2.35am: the wind was howling and the rain was pelting against the windows.
7.30am: sunshine!
Who would have thought it? Even so, I thought it prudent to pack a little insurance in the form of two raincoat options: my new lightweight Macpac jacket, and my longer, heavier Kathmandu raincoat. (I like to keep retail options on an even keel.)
Off to the pick-up point at the Silverdale Park and Ride, where I met up with trip leader Ralph and we waited for the Big Yellow Bus. We brought the party up to eleven, with Campbell in the driver’s seat.
We headed north, past Snells and Martins Bay beaches to Scandrett Regional Park. The weather looked okay, so I went with the Macpac option. The tramp started off on the Scandrett loop towards Mullet Point, with a steep slosh up through the soggy grass where we were rewarded with great views across the islands around Kawau. Viv identified the highlights, proving that it pays to have a local in the troop.
Downhill took us back to the Scandrett homestead and farm buildings, built 140 years ago and named Lisadian after George Scandrett’s hometown in Ireland. It was a gorgeous spot, with waves lapping the shoreline right up to the homestead grounds. In its time the orchard, chickens, ducks, honey, vegetables, sheep, and cows provided both food and income for the family, and supplemented the supplies for the new breed of holidaymakers building the first baches at Martins Bay. It’s worth noting that you can rent baches at the end of the beach, at Scandrett, through the Auckland City Council.
Lunchtime: sunshine, and still the right side of 50%.
Back in the bus and off to Mahurangi West where, after a short walk through a bush track, our first port of call was the view from Cudlip Point. This was of course via sloshier grass tracks and a windy ridge that lived up to the forecast of strong gales. Pack covers blew off and Ralph’s cover was retrieved and put back in place.
The sky was darkening and we picked up the pace on downhill run. Large splots of rain had everyone donning coats (had I bought the right one?).
Fortunately the rain didn’t hang about so we continued down the slippery slop, Rod taking a slightly quicker route, on his bum leaving a fine muddy track behind him. We passed the mangroves and tidal estuary, with some miscreants taking a shortcut through the mangroves while the more responsible of us took the grass track; no shorter than the shortcut, I might add.
A moderate road bash took us to yet another great view towards Scott Landing and the inner Mahurangi Harbour. At this point some of the crew headed down to the beach, up to the main road and then back to the carpark. Trish and I had headed back to the bus—we had tea to drink, newspapers to read and birthdays to prepare for.
Thanks, Campbell, for getting us there, and thanks, Ralph, for showing us the sights. No cobwebs left on this blustery day, which had us on the right side of the 50% rain forecast.