Taputopotu

The next three nights we had no reservation for a place to stay, a gamble any Christmas holiday here but especially this summer. With the border closed, and Kiwis all staying in New Zealand for the Christmas holidays, every bach and campground around the country was fully booked. The two campgrounds near Cape Reinga are non-reservation DOC sites, and both are down very long gravel roads. We were hoping on a prayer for space at the closest one, Taputopotu, though it said FULL when we drove by on the way to the lighthouse...  

Luckily we'd gotten a tip to get to Cape Reinga before 9am so we were early to try to find a campsite. And got a spot! The northern portion of New Zealand was once an island and so the flora and fauna is all very unique, even by New Zealand standards. The forest behind the campground is a scientific reserve so a beautiful biodiverse spot.

We lived by the rhythm of the bay emptying and filling twice a day

Sunset walk down the mangrove boardwalk

We swam in the afternoons and the rest of the time...took a hike up to see the view

Made tuna sandwiches for lunch

And ate them

Explored the gorgeous tide pools at low tide

Got spied on by stuffies

Built a dam and tried to fortify it, unsuccessfully, from the incoming tide.

Read Harry Potter

Explored the beach at sunset

Played cards at breakfast

Ate at a cafe created by Wren and Quinn and featuring sand cakes

hiked up the other side of the estuary with Wren 

and tried to catch fish barehanded in the estuary.

It was so peaceful and beautiful there we didn't want to leave. 

The girls loved it too, except for the drop toilet.