Tag Archives: beach

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Ninety Mile Beach

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Oct 24, 2010 – Sunday – Kerikeri – Ahipara and Ninety Mile Beach, New Zealand

Mangonui Fish Shop
Mangonui Fish Shop

After having poached eggs and toast for breakfast, and doing a load of laundry at the B&B, we drive north from Kerikeri. First stop is Mangonui; a very picturesque harbour town with fish boats on the dock, an old hotel, post office, and courthouse. Next stop is Cable Bay, which has a nice rough sand beach and some lovely homes overlooking the beautiful bay.

We then drive over to the Tasman Sea side of New Zealand and see the southerly part of the famous Ninety Mile Beach at the little community of Ahipara. This will have to do, since we decided the 90-mile drive to the northern tip was going to be too much for us.

North Coast, North Island
North Coast, North Island
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We then drive back south, taking a secondary road, which goes through Broadmead and re-joins Highway 1 at the Mangamuka Bridge. This section of road is paved, but very narrow, and seems to be an endless series of hills and curves. It is slow going until we are back on Highway 1 heading east. We then re-join Highway 10 north to Kerikeri. It is an interesting day, but we are tired by the time we get back to the B&B later in the afternoon after filling up the rental car with NZ$100 worth of gasoline. New Zealand gasoline prices are about 25% higher than what we pay in Canada.

JoeTourist: Glenfalloch B&B &emdash; Joe sampling Taylor's Port - Rich Old Tawny 1981
Joe enjoying a Rich Old Tawny port

We decide to have a steak dinner at the B&B this evening, so we go to the supermarket to purchase four New Zealand steaks, some ready-made salads, and some New Zealand wine. We prepare everything, and Keith volunteers to cook the steaks. The meal is pulled together in short order, and we all sit down on the back patio by the pool to enjoy the delicious food. Keith pulls out some Taylor’s Port – Rich Old Tawny 1981 to finish the meal with. The Rich Old Tawny was twenty years old in 1981, so it goes down nicely – a very fine port indeed!

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Matauri Bay & Whangaroa

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Oct 23, 2010 – Saturday – Kerikeri – Matauri Bay & Whangaroa, New Zealand

I’m up first and have my morning coffee in the kitchen while Keith prepares breakfast, but my friends are soon up, so we move to the dining room for the main event. Keith makes us a wonderful meal to start the day: field mushrooms on toast with ham, fruit, cereal, homemade yogurt, and a vast selection of jams and marmalades, as well as more of his very good Bodum-style press coffee.

Sheep & lambs
Sheep & lambs near Matauri Bay

Keith suggests a route for us to drive today, which goes north to Matauri Bay, and then to Whangaroa (pronounced fang-a-roah). Both locations are superb, and we enjoy ourselves. The beach at Matauri Bay is outstanding and not crowded. The Rainbow Warrior was sunk by the French while the ship was in Auckland, and the wreck is now re-sunk just offshore from Matauri Bay, to be used as a diving reef. We stop along the way and take some photos of spring lambs and sheep in a beautiful pasture, and then drive a bit further to the lovely bay at Whangaroa. We climb the hill up to the pretty Anglican Church on the hill behind the village to take some photos. We don’t travel the complete route which Keith suggested, but perhaps tomorrow we will explore further.

Keith makes a reservation for us at the Pear Tree Restaurant for dinner this evening. We walk down the hill the short distance to the restaurant, which is right across the street from the Stone Store. There is a new pedestrian bridge across the Kerikeri River, which replaces the old single lane vehicle bridge that used to be there, so the road on the other side now dead ends at the Old Stone Store (where we ended up yesterday). Our meals at the restaurant are very nice, but we find the charge of NZ$120 pretty high for three entrees, three beers, and one dessert.

Kerikeri
Kerikeri
27 photos
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Oahu, Hawai’i

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Port of call on a 2010 South Pacific Cruise from Vancouver to Auckland aboard the Volendam

Oct 1, 2010 – Friday – Oahu, Hawai’i

Koko Head shoreline, Oahu, Hawaii
Koko Head shoreline, Oahu, Hawaii

I wake up early, and Volendam is already docked in Honolulu harbour at Pier 11, right beside the Aloha Tower. My friends and I thought we could catch a free shuttle to Waikiki, but instead have to take a taxi to pick up our rental car for the day. This is a hassle and delays us a bit, but eventually we are off on our self-guided tour around Oahu.

We head out to Diamond Head, but after paying to get inside the crater, find out it is an hour and a half hike to the top and return. We don’t have time for this, so we don’t stay long. We drive a bit further to see Hanauma Bay – a very pretty coastal location where there is lots of coral growing. It is very popular for swimming and snorkelling and costs $14.50 to go down to the shore and use the beach, but only $1 to park and look around. We do the latter and then move on to Koko Heads – another spectacular sight – a blowhole and beautiful shoreline along the south coast of Oahu.

Yellow Hibiscus in Crouching Lion's garden
Yellow Hibiscus in Crouching Lion’s garden

As we head north to the eastern shore of Oahu, it starts to rain. The vegetation is more tropical of course…the south shore is like a desert in comparison. The coastline around the Kaneohe area is very pretty, and the mountains are deeply grooved similar to the Napali Coast on Kauai. I guess the same processes are at work since they are both north-facing coasts – wind and water erosion. We have lunch at the Crouching Lion Bar & Grill in Kaaawa (now closed), and then head back to Waikiki to return the rental car and get back to the ship.

Volendam departs Honolulu at about 11pm, bound for Kailua-Kona and the Big Island of Hawai’i on a slow overnight cruise. We have another lovely dinner in the Rotterdam Dining Room this evening.

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Kaua’i, Hawai’i

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Port of call on a 2010 South Pacific Cruise from Vancouver to Auckland aboard the Volendam

Sep 29, 2010 – Wednesday – Volendam arrives in Kaua’i

I get up around 8:30am and go for breakfast in the Lido. I have an omelette made to order, and have my breakfast on the outside deck; the first al fresco dining for me on this trip, since it is now 24°C in the morning.

Rotterdam moored in Nawiliwili Harbour
Rotterdam moored in Nawiliwili Harbour

We dock in Nawiliwili this afternoon at 5:20pm, and we don’t leave port until tomorrow afternoon. The Rotterdam is also docked in the harbour as we arrive. She departs about an hour later – a lovely sight. As our gangway is put in place, complete with red carpet, a rain shower starts up – “welcome to Kauai”. We all stay aboard the ship this evening.

Lance Ringnald doing an acrobatic performance using hanging silks
Lance Ringnald doing an acrobatic performance using hanging silks

As we dine in the Canaletto, an Italian menu restaurant on the Lido Deck, we are a couple of tables away from the Captain. Afterward, we go to the Frans Hals Lounge, where Lance Ringnald is doing an acrobatic performance. He is a past Olympic gymnast winner for the USA and is now 40 years old, but is still in great shape and puts on a very entertaining show. He uses hanging silks like Cirque de Soleil does, along with some jokes and banter to the audience (he is wearing a microphone). I shoot some video, since he says he has no problem with flash photos or video. Normally neither are allowed during performances in the show lounge.

Sep 30, 2010 – Thursday – Kaua’i

Joe & Wendy wandering a beach
Joe & Wendy wandering a beach

I set my alarm last night to get up at 7:30am, since I want to beat the crowds disembarking today. I am out of my cabin and up to the Lido for breakfast: scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon and toast. My friends and I then catch the Hertz shuttle to the airport, where I have reserved a very nice Nissan Altima. We decide to drive up the eastern and northern coasts of Kauai to a bit past the Hanalei Valley. We stop to see the Kilauea Lighthouse and for a swim near Anini Beach, and we are back into town to return our rental car by 3PM. We are back onboard the ship by 3:30pm…well ahead of the 4:30pm “All Aboard” deadline.

My friends and I have visited Kaua’i before, so this visit brings back good memories for all of us – it was a most enjoyable day!

The Grand Nawiliwili Sail Away party is hosted by Holland America as Volendam sailed out of Nawiliwili Harbour. In order to compensate for the missed stop in Maui there are free drinks and snacks, so I have a couple of gin and tonics. The headlands of Kauai are beautiful as we sail away while the sun sets. I sure didn’t need any wine with dinner when we dined later at the Italian restaurant Canaletto.

North Coast of Kaua'i
North Coast of Kaua'i
34 photos
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Tamarindo – days 4 to 6

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2009 Southern Skies Fiesta & Tamarindo Coast

March 4, 2009 – Wednesday – Hotel Las Tortugas, Tamarindo, Costa Rica

My friends knock on my door at 6:15am wanting to walk down the beach to see if there are any turtles. We don’t walk quite as far as we did yesterday morning, but we see some baby turtle tracks in the sand leading from a nest pit in the sand to the waterline. There are also some egg fragments in the nest, but no sign of the baby turtles. We see a very colourful orange and blue crab on the way back, who has quite the attitude when I get close for a photo.

Since the restaurant doesn’t open until 8am, we make some coffee in my friends’ room and then go up to my room to enjoy it on the balcony. There is a warm breeze as we sit in the rocking chairs and chat – what a wonderful way to start the day.

There were some intense colours in the sunset with reflections off the ocean swells this evening as we sat on the beach enjoying our time in such a sublime place.

It’s good for the soul to have a day for yourself…nothing planned, no obligations.

March 6, 2009 – Friday – Hotel Las Tortugas, Tamarindo, Costa Rica

This is our last day in paradise. Tomorrow we travel back to San Jose and leave for home on Sunday flights. If we had known about Liberia being an international airport, we could likely have saved ourselves a day’s travel time and the expense of transportation to and staying in San Jose. File this away for future reference, if I ever return to this part of Costa Rica.

I have delicious banana pancakes and fruit for breakfast, which we’ve enjoyed several times during our stay. We have to watch out for the Magpie Jays when eating meals on the dining patio. By lunch time it is very hot at 39ºC (100ºF) in the shade and windy – often the case while we’ve stayed here. I cool down by joining some young Tico men in the pool this morning, and then listen to some music on my iPhone while I recline in a hammock. Lunch is chicken quesadillas and fresh watermelon juice.

We take photos of a couple of green iguanas, which are on top of the nearby roof – they love the heat. I take video of the pelicans diving into the surf to feed.

Tamarindo
Tamarindo
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Tamarindo – day 2

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2009 Southern Skies Fiesta & Tamarindo Coast

March 2, 2009 – Monday – Hotel Las Tortugas, Tamarindo, Costa Rica

My friends return from their morning walk on the beach and tell me about the turtle tracks they saw. I grab my camera and take my morning walk along the beach at about 8am. The day heats up quickly at this location, so it is important to get out as early as possible if there is any outside activity to be done. I find the turtle tracks and while I’m taking photos a woman approaches me to tell me she saw a turtle returning to the sea about 15 minutes ago just up the beach a bit further. She suggested I get out on the beach a bit earlier and try to see one. I thanked her for the suggestion, since the turtle tours are not offered in this area after Feb 15th.

Female turtle tracks leading to a nest on the shore margin

There are lots of surfers out this morning riding the waves that are breaking just offshore. There is a woman with a Canon 600mm telephoto setup on the beach taking photos. What a monster lens! Apparently she is from a local surfer shop, where they sell packages which include taking photos of their customers as they ride the waves. The winds are strong and the surf continues throughout the afternoon, so the surfers are out there until the Sun sets.

I am settling into a lazy routine here at the hotel. After last week, it is nice to have little planned, so I find a hammock setup in the shade and listen to a Rick Steeves podcast on my iPhone. He had Fred Plotkin as a guest, who is a travel food writer, has written a book about Italian cuisine, and lives in Italy for six months of the year. He has some valuable insight into Italians and their food and wine. I well know how fanatical Italians are about using fresh, locally supplied food! A more recent Rick Steves interview with Fred about Italian cuisine.

Avellanas the hotel dog having a snooze on the beach

This evening’s sunset over the Pacific Ocean is spectacular (see banner image above). People are walking and playing on the beach while this light show goes on to the west. Of course I’m out there too, and meet Avellanas the hotel dog, who is having a snooze on the beach now that it’s cooler.

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Tamarindo – day 1

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2009 Southern Skies Fiesta & Tamarindo Coast

March 1, 2009 – Sunday – Hotel Las Tortugas, Tamarindo, Costa Rica

I had only finished my first cup of coffee and placed my order when my friends join me for breakfast. Afterward, we do some computer work in the Wi-fi area near the front desk, since there is no Wi-fi in the rooms or other areas of the hotel. I walk the beach this morning – a sublime day with light winds, clear skies and not too hot. There are a few Ticos (local Costa Ricans) enjoying the surfing. Later in the morning, we have some coffee in my friends’ room, since they have a fridge and a coffeemaker.

I have a very good chicken quesadilla for lunch. The rather slow Internet allows me to post four astronomy photos to my online gallery and also setup an email account on my notebook computer so I can maintain contact with home. There was no connectivity at La Ensenada Lodge where we were staying previously, so it’s nice to be able to catch up with friends and family.

We make arrangements with the hotel staff to on a boat trip up the estuary to see the birds and other wildlife. Initially, we read in the pamphlet about renting canoes and a guide, but none of us are too keen on the canoe concept, so this boat trip appeals to us. Cost is only US$25 each for about a two hour boat trip, so we book it for Tuesday at 8am. That will get us back to the hotel before it gets too hot.

Here on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, the winds often pick up in the afternoon, sometimes being quite fierce. The temperature also climbs to the point where it’s uncomfortably hot, so afternoons are a good time to take a siesta or hang out in the shade by the pool, which is protected from the wind.

My friends and I enjoy beer, natcho chips and salsa around 6pm, and eventually ordered dinner. I enjoy a local mahi mahi fish burger, since I am still pretty full from the quesadilla I had for lunch. My friends order a Tico entrée and a palmito (palm heart) salad to share between them – a good idea to get some variety and keep the cost reasonable.

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San Jose to Tamarindo Flight

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Feb 28, 2009 – Saturday – Flying from San Jose to Tamarindo, Costa Rica

2009 Southern Skies Fiesta & Tamarindo Coast

This morning I share breakfast with several of the Southern Skies group before they leave for home. I also hook up with a couple from our group to share a ride with them to Pavas airport (Tobías Bolaños International Airport), where we catch a flight to Tamarindo. My friends I’ll be spending the next few days with in Tamarindo have arranged for a private driver and van to drive them to Hotel Las Tortugas. I’m glad to be flying to Tamarindo, since it takes about an hour, whereas my friends will be on the road for over four hours.

Nature Air (no longer operating) charges me US$25 for my overweight bag, which I expected since they have a strict 35lb limit for baggage because they use Twin Otter aircraft. They also weigh each passenger (including carry-ons), so they are pretty careful to avoid overloading their aircraft. Pavas Airport is small enough to make it easy to find the airline counter you are looking for, and the staff are casual, friendly, and helpful.

Flights versus driving San Jose to Tamarindo
Flights versus driving San Jose to Tamarindo

Our flight leaves at 11:45am, which is a bit later than the 11:15am departure time printed on my e-ticket, but who cares since we don’t have to make any connections. I get some really nice aerial photos as we fly to Liberia, and then to Tamarindo. Liberia’s Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport has flights from American Airlines, Continental, and Air Canada landing here. If I had known that, I would have returned home from Liberia instead of taking an extra day to fly back to San Jose and having to stay overnight before flying home.

The taxi ride from Tamarindo airport to the hotel costs me US$30 – I think the taxi driver saw me coming on that one, since I was expecting to pay $20 for the short drive. The staff at Hotel Las Tortugas are very friendly, although not all speak English, they all understand some of what I say. I am booked into my room #10 as previously arranged, and have some time to settle in and have a shower before my friends arrive mid-afternoon. We have a beer and a chat before they go to their room to have a siesta.

I see the Sun setting at 6pm from my balcony, so quickly go out to the beach to take some photos of the beautiful panorama. There are quite a few people on the beach watching the sunset, which reminds me of Long Beach on Vancouver Island, Canada where my family and I stayed for a few days last September. By the time I return to my room, my friends are ready to have dinner. I take a photo of the Crescent Moon & Venus from my balcony before going to bed. I have turned off the air conditioner in my room, since I want to acclimatize to the local warm temperatures.

Flights - Tamarindo, Liberia, San Juan
Flights – Tamarindo, Liberia, San Juan
28 photos
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Cape Peninsula

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Southern Africa 2008 – South Africa

November 8, 2008 – Saturday – Cape Peninsula Tour, Western Cape, South Africa

JoeTourist: Cape Peninsula &emdash; Cape Fur Seals on Duiker Island
Cape Fur Seals on Duiker Island

As we leave Cape Town, we drive past millionaire’s paradise: Camps Bay, Clifton Beach, and Llandudno. We stop at Hout Bay and take the boat tour to see the Cape Fur Seals on Duiker Island (60 Rand, US$7 each). There is a five man band serenading us as we disembark. Since Chapman’s Peak Drive is closed due to slides, we drive through Constantia and go past the prison where Nelson Mandela was held while he was treated for TB.

We then loop back to the outer coast and see parasail surfers at Witsand Bay before entering the Cape of Good Hope Preserve. Our driver spots 12 Eland and 6 Bontebok, and some wild Ostrich. The Cape of Good Hope is the most southwesterly point of land in Africa, and certainly qualifies as a landmark. It is madness as tour buses arrive and everyone scrambles to get their photo taken. I manage to get my photo taken before the crowd gets in there!

Cape Peninsula shoreline - Sea Point, Bantry Bay and Camp's Bay
Cape Peninsula shoreline at False Bay – used with permission from Emile Grundlingh

Cape Point is at the end of the peninsula, and has both the original lighthouse (decommissioned after the Portuguese liner Lusitania was lost on the rocks) and the new lighthouse (located lower down so it’s not obscured by fog). I hike up the very steep trail to the top of Cape Point where the old lighthouse is located (see banner image above). There is also a funicular railway running to the top. Our guide called ahead and reserved a table for us in the restaurant at Cape Point – a very busy place!

JoeTourist: Cape Peninsula &emdash; African Penguins at the Boulders Penguin Colony
African Penguins at the Boulders

After lunch, we drive back along False Bay, stopping at a very nice public campground and picnic area. Next stop is the African Penguin colony at The Boulders, where we nearly get blown to bits by flying sand and strong winds. As we drive through Simon’s Town, our guide points out the shark warning system that is in place for this strikingly beautiful beach area.

As we return to Cape Town, our guide talks about the apartheid years and how Cape Town was segregated. He is of Indian descent, and describes how his family was forced to move several times during that dark period of South Africa’s history.

Cape Peninsula
Cape Peninsula
22 photos
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The Transkei & Coffee Bay

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2008 Southern Africa – South Africa

November 2, 2008 – Sunday – Drakensberg to Coffee Bay, Eastern Cape – the Wild Coast of South Africa

JoeTourist: Eastern Cape Province &emdash; A woman and her cow alongside the highway
A woman and her cow alongside the highway in Transkei Province

We drive through the Transkei Province on our way to Coffee Bay on the Wild Coast. Transkei is a former homeland area for blacks when apartheid was still in force in South Africa. Many black people continue to live in this region despite there being a chronic lack of water.

We travel through Mthatha aka Umtata, which is the provincial capital and home of South Africa’s most famous citizen, Nelson Mandela. Mr. Mandela no longer lives here, however some of his family continue to live in the region. He comes back to his hometown to celebrate his birthdays. He celebrated his 90th awhile ago, so he is getting to be quite old.

Update: Nelson Mandela died December 5, 2013 after suffering from a long illness, and was buried in his hometown of Qunu.

JoeTourist: Eastern Cape Province &emdash; View of the beach and the Indian Ocean from the hotel
View of the beach and the Indian Ocean from the hotel at Coffee Bay

It takes almost an hour to drive from the main highway just south of Umtata to the Ocean View Hotel at Coffee Bay. It’s like traveling to another country, since the coastline along the Indian Ocean is warm, wet, and tropical. I have a room with a view of the ocean. This is a nice hotel, but well off the beaten track.

I join the wake-boarders, taking my first dip in the Indian Ocean surf before dinner, and body surf for awhile, which is great fun! Coffee Bay is spectacular, with dramatic headlands at either end of a beautiful curved one kilometre long sandy beach. There is also an estuary at one end of the beach where a stream enters the ocean.

After dinner this evening, an African dance troupe comes in and does a similar floor show of Zulu singing and dancing as we saw at the Drakensberg Gardens with one difference – the young women are topless. Some of the men in our group go crazy, taking pictures and generally acting goofy. As I leave the dining room after dinner, the dance troupe are in the lobby counting the money they collected from us after the show. I compliment them on their dancing and singing, but take no photos or video.

November 3, 2008 – Monday – Coffee Bay to East London

We have a late 10:30am departure from Coffee Bay, which gives everyone time to have a leisurely breakfast. There are some surfers and wake boarders out this morning, as well as some porpoises just past the surf line. I have plenty of time to walk the full length of the beach before we depart.

JoeTourist: Eastern Cape Province &emdash; Wakeboarders, surf and waves