Waipatiki Beach, Wednesday 24 January 2024
We set off for Waipatiki Beach, a good day of warmth and sunshine! Di and Geoff took their cars with Christine, Sue, Simon, Cherie and myself. We walked/scrambled along the coastline towards Aropaoanui.
The ocean scramble
The track was quite overgrown, with flax that wants to trip you up and blackberry that likes to grab and scratch as you pass. There was blood today but we were on the move and no one was complaining.
The scenery of rocks and water was beautiful, as was the hazy view out over the sea to Napier and Cape Kidnappers. We stopped for a drink and snack while down at the rocks. The track was very close to the edge in places; it has made its way around many past slips but it was a large, high slip that stopped us and we needed to turn back.
Disappointing, but a good call. We can sometimes be too eager in the moment to climb, holding on to grass clumps and scrambling around not thinking too seriously about the drop-off. The track seemed much easier on the way back, since we had trampled it on the way there. Di and Simon had a quick dip in the ocean. Good to see the surf lifesavers, as there were many campers still on school holiday time.
The nikau palm grove
No-fuss eating and drinking was followed by the Waipatiki Scenic Reserve loop track, found on the left as you come down the hill into Waipatiki. The tree fern and especially the many nikau are amazing, a very special place with kereru too. It is a climb and takes about an hour. Sue, Geoff and I took the side track (10 minutes each way) to see the Aropaoanui road where we would have come back had the slip not stopped us at the coast.
Our car stopped for ice cream at Berry Tasty, to be eaten in silence and never disappointing.
Thank you to the drivers and our tramp organiser and leader Di. It was a great day out.
Trampers: Di Reid, Christine Briasco, Cherie Le Lievre, Simon Hill, Geoff Donkin, Sue Gribble and reporter Gaye Ebbett
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