Off to Himatangi

It’s Queen’s Birthday long 3 day weekend here in New Zealand, and normally we would be away in the caravan somewhere or other.  But our caravan club is not quite ready to rally yet, so we had a virtual rally and decided to drive up in the car and catch up with our friends from the Wairarapa Caravan Club.  They were staying up the coast at Himatangi Beach Motor Camp. 

We called into the office to let them know we were there, and to find our where the Wairarapa Club was camping for the weekend.  Right down the back of the camp, we were told, and there they are.

We were warmly welcomed by Dave and Rae, and invited inside for a cuppa.  Just look at these cute little coasters, won in a raffle, we were told.

There was plenty to talk about, and lots of catching up to do.  Stories of how we all  fared during lockdown.  And remembering previous trips and rallies, as we tend to do when we get together.

Dave and Rae

Then we popped next door to say hello to Pete and Di, also members of this club.  Pete was having trouble with his TV so Robin pushed a few buttons to get it scanning for the satellite, do hope it fixed the problem.  Other wise there will be no TV for them, they will have to listen to the radio instead. Actually, it was nice to go for a drive somewhere different, and catch up with other people, as we are now able to, after being in our own little bubble of two for so long.

As we were so close to the beach, we couldn’t leave without driving down onto the sand to check it out.  There were cars and people everywhere, and away off the coast we could just make out Mt Egmont.  Sadly, much too hazy to get a decent photo, but take my word, it was there.  It was a bit cold for swimming, but people were fishing, wandering about, playing in the sand, and enjoying the fresh sea air to blow the cobwebs away.   Looks like there has been quite a bit of effort put into rearranging the driftwood into piles on the beach too.

 

Himatangi Beach

On our way homewards we drove over the new Whirokino Bridge, and off to the side was the decommissioned 90 year old Whirokino Trestle bridge.  Demolition has already began, but the old bridge will be used for seismic research into the strength of such structures to withstand earthquakes.  Dr Lucas Hogan of the University of Auckland said the decommissioned bridge created an unprecedented opportunity to do “real life” testing into how a long bridge – the bridge spans 1.1 kilometres – behaved in an earthquake. Very topical at the moment, as there has been several reasonably strong earthquakes centred just out to sea in this area  recently.

The old trestle bridge