Day 10 - Outtrip to Ohope

 

Home
Day 1 - Arrival
Day 2 - Raglan to Urenui
Day 3 - The Long Road to Levin
Day 4 - A Day with Granny
Day 5 - A Wellington Wander
Day 6 - The Tour to Taupo
Day 7 - Rolling to Rotarua
Day 8 - The Redolence of Rotorua
Day 9 - The Beach at Bowentown
Day 10 - Outtrip to Ohope
Day 11 - Meander over McLaren Falls
Day 12 - Mission to Mt. Manganui
Day 13 - Shopping the Strand
Day 14 - Wistful in Whangamata
Day 15 - Cruising to Coromandel
Day 16 - On the Road to Orere Point
Day 17 - Departure

Monday, March 25

The next morning started early. Caitlin wanted to see the cows being milked, which happened first thing in the morning. Richard and Stacy got up early with Caitlin and walked with her down to the milking house. The night had been a bit annoying - Zanada the cat had decided he wanted to sleep on our bed, and had climbed onto the pillows with muddy feet, making a mess and generally being a nuisance.

Caitlin, ready to go to see the milking. Walking down the road to the milking house...
...we see Jeanette, coming back from her morning run. The milking house is the long building with the blue roof.
These cows are waiting for their turn to be milked. On the right is a sliding wall that keeps the cows closely packed as they move through the milking house.
Graham wanders through his cows, searching for a particular one. A cow wanders up close, trying to figure out what the heck we're doing here.

The cows moved into the milking house in two rows, around 25 cows per row. We moved around the far side of the milking house to get a better look at the cows being milked.

You can see the milking equipment on the first row of cows. In a matter of minutes, the first row of cows are milked, and Graham moves the milking equipment over to the second row of cows.
Once the milking equipment is moved over, the cows are sent on their way out to pasture. As they walked past us, they stopped and stared before heading out.
With the first row of cows moved out and the second row being milked, the next group of cows moves into the first row. Right besides the milking house is a paddock full of calves, who wandered up to take a look at us.
The first group of cows wanders down the road to the fields. The calves check out Caitlin.
Back in the milking shed, Graham hoses down the cows. Back in the house, Zanada is still sleeping on our bed.

After showers and breakfast, we head down to Ray and Judy's place and meet up with Malcolm and Anna before we all head out to Whakatane and Ohope.

Malcolm plays a marble balancing game that Ray built. On the road to Whakatane, we get our first glimpse of the ocean - and the large surf.
Dad drives... Caitlin brushes her hair.
Alex tries to figure out another of Ray's puzzle. We arrive in Whakatane, Malcolm, Anna, Alyssa, Ray and Judy are in the car ahead.
After lunch, we wander the shops of Whakatane. Back on the road, we get a look at a boat accelerating into the harbour entrance to fight the incoming surf.
Later on, we spy the same boat unloading huge fish onto the dock. Hanging is a 30 kilo yellow tail kingi, there was also a 40 kilo wreckfish (grouper). On the road to Ohope, we stop off at a lookout to check out the surf.
The girls and Dad mug for the camera at the lookout. Arriving at the beach in Ohope, we notice all the seabirds on the beach... not a good sign.

The ocean was very rough - big surf racing in, seabirds hiding out on shore. This was not a day for swimming. But we did find a big empty black sand beach and decided to take a stroll and hang out for awhile, watching the surf.

The girls hit the beach first, and start to search for shells and other beach paraphernalia. Hey mum, that weird guy is taking my picture again...
The girls head way down the beach. Caitlin mugs for the camera.
Malcolm introduces Alyssa to the wonders of surf. Wet feet!
More wet feet! Keep those shorts dry!
Sandy-footed baby! Feet cleaned off, Alyssa gets a ride on the beach.
The family hanging out on the beach. And now a shot from the other way... Malcolm deep in the surf!
Stacy catches Bob in his classic pose. Dinner at Judy's place, everyone is hanging out.

Over dinner at Judy's place, Jeanette mentions McLaren falls, not far from Tauranga. Tomorrow we'll go for an explore.