One of the few Auckland CSC Motorhome parks run by the council that we haven’t had a look at is Scandrett Regional Park. It is literally at the end of the road beyond Algies Bay overlooking Kawau Bay just north of Auckland.It is simply stunning.
Across Kawau Bay
With weather warnings and a forecast deluge of rain that didn’t really arrive, we were a bit cautious about staying here as the Motorhome parking is all grass but on a flat platform overlooking the bay. To get to this flat platform though is a not so flat uphill grassy paddock area back to tar seal.
The Motorhome parking
On a fine day with no rain, it’ll be magic and there is lots to explore down on the beach.
The Scandrett family boatshed
Scandretts Motorhome parking at the end of the grass
Down by the beach
Along the beach. The bach at the end of the beach can be rented.
The fancy toilets
The original Scandrett family homestead is made of concrete which was quite rare and still stands, and all the sheds and barns, mostly built in the early 1900’s are also still there and in good nick. Auckland city has put explanations and signs on each and it’s well worth a look, even just for the day.
The Scandrett Homestead
The CSC park costs the normal Auckland City $8 each and as the parking is clearly Motorhome only, you don’t have to tangle with the day trippers in cars which I really like. We’ve got it penciled in for the next fine day.
Yesterday morning, I pulled into Ray’s Rest mainly just to have a cup of tea, something to eat and tidy up Rafe. This included putting my towel and togs on my bike rack clothes line.
Some action at Ray’s Rest
As it does, lunch time came around fairly quickly so I closed the roof hatches, shut the windows and I was heading into Kaiaua for fish and chips for lunch. I’d just arrived back when my neighbour came over to tell me that I had left in such a hurry that I’d left my towel and togs on the bike rack line. The towel was still there but the togs had vanished!
I ate the fish and chips while they were hot, Gurnard and a couple of scallops. Yum! Then set off in Rafe to look for my togs. Just down the road about 100 metres from Ray’s Rest towards Kaiaua were my togs on the side of the road in a shrub! Memo to self: I must make sure I clear the clothesline before taking off 😳
So, feeling like a bit of a chump, I went over and thanked my neighbour giving him the good news that it was bone dry 😄 It’s just as well my togs are bright orange!
Back at Ray’s Rest, not a puff of the forecast wind, hardly any clouds to be seen, I decided to stay the night.
In the morning on the beach
The sunset was amazing… As was the morning again today. It’s easy to see why so many Motorhomers stay here.
looking out of the window last night at Ray’s RestDusk at Ray’s Rest
Remember to click on the images to see them in all there glory!
I’ve been wanting to check out Port Waikato with Rafe for a while now after reading such good reviews of the Motorcamp there with the Jandals covered fence in the usual camping apps.
Jandal covered fence
The weather forecast wasn’t good. The forecast was for up to 40 knots from the south east with showers easing overnight so I thought Port Waikato would be good being on the west coast.
I booked in on the way and there was plenty of room being almost mid week.
“Ers and Mine” matching Motorhome and Bach within the camp next to Rafe.Permanent Caravans within the camp
I arrived and checked in with a delightful French chap who seemed to be in charge. He couldn’t have been more helpful, showing me how to get to the beach, where the cafe was.
The camp ground is well setup. Big parking spots with plenty of room for awnings. Nicely kept toilets, laundry, tv lounge and a nice BBQ area.
Within 5 minutes of arriving, I met my neighbours who were parked quite a distance away and as the time ticked away, we had the customary happy hour or so at 5pm in Rafe.
The Waikato river at dusk
Ers and Mine
The wharf
Sunset beach looking up towards Manukau
The Waikato River
On the way towards Port Waikato, the Tuakau bridge.
After tea, I went for a walk around to the sand dunes and a general nosey around. The baches and buildings are amazing for being quite eclectic. All different colours too. There was even a pink one! I always said that I make all the important decisions, she decides what’s important! I guess his colour choice wasn’t considered important 😊
The pink bach
I had a quick look around the beach with the camera before joining my neighbours at the Cafe for a quick coffee.
The Sand dunes
A neat spot to stay and it’s only 90 minutes from Auckland. I bet it’s busy in the height of summer.
With the heatwave, if you can call it that, we set off for a park beside a beach where we could swim.
Our friends Rob and Helen have stayed regularly and highly recommended Wenderholm Self Contained parks. The park is well setup with a boat ramp (tidal), Electric BBQ’s and Picnic Tables that are free to use and nice new toilets too.
Remember to click on the images for Hi Res
Our parking area with the BBQ and table in the foreground
We arrived in the early afternoon, settled down Rafe and headed straight for the beach. A really nice beach with views across to Whangaparoa and you can even see Rangitoto Island.
Wenderholm BeachPeople enjoying the sunThe Beach
I was surprised it was so busy for a Monday but it was hot and it is still holiday time. As the day went on, more motorhomes arrived and while we had a glass of wine before tea, a visitor from Wellington was out entertaining us with his metal detector looking for treasure.
He found a house key, several coins and said he’d previously found an expensive ring!
With the Waikato Buses
Behind the beach picnic areas
People enjoying the Estuary
The Toilet Block
The Boat Ramp
At Dusk
Late arrivals at the ramp
I’m think that I would prefer to park in a fenced off parking area like Sullivans Bay, another Auckland City Park further north. In saying that, where we were and because there were a few of us, it gave the impression that it was a motorhome area and cars didn’t park near us.
The Beach at Dusk
We have had a situation where we’ve been at beachs where the day trippers have been quietly drinking all day and leave to drive home where they can barely walk.(Not this one)
All in all, a nice place to stay, nice beach and things to cook on too.
What a great weekend! The weather was great and we had things to do.
After Fiona had finished work, we headed out to one of our favorite spots, the NZMCA park at Ardmore, a hop skip and a jump from Alex, Sarah and the Grandkids.
As always, remember to click on the images to see Hi Res.
Rob & Helens Autotrail and Rafe
Our friends, Rob & Helen and their daughter Chloe were heading off for a week or so to Napier and Gisborne so it was great we could pop in to Ardmore to see them off. When we arrived at about 7:30pm, they were off on a walk so they were a bit surprised to see us there when they returned as we hadn’t confirmed that we would be there.
Alex, Sarah and the boys came over after their tea and we all caught up in Rafe. Lots of fun.
The Ardmore NZMCA park is in an airfield precinct so a little noise comes with the territory, usually small planes and sometimes Helicopters.
Ardmore Park with Rob & Helens Autotrail and Rafe next door. The Cadet hall behind.
That morning, things were different. At 8am, we heard the repetitive bark of a Sergeant Major type next door in the cadet parade ground teaching St John Juniors how to march. It was quite interesting to watch too as some didn’t know the left from the right so there were some interesting moves happening.
They were all togged up in their black uniforms and looked good, some even wearing their medals. There was one trainer who forgot his black clobber and was doing it all in his Red shorts.
St Johns Juniors marching
As Fiona said, good on him for volunteering his time on a Saturday morning but it did sort of spoil the overall look.
About 9:30, we said goodbye to Rob, Helen and Chloe and they headed off to Taupo for their trip to Hawkes Bay and beyond. We left as well and went around to Alex, Sarahs and the Grandkids for the morning and around lunchtime, headed towards one of our other favorite places, Rays Rest at Miranda. We were catching up our friends Gary and Chris who were helping other friends Mark and Tina with their first trip out in their new, second hand Motorhome.
Rays Rest is a great spot and the weather was behaving as well.
Rays Rest
After arriving early in the afternoon, we caught up for cups of tea and later a couple of drinks and then headed off in Gary’s van down to get the fish and chips for tea from the famous Kaiaua fish and chips shop. Gary wasn’t drinking so that worked well. It was nice to see how much progress Mark had made on his motorhome as when he got it, it leaked and had quite a lot of dampness in its linings. .. now all gone. More on this in another post soon.
We had a great night together and called it quits and hit the hay.
At Rays Rest
The next morning was nice in diffused sunshine with little wind. We sat on the foreshore watching people fish and just soaked up the atmosphere.
At Rays Rest, Gary, Fiona, Tina, Chris and Mark
Gary, Chris, Tina and Mark were going to carry on to Thames and Coromandel so after lunch, we left them and headed home. A nice weekend.
A shocking Friday’s weather left me thinking that Fiona might not be too keen to drive down to Thames after she’d finished work at 6pm.
The plan was for her to drive down to Thames, park the car at Thames and we’d go to Pauanui in Rafe to catch up with the Grandkids. She had to be back at work on Monday as the holiday period meant standing in for people away.
The rain was just relentless and although it was supposed to be finishing around 5-6 pm, one can never tell with weather forecasts!
The rain slowed around 4pm and the roads all started to dry out.
Around 8:15 odd, she arrived in Thames and we settled down for some Tv.
Saturday, the weather was looking much brighter so I parked the car and we were off to Pauanui in Rafe.
Pauanui beach
The trip through to Pauanui is virtually up, then down the other side and you end up in Pauanui or Tairua.
We stayed in an amazing ground run by the Pauanui Club. Excellent value and lovely people to deal with. For $8 a night, 4 big areas to park plus power and access to toilets and a cold shower. You also get membership of the club for a day which means you can buy a drink or two and get great meals there at reasonable rates. The park is right next to the mini golf course and you can bike ride anywhere so take your bikes.
Rafe at the club park with the mini golf behind
When we arrived, we settled Rafe down with the power and opened some vents for fresh air and jumped on the bikes to head down to the water. We arrived just in time to see son Alex and his family trying out their new Christmas Kayak. They tell me they got caught by the wind in a few inches of water in front if a queue of people and youngest grandson Liam (3) shouted out Help at the top of his voice while older grandson Ayden said “get a helicopter”!
Isn’t it funny what kids come up with.
Fiona and Alex walk home with the Kayak
After a nice lunch with the family, we spent a couple of hours at the Pauanui Club and then biked around to my grandchildren where other grandparents, Paul and Mary put on a fantastic Bbq tea.
The next morning, Alex biked around with Liam in a child’s seat and Ayden on his own bike and we all rode into the township “for a treat”!
Pauanui is quite a neat place. There is a airstrip where the houses are built along the side, many with hangers instead of garages, some with both.
A house with a plane outside
A plane takes off from Pauanui airfield.
House hangers
The Pauanui club
The town is completely flat so it’s a neat place to take a bike. Although we were the only Motohome at Pauanui club that night, as we left, two arrived. A fantastic place and I’m sure they be well patronised once the word gets out !
Our friends Rob And Helen have stayed here regularly and really recommended it as a great place to stay so we booked in a few weeks before Christmas for two nights.
Awnings out while the sun was shining
A wonderful place and this would have to be one of Auckland City Parks better camping spots. On the western side of Mahurangi Harbour almost opposite Scotts Landing, there is a beautiful beach and the foreshore is divided into several areas. There is a general camping ground, for those that need water, toilets and rubbish collection. There is a self contained camping area (where we stayed) and there is parking for day trippers.
Fiona on the beach
The info centre at Sullivan’s
Rob and Helens AutoTrail and Rafe with Fiona off to the beach
Fiona walking on the beach,. Looking towards Scotts landing
The tidy up before the rain came down
In a past lifetime when I was Launch Captain and on the Classic Yacht Association committee, we used to come up in Rorqual for the Anniversary Regatta and organise and help arrange the launch racing from this bay. We often anchored in here too. I remember a dreary day in Sullivan’s with the rain pouring down watching DVDs in Rorquals front cabin with my mate Alan while waited for other boats to arrive from Auckland. Being here in a Motorhome and seeing how well set up it is from a motoring perspective leaves me with a much greater appreciation of how good it is, despite the worsening weather.
The New Year’s Eve forecast wasn’t good and during the day, the wind steadily increased. There were a couple hardy souls anchored out there today but they sensibly moved on given the 20 odd knots blowing in here now.
Our site on New Years eve
By 5pm, we’d moved around the back of Rob and Helens van for the start of our New Years Eve celebrations. We were joined by John and Heather who we met in winter at Miranda when they were enjoying their first night in their 7m plus Trail lite which they had just bought. It was nice to see them again.
We barbecued tea and sat outside out of the wind before the clean up started about 8ish and before it rained. A great night in a nice park with good company.
Later: The forecast has got worse so rather than risk being blown off the ridge road by predicted 50knot winds, we’ve booked to stay another night and hunker down.
I couldn’t think of a better place to be.😎
After a good night at Whangauru bay, we went to Tutukaka for morning tea and a look around the marina. The last time we were here was 12 or so years ago when we purchased Rorqual.
Fiona on Rorquals old pierTutukaka monumentLooking back from the Marina
It was nice to see the activity around the piers, people getting ready to go away on their boats and doing last minute jobs on them. Fiona sneaked off to the shops for a look around and then we were off to Matapouri bay.
It was chocker with people and a struggle finding a little room for an 8m Motorhome.
Mayhem at Matapouri
One of the things to used to annoy Fiona during my newspaper career as a photographer over 30 something years, was my dislike for crowds and having to get in them. I worked often in crowds, either at events, concerts or just big council events. It always meant difficulty parking and sometimes carrying or running some distance with heavy camera gear.
So by the time I got home, concerts or gatherings of any sort were always off the radar… So imagine me in a huge Motorhome and all these people with narrow streets and people wanting to get home, all hot and at the end of the day.
Woolleys bay carpark
Us in Wooleys bay carpark
Wooleys bay
Woolleys bay carpark from the top of the dunes
Helen and Fiona at Matapouri
Matapouri beach
We decided to move on to Woolleys bay, the next bay north hoping there would be less aggravation parking and some space. And it was lovely. We’d just arrived in the carpark behind the sand dunes and drove right into a flat spot next to another Motorhome who had been there the previous night. A really nice chap with his wife and two girls who was a supplier to Dethleffs and knew Jonas the importer.
Fiona and I sat in our new Christmas chairs and enjoyed lunch in the sun before changing and spending a few hours on the beach. Not a cloud in the sky and a bit of surf, just nice.
Later in the day, we thought we’d better check in with Rob and Helen who had got a premo spot in Matapouri bay and were encouraging us to come back.
It was mayhem but with both Rob and Helen acting as ace parking wardens, somehow we managed to get a spot right next to them. I have to say though, a bit stressful and although it’s a great beach, I really think that the beachfront carpark isn’t setup or well suited for large Motorhomes as everywhere you park is potentially exposed to a bad or careless car parker. Most of the cars had gone by 7pm and it started to settle down and by then, really nice.
Us once the cars had gone. Rob and Helens AutoTrail on the left
All those people and the extra risk to Rafe, give me a quiet little Bay any day😎
Well, what a day. We had a great night with Fiona’s brother John and better half, Marnie where I whistled out the plug in Bbq and John made a great salad, we ate and drank until late. It was lots of fun. Our visit to J & M’s was well overdue and I’m sure we well and truly made up for it 😀
Rafe at John and MarnieThe long haired driveway
John cooked up an amazing breakfast of bacon and eggs that morning which prepared us well for the day. The drive needed a good haircut but we managed to get down with Fiona walking ahead and pulling the long branches out of the way and we were off via Pack n Save in Silverdale to meet Rob and Helen at Whangaumu near Tutukaka.
As we headed up the hill to windy ridge on the first passing lanes, towards the end of the passing lanes we were overtaken in a hurry by two cars, a Toyota smallish car and a new X6 Bmw who pushed into the passing lane in front of me, earning himself a good loud toot of my horn for being a dickhead.
As we went on at the next passing lanes around the corner, the Beemer pulled out to overtake and immediately the Toyota pulled out in front to stall the bmw from going forward. There was obviously some history with these two. I kept back leaving a gap in the left for the bmw to move back into. On it went with the Toyota stopping the flow forward of the right lane really upsetting the beemer driver. The passing lanes eventually run out at the top of windy ridge and the Toyota moves left with the beemer trying to push in with no passing lane left. I’m still holding a big gap for the beemer to drop back into. Eventually the Beemer gives up, drops back into the gap in front and then crosses over to a wide left margin and came up the inside of the Toyota and tries to push in front from the left, deliberately ramming him and as he tries to get in front the beemer goes sideways with the Toyota driving into the drivers door of the beemer pushing it sideways. Wow.. All in glorious technicolor on our widescreen windscreen. We couldn’t believe what was happening!
The Toyota moves off to the side of the road and out of the Beemer pops out a hopping mad irate trendy chap shouting sweet nothings to a mid thirtyish bloke.
Both at fault but the beemer driver needs to keep his testosterone in his undies, that’s for sure. I pull over a little further up the road and run down with a card, Telling the beemer driver who is still ranting and raving what a dickhead he is, that I saw it all and gave the Toyota driver a card and told him to give me a call. Wow.. We both decided we needed to get to somewhere and have a cup of tea to settle things down.
We stopped at Waipu for lunch and a cuppa and a break and give the heart a chance to slow down!
Rob and Helens outlook on the beach
5’sies with Rob, Helen, Dennis and Liz
Rob, Helen and Chloe having tea. Rafe further down
Having fun
The beach
After a quick visit to the Whangarei dump station to get water and dump, we pressed on to Whangaumu bay near Tutukaka where we met Rob and Helen and their daughter Chloe.
A stifling hot day with heaps of people on the beach. A fantastic spot right on the edge if the beach. Well done Rob and Helen for finding it! We met our neighbours Liz and Dennis in their Toyota Bus. Nice people too.
Rafe at Dusk
The images tell the story. I thought later I wish I’d taken the camera down to the fighting drivers to get a real news piccy but as Fiona says, I might have attracted more attention than I could deal with 😳
Rafe had developed a nasty little irritating rattle in what seemed to be the left front suspension. We thought given the warranty runs out in 6 months or so, we need to get straight onto to these things and get it sorted. I dropped it off last Wednesday morning and took a technician around the block so I could point out the noise. It only appeared on coarse seal but was a quiet as a mouse on smooth seal.
The awning out with our new mat down
Initially it seemed that although they could hear the noise, they couldn’t find a reason for a rattle. The suspension checked out ok and after a few hours of searching, there was nothing else.
A bit of light reading by yours truly on the Fiat forum in the UK showed that they have this issue in Britain too. The Euro’s have smooth seal but they use coarse seal in Britain like NZ. On Monday, they wired it all up with microphones and went for a drive to locate the rattle. To add the sound equipment, they had to take off the tray which is a big piece of black rubber/plastic mat that covers the whole underside of the engine and gearbox area to protect it from dust. The Brits found that they were the cause of the rattle. With all the sound equipment, they couldn’t hear any noise at all so it seems the tray might be the cause here too. We picked Rafe up on Monday and the’ve left the tray off to try it over the new Year period and so far I haven’t heard a thing 🙂 I’ll head back to the engineers in January and have it put back on with some foam to stop it rattling if that’s what it turns out to be.
As always, make sure you click on these images to see them in hi res.
Fiona with Takapuna Beach in the distance
What to do last weekend instead ? We decided to walk around from Milford Bridge all the way down the beach and around the waterfront to Takapuna Beach. Its a great walk and only takes about 1/2 hour.
Milford Beach
Milford Beach
Waterfront homes at Milford
Waterfront homes at Milford
The track around the rocks
Getting close to Thornes Beach
Cable car up the hill
Thornes Beach
Nice waterfront homes at Thornes Beach
Thornes Beach
Thornes Beach half way around
Fishing off the rocks half way around. Rangitoto behind
Fiona with one of the waterfront houses near Milford
Almost Crystal clear
Foreshore houses, Takapuna in the distance
Takapuna Beach in the distance
Looking back to Milford
On the way to Takapuna
Rangitoto with the Pohutakawas
We stopped at Takapuna Beach for a while and watched the launching antics of the masses and the wayward backing attempts. Always a good hour or two’s entertainment although better at low tide 🙂
We walked up to Hurstmere Rd and had a nice lunch in a café there and then walked back towards Milford. There is a little track down to the beach right on the corner with Kitchener Rd so we headed back down along the beach and back home.
Fiona cooling off with Rangitoto behind
We’d only been home for a n hour or so when our good friends Tony and Julie popped in with a bottle of wine and some cider and then spent several hours sitting in the sun watching boats come and go in the marina.
A very pleasant day but I’m REALLY pleased to have Rafe back !
Fiona & Chris, two empty nesters put their dreams of doing something different into reality… Now back in a house, they were living in their Motorhome, come along for the ride.
Bugger It, we are off - www.buggeritweareoff.com 
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