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Cape Reinga properly in Maori is Te Rerenga Wairua, the
Leaving Place of the Soul, where the souls of the Maori deceased leave Aotearoa
(New Zealand) and swim across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaiiki, the Polynesian
spritual homeland. Not surprisingly, it is a place of wonder and magic, a slim
finger of land pointing north in a line continued in the waters where blue on
one side and green on the other marks the wild and tumultuous intersection of
the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea. You have to take a picture, and send
a post card from the post office next to the lighthouse standing tall and
watchful over this lonely spot.
Nearby is the beautiful white sand and
crystal clear water of Spirits Bay, a great spot for picnicing and swimming, and
on the other coast, the long lines of breakers crash against the black sands of
90 Mile Beach. You can drive on the beach all the way to Ahipara - and the
tour buses always do. The northern entry or exit point of the beach is the
remarkable Te Paki Reserve, where 7 hectares of giant sand dunes create a mini
Sahara desert zone. The dunes are great fun on toboggans or just wander
through them with your camera.
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