Whakapirau
Whakapirau is a small, holiday village that stands on one side of branch of the Kaipara Harbour. Opposite it, a few hundred metres away across the water, but about 15 km by road, is the somewhat larger settlement of Pahi.
At the northern end of the seafront in Whakapirau is a large pine tree, from which hangs a long rope, much loved and used by holidaying kids . From there, it's a pleasant stroll northwards, along the shore for about a kilometre to a tree-capped headland - or further if the tide is out. As elsewhere around the Kaipara, the beach is composed of broken oyster and shells, intermingled with shale washed from the cliffs. It makes for a spikey surface in places, so the dogs tend to pick their way carefully as we walk.
There's nothing special to see but the views of the Kaipara are always interesting, and when the water is calm it becomes a magical place. Look out then for the shoals of small, silver fish, jumping from the flat sea. There's usually also a heron or two standing knee-deep in the water waiting for a catch, often a stilt standing up stiff and straight, while oyster catchers strut around on the beach, and kingfishers sit perched on the rocks or dart past in a flash of iridescent blue. And on one lovely afternoon we watched a family of dolphin do just what dolphins do in films - diving in and out of the water, leaping in the air and twisting, as they followed a fishing boat into the harbour at Pahi.
At the northern end of the seafront in Whakapirau is a large pine tree, from which hangs a long rope, much loved and used by holidaying kids . From there, it's a pleasant stroll northwards, along the shore for about a kilometre to a tree-capped headland - or further if the tide is out. As elsewhere around the Kaipara, the beach is composed of broken oyster and shells, intermingled with shale washed from the cliffs. It makes for a spikey surface in places, so the dogs tend to pick their way carefully as we walk.
There's nothing special to see but the views of the Kaipara are always interesting, and when the water is calm it becomes a magical place. Look out then for the shoals of small, silver fish, jumping from the flat sea. There's usually also a heron or two standing knee-deep in the water waiting for a catch, often a stilt standing up stiff and straight, while oyster catchers strut around on the beach, and kingfishers sit perched on the rocks or dart past in a flash of iridescent blue. And on one lovely afternoon we watched a family of dolphin do just what dolphins do in films - diving in and out of the water, leaping in the air and twisting, as they followed a fishing boat into the harbour at Pahi.
SummaryLocation: Whakapirau: western end of Whapapirau Road, 11 km off SH12 (ca.
Access: Car parking area at south end of beach. Length: ca. 1 km (one-way) Configuration: There-and-back Grade: Flat; shingle beach Status: off leash (under control) Cafes and restaurants: Sugarbelles and Beejays cafe in Maungaturoto (15km); Village Cafe and Cruiser Bar in Paparoa (15km) More information: |