If the West Coast were a character, at times it would be a beautiful Polynesian maiden with jet-black hair and shining dark brown eyes but lose respect and it quickly transforms into a Siren with dire consequences. It does not care what your intentions are – it sets the rules. Respect it and you will be amazed by its beauty.
So, in early spring with the promise a few warm days, light northerlies and a mid-day low tide we set off for Whatipu at the mouth of the Manukau Harbour. The Gibbons and Zion tracks along the cliff tops were still closed and a trip along the beach did not really appeal, so our intention was to tramp to Karekare along the base of the cliffs about a kilometre inland from the coast. Our goal was to make it to Karekare Point by the midday low tide. Easy.
After arriving a little later than expected, we didn’t think too much about what would turn out to be a painful mistake - we hadn’t packed full gaiters. We set off in a bit of a hurry and as so often happens we unintentionally took the short path to the beach, emerged from the low scrub, stopped and stared, amazed by the view in front of us.
Rugged Paratutai Island dominated the skyline to our left, Te-Toka-Tapu-a-Kupe (nine pin rock) in the distance ahead of us. A gentle offshore breeze was holding up some quite small, very un-West-Coast looking surf, but in the far distance we could see the swells breaking on the infamous Manukau Bar. The vastness was stunning.
Denne historien er fra December 2020 - January 2021-utgaven av Adventure Magazine.
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Denne historien er fra December 2020 - January 2021-utgaven av Adventure Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Papua New Guinea
Four reasons to add Papua New Guinea to your bucket list
The benefits of being a Multi-Trick Pony
"A broad skill base and how you can draw from one platform to the next – women often pigeon hole themselves"
The RELUCTANT adventurer
An eighteen-year-old princess, who paints his (yes, his) nails and dyes his hair bleach blonde, embarking on an adventure trip with his family, sounds like a plot for a bad 80s movie.
The Meaning of Tramping
What does tramping mean to you?
Keala Kennelly owns Red Bull Magnitude
The North Shore season of 1957 is recognized in the surfing world as the start of an era. When Greg Noll, a young Mickey Munoz and company went out and rode Waimea for the first time, it was a glimpse of what could be in the world of big-wave surfing.
North West Circuit Stewart Island
I found myself in limbo during the winter of 2020, in between jobs in a strained covid economy. And so, I did what any outdoors person would do with a large amount of free time on their hands. It was time to pack up my belongings and hit the road. It was time to leave behind home comforts and go adventure-seeking.
Emilie's adventure to Angelus Hut
“I want to be the leader!” Miss Six announced, pushing past me in her determination to be in front. Momentarily off-balance with my heavy pack, I narrowly avoided twisting an ankle on the sharp rocks and silently swore while cracking a bright smile.
Nancy Jiang Breaking stereotypes
I recently watched a youtube movie entitled, “Her Way” (check it out on the Adventure Website) which introduced a woman who had an overwhelming passion for running. The preface at the bottom of the clip, read as follows:
Adversity at Altitude
The wind and snow is whipping at my face. I’ve readjusted the stiff frozen fleece buff around my neck and mouth, desperately trying to protect myself from the -20 degree bitter wind. Adrenaline is still pumping through my body but I know I’ll start to get cold soon.
Last Great Mountaineering Challenge
Ground-breaking mountaineer Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja MBE has attained an incredible new world record by submitting K2 as part of a collaborative team in the depths of winter. Until now, it was a record that was believed to be impossible to accomplish and was famously known as the ‘last great mountaineering challenge’.
