Ahipara Part 2

Len ended up catching 2 kahawai off the beach and rocks close to Shipwreck Bay on Thursday and after talking to our caravanning neighbours, Ron and Angel, in the camp decided to take our bus up Ninety Mile Beach to a better fishing spot on Friday morning. The sand getting onto the beach initially from the Ahipara road end did look a bit cut up but Len followed in the imprint made by other vehicles and we heaved a sigh of relief when we reached the firmer beach surface. Since then we talked to fellow golfers who lived close to the beach and they were both horrified and amazed that we had entered the beach at this point as they are forever towing cars that aren't 4 wheel drives off the beach! Apparently there is a much safer entry point a few kms further down!

What time's the next bus?!

One for the pot!

We had a great fishing morning - 4 kahawai caught in a short time while some other fellow campers fishing next to us, Wid and Graeme, brought in 2 big snapper on their longline. They didn't catch anything on their surfcaster though so I think Len has the magic touch.
Wid lent us his smoker and the fish cooked up beautifully - smoked kahawai is yum and sometime soon we are just going to have to try and fit one into the bus boot. Not sure what we'll have to forego to do this - not the golf clubs!

Sunset from the 9th tee

Saturday and Sunday we were entered into the Ahipara Pak 'n Save mixed pairs golf tournament so it was a very short trundle of our golf clubs along the road from the camp to the golf course for the 10.00am start. On Saturday we played with Roy and Kate from Clarks Beach and on Sunday with Chippie and Kerry from Kaitaia. Len and I were about middle of the field of 24 pairs with our combined points on both days so we were happy enough with that - not in the prizes but Rae, a lovely older lady who does lots of organising in the club, insisted on sharing the vegetables she won in a couple of rafffles with us so we came home with some lots of lovely rhubarb, pumpkin and broccoli.

Kaitaia and Ahipara have a real problem with unemployment, burglaries, tagging etc and we are told that anything that is not tied down will be taken. Len found this out when he went to smoke our fish in the camp barbecue/smoker and found someone had stolen the connection pipe and regulator, unbeknown to the camp owners. However we have loved our time at Ahipara and with staying 6 nights, playing golf on 4 days and fishing alongside other campers we really felt like part of the community with everyone being so warm and friendly. We felt safe in the camping ground and it's the longest we have stayed anywhere whilst on the road.