Cape Reinga (Part 8)

Cape Reinga is a very sacred place to the Maori. They knew it as Rerenga Wairua, or the leaping place of the spirits. Each believed that when they died, their soul would slowly makes its way northward to this point. It would then leap from these very windy heights. If they had lived a good life, they would sprout wings and fly toward Hawaiki and Heaven. Reinga, in fact, means Heaven. If they did not deserve wings, they fell into the sea below. Maurianuku, the entrance to their hell, lies beneath the surface and is hidden by the kelp which is kept in constant motion by the waves. 

This was an amazing place to see. The winds on the day we visited (I looked it up) were between 36 and 44 miles per hour with gusts to 48. 

Here we are, just starting our hike. It was a relatively warm day, but 40 mph winds can cause a chill nontheless. 

Just up ahead, we can go to the left and climb to the peak, or we could turn to the right and follow the path down to the lighthouse. We are going up.

This is the view to the west from the very top.

This is the view to the east and you can see a sectioin of the path to the lighthouse. 

There it is.

And this is looking north. 

Here you can see the Tasman Sea on the left, meeting the Pacific Ocean on the right. It is not a peaceful union. 

This picture and the next two go together. Boy, would I love to make my way down to that little beach. 

Look at that tree hanging on to the right side of that cliff. 

I could not see the Three Kings Islands today. I would have loved to, and I strained to see them, but it wasn't to be. There are 13  tiny, uninhabited islands that lie 34 miles to the north.
Three Kings Islands captured my imagination a few years ago when I first heard about the one-of-a-kind plant that was found there. Here is what I learned on Wikipedia. 

A solitary plant of Tecomanthe speciosa or the Three Kings Vine was first discovered on the Three Kings Islands, 55 km off the northern tip of New Zealand, during a scientific survey in 1945. No other specimens have ever been found in the wild. 

Although the plant may once have been common on the Three Kings, by the time of its discovery goats that had been introduced to the islands had reduced the entire population to a single specimen on Great Island, making it one of the world’s most endangered plants. The remaining specimen grew on a cliff that was so steep, that even the goats could not reach it. It was rescued by horticulturalists who took cuttings from the original plant and goats were subsequently eradicated from the island. The original specimen still grows in the wild, and has developed more vines through the natural process of layering in the years since its discovery.

I find that absolutely astounding. And the best part is, I saw several plantings of Tecomanthe growing at Summerland School. Some of you may remember my excitement several years ago when I asked Ian, the school's groundskeeper, what that plant was, and he told me!

I see them often now and rarely pass without thinking about what a priviledge it is to do so. 

Amiri in an explorer at heart. He is always leading our band forward. "Come on Grandpa, come on," he is saying. "We're almost to it." 

(He reminds me so much of myself at his age. I remember a day that my family drove out to the mouth of the Presque Isle River. There was about a half mile hike from the parking lot to the mouth of the river through virgin white pine forests. I was so excited. It drove me crazy that my parents and younger siblings were so incredibly slow. I finally ran ahead. 
Look at Amiri...he can't wait to get there. Good on ya, Amiri. Keep that spirit.) 

This is one of the hiking paths I would have loved to take. Can you imagine walking along it with 48 mph gusts going on? I would have kept well away from the edge. 

The only problem with taking a bus tour is that schedules have to be maintained. We were rapidly running out of time and had to get back to the bus waiting for us in the carpark over that hill. With one last look northward...

...we had to leave.   -djf
(I could have sat there for hours.)