Welcome to this series Tikitiki journeys around the East Cape. This is a work of fiction focused on a clever, resourceful cat. Enjoy his adventures and intrepid travels around a beautiful part of New Zealand.
Hullo. The intrepid journeys of Tick, the cat, and Nick, the computer tutor, continue. We have just visited our good friend Toko the bottlenose dolphin. After we had seen Toko, Nick said “Well Tikitiki. That was good. Shall we find somewhere to sleep tonight?”
I am awesome —- Tick or Tikitiki
I was sure we were going to sleep under the trees or under the stars. That would have been fine – I’m used to it, and Nick says he has done it quite often. However, I was in for another surprise.
Nick drove down the road a short distance and pulled up at a place called Rangimarie Beach Stay. It is a delightful place where human building blends very pleasantly with nature. Nick paid for his accommodation and told me to take a walk – go exploring.
I enjoyed my exploration. The birds in the beautiful trees didn’t trust me, and that is fair enough. I enjoyed looking out on Toko’s kingdom – the sea. A truly idyllic spot where native bush and birds meet the beautiful sea and beach.
A view out to sea from Rangimarie Beach Stay.
We stayed overnight at Rangimarie Beach Stay. It was very pleasant, and I’ll come back again sometime.
The next morning, Nick said “Time to head home to Gisborne, Tikitiki”. So we both jumped into his car, and headed south.
Our next stop was the village of Tolaga Bay. Very pleasant – and we enjoyed a cuppa (coffee for Nick, and milk for me). The owners of the cafe were quite happy to let me in.
Tolaga Bay wharf.
Tolaga Bay (Māori: Uawa) is both a bay and small town on the East Coast of New Zealand‘s North Island located 45 kilometres northeast of Gisborne.
It was named Tolaga Bay by Lt. James Cook, but the original Māori name is Uawa Nui
The region around the bay is rugged and remote, and for many years the only access to the town was by boat. Because the bay is shallow, a long wharf – the longest in New Zealand (600m) – was built to accommodate visiting vessels. In the 1830s there was a thriving flax trade. By 1998, the wharf had deteriorated and was in danger of being closed. In response, the Tolaga Bay Save the Wharf Trust raised funds and gained technical help to restore it. The wharf has now been re-opened.
The town is a popular holiday spot. Its population is predominantly Māori, a centre of the Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti iwi and home of Ariki-Te Kani a Takirau and Tohunga – Rangiuia.
We really only passed through Tolaga Bay. We could have stayed longer, but we were heading to Gisborne. On we went, through a winding road, that brought us to the turn off to Whangara, the setting for that lovely film “Whale Rider”.
The road proceeded to follow the sea shore, and some very nice scenery. I especially liked the view from the north of Makarori – well worth a picture. Soon we arrived at Wainui Beach. This is a beautiful beach, and effectively the north end of Gisborne City.
We proceeded for the next 10 or so kilometers back home to the Polytechnic.
Here we are at “Home Sweet Home”. I’m not sure how attached I will be after all my adventures which took in Tikitiki, Mt Hikurangi, Te Puia Springs, Waipiro Bay, Tokomaru Bay and Anaura Bay. plus my new friend Toko.
Nick called the other cats. Only my brother Nick came. Nick the computer tutor gave us both a good stroking and a feed.
Nick (my brother) can tell me what’s been happening at the Polytechnic. Wait until I tell him what I have done!
Yours sincerely
Tikitiki
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Nick Thorne is the founder of NicksDigitalSolutions Limited, a company specializing in Education, Training and Writing. He lives in Levin, New Zealand.