I stopped by a Mexican cafe that was just nearly open, in search of breakfast. I had a hankering for pancakes but the cafe was on the way to the kayak place and so I enjoyed baked eggs in salsa with jalapeños for brekky ('huevos rancheros'). Super tasty!
Got to the kayak place to find the guy was no longer keen to do a kayak pick-up run for just one kayak. There's was a chance two other people might be keen so while we both waited to hear back from then I went to the chemist to stock up on plasters and cotton wool as my hiker's wool has nearly run out and blisters look to be an ongoing problem. Despite saying he'd get back to me within an hour I didn't hear back from Dan the kayak man until past 11:30--by which time I'd already re packed my things into walking configuration and was about to depart. Taking it as a lesson in 'those who hesitate miss out' (if I'd said yes the day before I could have had a nice day out on the water today!) I saddled up and trudged out of Paihia on foot.
It's a nice 7km coast walk round the bays south to Opua where I stopped and had a late lunch (tortilla wraps with cheese slice, beer stick, red capsicum and the last of the avocado and tomato...heavy but fresh treats I picked up in Kerikeri). From Opua it's a $1 ferry rude across the inlet to Okiato.
Despite my late lunch my mood hadn't really lifted as the prospect of a further 22 km walk lay ahead to get me to Waikare by the end of the day as planned. The official trail goes by water taxi...but with no one else making the run that day I'd have to pay the full $100 myself for a boat trip just for me. (Kayaking would have been $135, but I figured that was a day out on the water and an experience as much as a mere transport option...plus I'd still be getting to Waikare under my own steam).
Landing at Okiato at 2:30pm there was no chance of me walking to Waikare by nightfall and I was anxious about finding a spot to camp along the way...enter Lynn, a friendly ticket clipper on the ferry who had just finished her shift and was about to drive home, and offered me a lift part if the way to get me started. I gratefully accepted, reasoning with myself that it wasn't cheating as the 'official trail' utilises the water taxi...I was just using a more conventional (and free!) land taxi/lift. After a 5 minute drive Lynn dropped me at the bridge on Paroa Bay Road. I thanked her very much and sighed at the short trip in a car that had saved me at least two hours of walking. With 10km to Waikare the day suddenly seemed much more doable and I set out with much more elevated spirits.
It's a road walk the entire way, asphalt for 3km then gravel along Waikare Rd. Waikare Rd was surprisingly busy. One guy stopped to offer me a lift, but I declined thinking I could handle this walk. 2km later I was wishing I'd taken up the offer...it was all subbing for a boat rude anyway right?!
2km out from Waikare my feet were killing me and I'd slowed to a trudge when another guy stopped to offer me a lift. He was on his way back from a long weekend away fishing and pays diving with his kids and said I was welcome to ride along in the small boat he was towing. With it gone 5:30, I accepted, as I still had no idea where I was going to camp when I got to Waikare. There's the number for a woman named Sheryl in the trail notes who can provide advice to hikers, but I'd tried ringing multiple times testerday and today with no answer.
So off we went, me rattling along the road in a little boat--was fun! Just over the small hill the guy (I never did catch his name) yelled back at me "is that you're mate?" and I looked up to see Scott flagging us down. He seemed surprised to see me pop out of the boat being towed by a driver he'd completely independently flagged down for help. Apparently Joanne had gone in ahead and had missed the turnoff (about 150m back up the road), and he therefore wanted the driver (ok he needs a name...Helpful Diver Guy) to tell Josnne to turn around and come back when he passed her (lucky Scott flagged us down or I'd have missed it too!). We both got out GPSs to check and 5 mins later Helpful Diver Guy returned and this time Joanne popped out of the boat. We all thanked him very much before setting off along the trail together.
I'm a bit in awe of Scott and Joanne. Granted they set out nearly 4 hrs ahead of me but they walked the entire way (excepting necessary ferry ride at Opua) and clocked up over 30km in a day--immense effort! Not sure I could have done it, even with an early start and sufficient motivation!
The guys were out of water so we stopped at a farm house to ask for some and the kind lady filled our water bottles and gave us fresh oranges off her tree. I stuffed mine in my pack to save it for later. We asked her if there was anywhere we could camp for the night and she suggested Philippa's place "just up the road, past the bridge". We set off, all going slowly and poor Jo and Scott understandably a little stumbly. The bridge proved a little too far for us and we stopped at a house that had flat grass outside between it's paddock and the road, where a woman was working in the yard. The woman's name was Tina and she was a little bemused but happy for us to camp for a night (she offered us one of her paddocks but with cows in one and calves in the other we didn't want to risk damaging our tents). So we pitched by the road, to the surprise of several locals as they drove by. We sat down to tea and dinner together, discussing trail experiences, people we'd met and comparing gear (generic but interesting trail talk) before all retiring to bed. I felt bad for not having walked the whole way like they did, but I'm glad I did it--I have camp buddies for the first time this trip :)
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