Driving Firth

Dec. 8

Nobody told me the Coromandel is a bunch of mountains running into the sea!!!!!!! After going to McDonalds for the free Wi-Fi to post yesterday’s blog, I blithely take off on my day jaunt to Coromandel town and to explore this side of the peninsula. Three minutes out of Thames on the main highway, the only real road on this side of the peninsula, the road narrows to exactly two car widths wide. That is, one side of the road hugging major cliffs going up, the other side dropping immediately to the Firth; the Firth now widening out to the ocean. Admittedly, sometime we are only 10 -20 feet above the ocean, but most the time it is major rock outcroppings I would crash onto. Other times it is 50 feet above the sea and I’m sure my wheels are just barely feeling asphalt. And of course the speed limit is 100kph. And the curves are so tight there are multiple mirrors set up so you can see who you are going to crash into around each cliff. In places there is absolutely no shoulder and you have to believe that other car is going to stay in their lane or you wouldn’t be able to drive. Aside from the one lane bridges I have already told you about, which there are several of, there is also one spot in the road that is only one lane wide. Yes, one lane wide. You wait your turn and hope the other guy does too. I don’t know if they got tired of blasting away at the cliffs, ran out of money, or what, but it’s only one lane hugging the cliff. Needless to say, the tension in my back has returned.

But… the drive was magnificent. Coromandel is stunning. The guide books mention a tree called the pohutukawa that blooms in December along this coast. Well, it is December so I am on the lookout for this tree also called the NZ Christmas tree. And I do find it, between glimpses of sheer wall inches from my car and drops to the rocks below, I am privileged to gaze upon what is holding all these rocks together; and that is the mighty pohutukawa tree. In maturity, it forms a large, gnarled and rough barked tree which blossoms with deep crimson blooms. These blooms are restrained, not profuse like a cherry or apple tree, so a tree is dappled rather than covered with crimson. Almost as if it knows it is so magnificent and important a tree it doesn’t need to burst with blooms, merely present. And present it does, all along the coast, large and small trees present their lovely blooms. These trees line the numerous beaches, coves, bays and cliffs along my drive

I’m making my way to the Driving Creek Railroad just outside the town of Coromandel. This is a small narrow gage train that is privately owned by a potter and runs up steep grades, four trestle bridges, two spirals, a double switchback and through several tunnels, finishing at the ‘Eyeful Tower.’ Once at the tower the views over the bay and through to Auckland are incredible.  NZ is working feverishly to bring back their native bush. Much of it was cut and burned both by native Maori and early settlers, then non-native species were introduced and took over. This led to the demise of both native plant and animal life. The Douglas fir is one of the trees which has thrived. It grows six times faster here than in Colorado, but nothing else grows underneath it, so no native plants are regenerating. In some areas they are clear cutting these pines and re-introducing native bush. In other areas it is a crop tree. This railroad land is adjacent to a nature preserve and has planted almost 26,000 native plants.  I am sitting with a young man from England taking a break from his law studies and two little children and their father from France. The hour long ride passes through beautiful regenerated bush with outstanding views of the sea and islands below along with lots of pottery artworks staged along the way. A very unique experience. I then ride down with an English couple and their two children who came to NZ 8 years ago for two months and are still here. A rather common scenario I am hearing.

After the railroad I drive back to Coromandel and explore the cute little shops and cafes which are plentiful. I spend a few dollars then drive out of town to explore before dinner. By the way, when you are in a Kiwi’s home they always refer to dinner as tea. The first time someone asked me to tea was back in Christchurch and I was going out sightseeing for the day, and I thought to myself there is no way I’ll be back in time for tea. As they kept talking I realized they meant dinner because they mentioned 7:00PM. It happened another time too. But if you go out, they call it dinner. I’m not sure why. Anyway, I drove out of town in a direction I thought would take me to the last town on the peninsula, but as usual, I was mixed up. Another by the way: if you ask a Kiwi for direction, they always tell you how to get there and then say “You can’t miss it.” And I miss it every time. Part of it is because I am alone and no one is helping me look, but their idea of signage is not like ours – little, bitty signs on posts, with a whole bunch of others, maybe, and never in the same spots on each street. The ‘big brown sign’ I was looking for today was the normal size of one of our street signs back home. So I never found the town, but I ended up on this really cool spit of land going out to the sea. Very treacherous and narrow, in spots it was only wide enough for the road or the road and one house. But the views were spectacular in all directions. This coast has to have some of the most tremendous views in the world. I would be willing to put it against any of the famous coasts you read about or have seen. It doesn’t have the picturesque homes of southern Europe or the thatched huts of Bali, but the coastline, the islands and the water color is unbelievable. The water looks fake, like some giant came in the night and dropped in dye. Fantastic.

I drive carefully back to town and to a restaurant specializing in mussels. Mussels and oysters are famous in this region. Both are farmed here and plentiful. I am not a big fan of mussels, but the green lipped mussel is from here so I have to order some. I decide a glass of champagne will help. After very good, very large mussels, I have lentil and feta fritters on ragout. Very nice. Then I wind my way back home to witness another brilliant sunset from my deck with my glass of NZ wine. Not a bad way to end the day.