Whangaruru anchorage overlook from the loop trail.

We’re so glad that missing our first weather window to leave for Fiji provided the perfect opportunity to give Whangaruru another go.  

We couldn’t ask for better weather.  When we pulled in, we had the anchorage to ourselves — late in the day a few other boats anchored, but it was hardly “crowded.”  As well, the campers were also few and far between.  The skies were clear, sunny and pleasantly warm.  And Cindy and Rich were right on about Whangaruru’s trails.  

The name may be “Bland Bay;” it’s a name not a descriptor!  Whangaruru, New Zealand.

After a short climb past pastureland, the trails amble over ridge lines with fantastic views, down to beaches, if you so choose, through birdsong-filled ferny woods, across wetlands, and a few other terrains I’m not quite sure how best to describe.  

Sweet as, as they say here in New Zealand, “land of the long white cloud.”  Oh, and there was even free wifi!

Whangamumu – Beautiful, Historical Stop & Great Protection, Except….

Panorama from our Whangamumu anchorage.  Northland, New Zealand.

Note the brick-eating tree roots?  Nature at last resumes her dominance at the former Whangamumu whaling station.  Northland, New Zealand.

Whangamumu, a lovely deep bay with a former whaling station was also on Rich and Cindy’s recommended list, with excellent protection for everything except North-Easterlies.  As luck would have it, we parked there in precisely those conditions.  The water looked flat, but the gentle North-Easterlies kept us rockin’ and rollin’ all night long.  Not a big roll, but an annoying one.  

Whangamumu’s many small jewel- toned sea caves invite kayaking.

Even more annoying were the mosquitos and no-see-ums,  There weren’t a lot, but we offered about the only readily available nummies for them and so they feasted upon us wherever we weren’t sprayed or covered, including several bites on some tough parts of my hand, when we first came ashore.  Guess they survive by biting the hand that feeds them!

Journey from Whangamumu overlook. Northland, New Zealand.

Wayne and I did walk a little ways up the the deep grass hill off the main, signed beach, far enough to get a fantastic view of the bay.  After being spoiled my Whangaruru’s trails the previous day, and getting a good workout on my kayak, we settled in early to enjoy Whangamumu from our boat, where there were less mosquitos and no-see-ums.

Wayne finds a comfy spot in the oh-so-thick, tall grass on Whangamumu’s hillside.  Northland, New Zealand.

Despite the rock and roll and even the buggers, we’re still glad we got a chance to eheck Whangamumu out.  Other than one other boat who settled late, on the far opposite side of the bay, we had the entore anchorage to ourselves.