Winter at Matauri Bay.

My last snapper caught at Puriri Bay before leaving.

After another lovely time at Puriri Bay we were moving further north to Doubtless bay area where we were to meet up with Rod, Catherine and Grace who were on their winter break from the farm.  The cows were dry and the stock off to winter grazing so they were looking forward to some well earned time off.  They were staying in Taipa at their friend Barry's place.
  Jocelyn and I decided to stay at Hihi Beach camp which is at the southern end of Doubtless Bay and only about 15 minutes from Taipa.  The camp is quite small but very tidy and the beach is right across the road.  On day two I got the kayaks down and got rigged up for a fish.  Rod,  Catherine and Grace arrived for lunch and were obviously looking forward to their time up in the far north.
  After lunch I got Rod sorted with what he needed in Jocelyns little kayak and then we wandered across the road and launched them into the bay.  We paddled out straight from the camp only about 200 metres and deployed the softbaits.  !0 minutes later I had a snapper in the back that weighed close to 14 lbs.  Rod was in a bit closer and had been getting a few hits then his rod buckled over and he was into a good fish.  I had the only net so after seeing him getting towed around I thought I better get over there and offer some assistance.  It was a bit of a circus but I eventually manouvered my kayak close enough and managed to slip the net under a really nice snapper of around 10 Ibs.
  Rod was pretty stoked.  Not a bad effort being his first time soft baiting and fishing from a kayak.  Then to top it off a little while later he repeated it with another snapper around the same size.  The fishing up here is really amazing.  We were straight across the road from the camp only a couple of hundred metres out and catching quality fish like that in the middle of the day. Needless to say Rod was a happy camper and after a couple more nice fish were landed we headed in.

 Catherine and Grace had gone back to Taipa so Jocelyn met us on the beach with the camera.  Rod and I got out our fish  and stood together for photos.  This is where the number one son issue becomes apparent again.  Later in the day after reviewing the photos,  even though we were standing together holding our fish there is no sign of me in any of the photos.  A little bit of my snapper at least makes a couple of the shots.  It's alright I'm getting used to it so I don't need to run off to see an analyst.  I will cope.  Haha
 

A bit of my snapper made the shot.

We were all going to Barry's place at Taipa for dinner so we took all the fish around there for filleting and cleaning.  Some of the bigger fillets we set aside for smoking and the rest were processed ready for the fry pan.  Barry made us feel very welcome and over the next few days he took us out fishing   in his boat and Rod did a couple of free dives looking for kingfish.  A couple were spotted but he was unable to get a shot.  Winter not being a great time in close for kings.
   We also went for a drive up to Cape Reinga for the day. Being such a clear day, looking out from the Cape the Three Kings Islands were visible in the distance.  These Islands are another of those places I have always said I would visit one day and go fishing.  I Guess I should get onto that as I am not getting any younger.
 On the way back we took the road down to the Te Paki stream which leads you past the big sand dunes then onto 90 mile beach.  Rod, Grace and I climbed up one of the big dunes so Grace could surf down on her board.  Unfortunately we had just had a heavy shower of rain and with the dunes being wet the board wouldn't slide so that plan turned into an epic fail.  Never mind, we carried on down the stream until we came across some people well and truly stuck in the sand and needing help from a four wheel drive.  After that was all sorted on to 90 mile beach we went.

Grace on that perfect white sand.

Looking along the coast from the cape.

 Catherine you are hiding from the camera again.

Cape Reinga light house with Rod and Grace.

 It was a good trip down the beach.  We stopped a couple of times and collected tuatuas and rod spotted a seal hiding behind a log and having a snooze.  The rest of the trip was uneventful except for the few times Rod missed seeing the dips in the sand and we hit them at speed and our heads were in danger of colliding with the roof.
  We all had a good time at Doubtless bay and us at Hihi camp.  Rod and family left for Tauranga and then Rotorua to catch up with family and friends and Jocelyn and I packed up and moved to Matauri Bay.  This is a commercial camp in a beautiful setting right on the beach with the Cavalli Islands spread out from the bay.   There are quite a few people who winter over here in their campers.  The couple next to us stay here every year for up to 8 months.  We arrived late in the day and got set up, and the following day as we were short on supplies we went to Kerikeri and stocked up on essentials like wine and beer.  Oh and some groceries. Haha.  The next couple of days the weather really packed it in with strong winds and a bit of rain.

Matauri Bay.

  Then unfortunately I got crook again and ended up in hospital for a few days but I came right and by then we were to travel to Katikati and look after Ken and Vicki's place and their dogs while they were on holiday .  So I never got to do much at Matauri for the first 10 days or so.  While in Katikati we made sure to catch up with a number of friends and family we hadn't seen in a while .We also had grand daughter Luca stay a couple of nights and we had a great time getting to know her again.

Luca exploring at Ken and Vicki's.

We had lot's of fun.

  On the way back up north we stopped overnight in Whangarei at Jerry and Megs place who we had got to know while camping at Otamure Bay .  We had a very pleasant evening with a great roast dinner and a good number of wines as well.  What great company you meet doing what we are doing.

  We are now back at Matauri Bay and really enjoying it.  The fishing is really good here with plenty of good sized snapper.  Jerry and Meg came and stayed a few days and we met up for happy hours and evening meals.  The people camped here are great company. Most of them living in their campers permanently.  When I got crook and was in hospital they all helped out Jocelyn and had her over for evening drinks and snacks.  Happy hour here is full of laughs and as most of us are older types, a lot of memories and reminisences.   The camp has a winter rate fee of $125 dollars a week which includes power and all the use of the camp facilities including as many showers as you like. So all up it's pretty cheap living.  And when you wake up and look out the window why would you want to be anywhere else.

Great fish filleting facilities.

Looking out at a small part of the Cavalli Islands.

 The Greenpeace ship," Rainbow Warrior," has it's final resting place out here at the Cavalli Islands.  It was scuttled to be used as a dive site a number of years ago.  There is a monument up the top of the headland that looks out over the Cavallis and this in itself is worth a trip to Matauri Bay to look out and view this beautiful piece of New Zealand.  And maybe to also think back to that amazing piece of history that was the Rainbow Warrior tragedy.

The rainbow warrior memorial.

Another nice Matauri Bay snapper.