dst. (km)
Today	??.?
Trip total	??.?
Odometer	2512.5

The weather changed again and we crossed the hills heading north while being buffetted around by strong winds.

Around 2 pm we arrived in Te Araroa township, just as the drizzle started. Lunching at the only open shop we watched the waves crashing on the enormous mounds of timber washed up on the beaches — there is never a shortage of driftwood in the areas we visited, on the contrary, getting to the beach can often involve climbing over metre-high piles of timber from the forests. The forested hills are steep and covered in loose volcanic soil, when it rains there is massive erosion, and huge swathes of forest are washed out to sea.

Te Araroa boasts the world’s largest Pohutukawa tree, sitting in the local school yard. We chuckled to ourselves wondering if the locals sneak out at night into the forests every time there is rumour of a larger one, in order to give it a radical pruning and maintain their claim.

After a morning of battling the wind there was little to inspire us to ride the final half-hour along the beach in the rain, so Jo and I jumped into the van for the five kilometres along the beach to Te Araroa motor-camp, arriving as the rain cleared.

Where?

Ruatoria (37°S, 178°E) Te Araroa (37°S, 178°E)