Waipapakauri Beach
 
 

These are Kiwi baches.
 
.

 
Interesting re-use of number plates.

 
The beach in at sunset, the tide is in.
.
 
The winds were pretty strong along the beach.  Here's two video clips of the wind making the seafoam 'walk' along the beach.

 
The same beach, a little south of the above photos, the following morning, tide is out.
.

 
That evening, tide is out.
.

 
One gull, by itself on the beach.
.

 
That evening's sunset.
.

 
Sunset Clouds over 90 mile beach.
.
 
 
The Beach is the site of this annual surfcasting competition:
 

The largest fish caught weighed 4.3kgs; the guy won NZ$50,000.
 
 
The local iwi  (Muriwhenua) placed a ban on the gathering of Toheroa from the entire length of 90-mile beach.  What's interesting about the sign is not just that it is bilingual, but also that the Maori language is used first.

 
 
This marathon is run along the beach:
 
I stayed at a nice camp
  right on the beach.
   
The local welcoming committee:
.

 
Although the cat arrived at the camp the day after I did, so I guess I was the one to welcome it.  The manager had just adopted it, and it was having good fun exploring its new world.
 
Some of the more quotidian aspects of the park.  1) EVERY place I stayed in New Zealand had an outdoor grill, including the backpackers in Auckland, on the roof. 2) The kitchen, spotless, a happy condition I found just about everywhere. Note the stainless steel counters.  All the counters were in stainless steel. 3) My three bags.  I lived out of these bags for 3.5 months.  This was the plan, as I wanted to simplify my existence.  4) The van at the camp.
 
.