The weather was terrible the day before Sunday and so the ground was very wet. I arranged to meet the Nordic Walkers at Orewa Surf Club, the sky was a little grey on the way down and there was mist rolling over the hilltop along the highway.
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| The Mist on the sea at Orewa |
The drive down to Orewa takes you along East Coast Road and into Silverdale, you pass the Lakes golf course at Dairy Flat and further on, opposite the shops on the left by the traffic lights there is a new development. I believe Pak 'n' Save is opening a new shop there very soon, the area has been cleared to make way for the new building and it's really confusing as you approach the traffic lights because seeing the area now it’s cleared, it looks really odd. Turning right onto Hibiscus Coast Highway you can already see the new houses and there is a new recreation centre open to accommodate the area too.
Passing the holiday park at Orewa and turning right into the car park to park near the Surf club, the mist and the waves off the sea were spectacular. Boarders and surfers were out in force.
I’ve not seen the sea like that before at Orewa, one of the instructors remarked on it a few weeks back, its seems like sea and weather patterns are changing, or maybe it’s a change that happens and we just don’t notice it.
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| Pouwhenua Signpost alongside the estuary at Orewa |
Anyway walking on the beach wasn’t an option so we took the estuary path because the tide was in and the sea was rough. Walking through the camping grounds and under the bridge there is a lovely big signpost explaining the Maori heritage in this area. The Ngati Whatua tribe lived in Orewa and there are still remnants of a Pa on the hillside south of the signpost situated by the estuary. According to the signpost, the tribe are caretakers for the area and keep the traditional values; Manaakitanga, a sacred obligation to care for visitors and people; and Kaitiakitanga, guardianship, care and respect for nature and the environment.
Ngati Whatua the Mana Whenua* of the area has a sacred obligation to uphold and protect the integrity of the tribe. The Pouwhenua that guards the mouth of the estuary at Orewa represents the physical past, the future and is a carved representation of Tangaroa the God of the Sea.
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| The Pouwhenua Carving |
The design of the Pouwhenua represents the connection of the people to their ancestors; it’s a wonderful addition to the area and is a great place to take your kids for a lesson in Maori history.
Further along the walkway are Maori middens dating back about 350 years ago and some have been preserved for future generations to take a look at. They house waste from shell fish, stones and charcoal, remnants from a previous life.
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| An Ancient Moari Midden |
Our walk took us past a midden and we headed up the walkway to Kingsway School. We cut the walk by leaving the path and passing the main entrance to the school and up the road back onto Hibiscus Coast highway, under the bridge and back onto the car park at the surf club, by which time the sun had broken through and turned the drab morning into a glorious day for Nordic Walking. We were surprised that our walk which started in cold weather, took us on a 8 km Nordic Walk along the estuary and back, but we returned in superb weather and it was a great drive back along the coast and back to Torbay.
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