To the end of the Road

The guide book told us that “Karamea exists in splendid isolation at literally the end of the road”.  Literally – but not quite.  We travelled to the end of the road, a narrow, gravel excuse for a road to Kohaihai, and the road ends at a Department of Conservation Camp Site.  This is the furthest north we can drive on this side of the South Island.

The end of the road at Kohaihai

So just what is here at Kohaihai?  Toilets, a water supply, and a majestic wild beach.  No swimming here though, it is just too dangerous. 

The beautiful dangerous beach

The Kohaihai River runs past the campsite and into the sea, so no doubt that would be safe to bathe in.  We saw a camper collecting buckets of water so she could do her washing and running water is generally nice and clean.

Pied Shags resting on the river

This area is the start of the famous Heaphy Track, a 5 day walk which terminates in Collingwood, and keen mountain bikers can also tackle the track.  We took a short walk up to the swing bridge, which bounced quite alarmingly as we walked across.  The sign said only five people at a time, so we needn’t of worried – but we did. 

Robin, Jenny and Dot on the swing bridge

An elusive bellbird was playing hide and seek in the bushes as we tried to take it’s photo.  Bellbirds assist pollination by nectar feeding and also spread the seeds of the fruit they consume.  A honey-eater, they have brush tipped tongues and sip nectar and the honeydew found on the trunks of beech trees.  Joseph Banks, aboard Captain Cook’s Endeavour wrote on the bellbird’s song “the most melodious music, imitating small bells, the most tuneful silver sound imaginable”.  We had never seen seen a bellbird in the wild before, so this was a very special  sighting indeed.

  Bellbird, hiding in the bushes

We gave ourselves a pat on the back for driving to the northern most point that we could on the West Coast.  Then it was a matter of “been there, done that”, jump in the car, backtrack our journey, and head back to camp.   Just in time for 4zees in the sunshine.