen. The colors and grain are rich and deep and we're sorely tempted to buy a piece of his art, but discretion prevails and we move on empty-handed.

Before going back to Mangonui we checked out the commercial wharf in the little fishing town of Houhora, which is well known as a kingfish hotspot when they're running. The wharf proved to be about as big as our front porch, and way to crowded to be much fun, fish or no.

Wednesday December 24

Today we wrapped gifts and put up our Christmas 'decorations'. Dan cut the Yule tree from a scraggly tea bush that was getting in the way of our view of Doubtless Bay. Ornaments consisted of colorful bits of flotsam, seashells, dried jellyfish, and a seastar suspended at the peak. Our tree smelled a little odd . . . even so, we marveled at its beauty.

Thursday December 25

Christmas Day, and we rose late and lazy. After coffee and breakfast we opened gifts. Santa brought D. a tidebook. K. got a flashlight. Ty got running shorts and a pair of binoculars.

It was a quiet, thoughtful day. We talk of home, stroll the beach, swim, read, play games. It just doesn't feel a proper Christmas with the sun streaming down, and the cicadas ratcheting so loudly we have to shout to be heard.

Friday December 26

Boxing Day. We are conscious of this sleepy little hamlet changing over the last 24 hours into a bustling resort community. This is day on which traditionally Aucklanders come streaming up to the Northland to begin their extended summer holiday. There is a traffic jam on Waterfront Street from all the new arrivals.

Saturday December 27

We all drove to Taupo Bay for 0900 rendezvous with Gary and Debby Need. Gary had invited Dan and Tyler to go diving for lobster. Gary and Debby emigrated to Northland seventeen years ago from Australia and bought 23 acres of bush overlooking Taupo Bay. Over the years they've built a beautiful home and planted countless tropical trees and shrubs so that now it feels like they live in a rainforest.

Dan and Gary launch the boat using Gary's tractor.

Gary, Dan and Tyler motored up the coast a mile or so in Gary's skiff to a secret 'Crawlie Hole'. The boat was tiny and struggling into SCUBA was a real workout. The water ranged from 5 to 15 meters where we dove, and the wave surge was quite strong. Gary is a very experienced cray hunter so Dan did the spotting and Gary did the grabbing. They caught seven big langousta. On the way back to Taupo they pulled into a little cove to look for abalone. Ty jumped over and using snorkel gear and his diving knife, he pried up a half dozen or so.

Back at Gary and Deb's house we had a lunch of sautéed abalone, and spent the rest of the afternoon with them riding the tractor around the high pastures, cooking up lobster, and chatting on the porch with drink at hand. Gary's land borders on a Maori reserve, and though he's on good terms with them and is not personally concerned for his and his family's safety, he is convinced that escalating resentment by the non-Maori population over native claims will soon lead to violence.

Sunday December 28

Our favorite kahawei recipe:

Cut skinned and filleted kahawei into chunks and soak for two hours in lemon juice with garlic.

Drain lemon juice and cover with coconut milk, a bit of dill, chopped onion , and capsicum. Let sit for an hour.

Eat with fingers.

Monday December 29

Ty hooked up with a huge kingfish this morning. It was a strong fish and he fought it well for more than 20 minutes with half the population of Mangonui providing advice and cheering him on. Alas, it finally wrapped around a piling and broke off. His arms were aching from the effort, and the battle left him so physically and emotionally drained that he slept for four hours when we got home around noon.

John Dory sashimi for dinner

Tuesday December 30

D. and T. fished in a.m.

Writing and homework.

Lobster for lunch.

Ran and swam in the afternoon.

Wednesday December 31

Shopping in Kaitaia. Busiest grocery store ever seen. Frustration long, tempers short. Good to get back to Mahoe Lane.

Ty went down to the wharf and came running back to tell of a big shark being caught. It was a bronze whaler, about ten feet long. They cut the fins off and dumped the carcass into the bay. Ty was so mad he was almost in tears.

After dinner we climbed to the top of Rangikapiti Pa for the sunset, and think and talk about a year just finishing and a new one to begin.

Thursday 01 January

New Years Day. Tried to listen to Rosebowl on RealPlay audio feed on internet, but could only get snatches now and again. Gave up and went fishing.

Friday 03 January

This afternoon down at the beach we met a couple of families from Auckland who invited us to join them in a match of cricket. We'd never played before and were fairly clueless about what to do, but one of the men on the opposing side had played the game professionally and did much to acquaint us with some of the games subtleties. Tyler proved to be an excellent bowler and got out several batters. Like most games, it's much more fun to play than to watch. At sunset the two sides called it a draw and jumped into the surf to cool down.

Again, kahawei sushi for dinner . . .we hardly seem to bother cooking fish anymore. Of course we worry about worms, Grandpa Bob, but not too much. If these fish do carry a transmittable parasite we'll use 'em for bait when we get home.

Tomorrow Jack and Deb and Cam and Kate arrive . . .

"Adventures with the Vick-Cullens . . ."