Football in the Bay

 Quinn brought along his football, for playing on the beach, and kicking around the camp.

The football had other ideas, and went exploring.

The natural bridge to Butterfly Bay

 Enjoying Butterfly bay.

Tauranga Bay, Whangaroa, Northland

The late afternoon and evening was spent on Tauranga Bay beach.  Soft sand, warm water, and waves.

 Tighe and Quinn played football in the surf.

Tighe with Stephenson Island in background

At one end of the bay, rocks were covered in lichen.  I am guessing seabirds make deposits here, and this creates the different colours of lichen.

Waiting for the sun to go down

Butterflies in the Wintertime

 Walking along the shoreline on Tauranga Bay, Whangaroa, we noticed the butterflies.

 What a wonderful experience, seeing Monarchs in the wintertime in New Zealand.

 The butterflies fluttered around us on our walk back to the cabin.

 The caterpillars surprised me, I thought the butterflies had migrated for the winter, but I think they are there all year round.

 Lots of butterflies, and plenty of caterpillars.  They over winter at Whangaroa Bay. 

 The 'swan plants" grow on the shoreline, and there were plenty of them for the caterpillars to feed on.

Home away from home (for the next few days)

Wow, look what we woke up to.  No need for merino.  Sandy beaches, rocky outcrops to explore, an urchin's paradise.

 There are also butterflies, Monarch butterflies spend the winter here.

 The red flower is a coral tree. A prickly pest that lives in Northland. 

 I know the cabin looks small, but it sleeps all 6 of us, has a kitchen, ensuite bathroom, a couch, and a TV. (Well a pretend TV, it was tiny).