Gliding through the grey still water, gentle misty rain caressing my face, a sense of calm and being at one with nature, I smiled as I thought, ‘there’s nowhere I’d rather be right now.’
Yes, the forecast wasn’t good at all. Yes, we all were having second thoughts before we got there. Yes, it rained off and on while we were out there. No, we didn’t get to kayak over to Motuora Island…….but did we have a wonderful days kayak anyway…..? Damn right we did!
We met Logan, our guide, at 9am at the beautiful secluded little Sullivan’s Bay at Mahurangi West, which on a sunny summer’s day is the place to be, and agreed with him that due to the forecast, we’d stick close to the shoreline and just explore the immediate area.
By the time we got the kayaks unloaded, set them up on the beach and had been through our briefing it was almost 10am. The water was calm, there was no breeze at all just a few spots of rain here and there as we set off, paddles silently slicing through the rain pocked water.
We soon kayaked round to Wenderholm and then over to Te Haupa island for tea, coffee and muffins.
From there we made our way over to Mahurangi East along the coastline and into the tranquil Dairy Bay where we stopped for lunch, sheltering under a huge pohutakawa tree.
Seeing these magnificent trees, clothed in their scarlet crimson brush-like blooms against the grey misty water was breath taking.
Feeling nicely well rested and well fed we pushed back out into the water and paddled round to Scott’s Landing before crossing back over with the intention of exploring more of the coastline. However, the rain had started to get a bit heavier and black clouds were closing in so we headed back to Sullivan’s Bay instead.
We hauled our kayaks up onto the beach and though we were feeling wet and weary we were also immensely pleased with ourselves and our day out.
Driving back I had this happy little chorus playing in my head, “da da de dah, da da de dee, there ain’t no place I’d rather be…”