Thursday, Mar 7th, Taupo, New Zealand

Greetings!

The Mine Bay Maori Rock Carvings were the gift of a young local and his friends, upon their graduation from the teachings of their tribal elders.  They are best reached by kayak, but our skipper, (David) took us there in his thirty-year old, restored 36-foot Herreshoff ketch.  A great group came with us (mostly English), including a young couple from Malibu (doctor and budding screenwriter).  We shared travel stories and advice, and frustrations concerning mastering turn signals.

With hardly any wind, we motored out and back, and were treated to the steerage of a most-capable three-year old Australian who took the wheel several times, including bringing us into our berth at the dock. 

But the highlight was the visit to the carvings, which took four years to finish, and are still being touched up.  A labor of love, and some local bar donations, they were first seen as graffiti.  But then, most great public art takes a while to find an audience.

After a short lunch at the Licorice Cafe, we drove out to the three famous volcanos overlooking the region: Mount Tongariro, Mount Ruapehu, and Mount Ngauruhoe.  The views from the sides are well-worth the long drive, and provide a geological exclamation point to the lake and thermals in the Northland.

To see the rest of the photos taken today, click on: Thursday, Mar 7th, Taupo, New Zealand.