Mangonui

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After the west side of the island, through the Cape, Mangonui was like a big sigh. We got there in late evening, and were driving round and round trying to find the right place to crash for the night. We must have driven by the place we selected four times before finally stopping. Are we glad we did. What a great place. It’s called the Mill Bay Suites and Motel.

View out the bedroom window:

Compared to the crap we had to accept in Kaitaia, this was awesome. We ended up staying three nights, and it was the best sleep I’ve had since we got here. Cynthia slept well too, but she can sleep in the back of a dump truck going down the road. The owners finally gave us a taste of the fabled kiwi hospitality; one was American, the other Irish. The second night they had us up for a glass of wine that lasted three hours, and when we drove away at the end of the stay, there were flower petals blowing off the hood of the car.

Once a bustling whaling and trading port, Mangonui remains a port of entry to New Zealand with commercial operators using it as a base. From the Mangonui wharf you can see commercial fishing boats off-loading their catch and you can even try your hand at hooking fish from the docks. 

Standing on the wharf, it is evident that agriculture and fishing still remain the biggest occupational groups in the area.

The Mangonui Fish Shop is a big deal for some reason...oldest fish shop, blah, blah, blah. But the food isn't any better than the take-out across the street.

The Karikari Peninsula

The Karikari Peninsula is a long narrow piece of land just to the north of Mangonui. It’s lined with beautiful beaches and bays and reaches out into the Pacific Ocean. At the very tip is a beach called Matai Bay. It’s a beautiful place.

... and there was even a nekkid girl swimming there:



An awesome Cynthia picture...my work is done here.

Tried some fishing with the usual result.

On the way back we stopped off at the Karikari Estate Winery for a tasting. The place has an unbelievable setting and view. It was started by an obscenely rich American (of course). In fact, every tackishly huge and gated compound we saw was owned by an American (“this is mine…you can’t have it…go away now before I sic the dogs on ye”). They had some really nice wines. I’d tell you about them, but the bottles didn’t have any back labels coaching you as to what you should say you taste. We bought a nice Merlot-Cab Sauv-Malbec blend that was paired perfectly with the paved driveway where we were staying. Open car door, wine go plop.

Total trip cost to date: $12,641.60 USD