August 07, 2005
Walk Around Mauao With Me
Our time is coming to a close Down Under. One of the things that I have enjoyed most while in in Australasia is the incredible nature walks in our backyard. In Australia we enjoyed walking the trails of rugged Cataract Gorge. In Mount Maunganui, we love to walk around Mauao (the Mount). I want to share this experience with my friends who won’t be able take this walk with us in our remaining time. Would you like to take a walk with me?
Mauao stands alone. A dominant landmark in the horizon of the Bay of Plenty, Mauao can be seen for miles. The rugged green cliffs can even be seen from the Accidente Emergency Department in the middle of the city.
A short walk down Pilot Bay to the track only recently reopened after slips from the heavy rains. Enjoy the sailboats and ships coming through the bay into the harbour.
Looking back from the trail you can see the Mini Mount from the center of town. There are also Norfolk pines that line the beach at Pilot Bay.
As we round the curve you can see one of the nice white sand beaches. Across the bay you can see Matakana Island. Matakana also has pristine white sand beaches with few inhabitants.
As we round the cruve, the sandy beaches disapear and the coast becomes rocky. The rugged coastline is a great contrast to the crystal clear water. The color of the water changes dramatically with wind, swells, and the sunshine.
The rocky coast has interesting rock formations. Around the bend, the rocky coast becomes tide pools. Instead of sandy beaches, the beaches are made of shells.
We’re almost at our destination. The end of the trail is the main surf beach at Mount Maunagnui. These nature walks have been one of the higlights of my experience. Its easy to see why people love to live and play outside down under.
Posted by at 04:40 am
Every time you post pics like this, I get so jealous! Man!
We just got back from a weekend canoeing trip with the gang and while our trip had it’s own sense of beauty, nothing could compare with where you are!
timsamoff () (URL) - August 07, 2005 at 8:16 pm
Amen, Tim.Todd () (URL) - August 09, 2005 at 3:23 pm
It’s just funny to now that there are a lot of people with the same name.Rob Lam, The Netherlands
Rob Lam () - November 24, 2005 at 06:05 am
