Day 2 - Maunganui Bluff

 

After getting up I saw the camp, now in new daylight, was in a beautiful location. The weather was sunny and it gave me a chance to dry all my gear out. 

Eventually after a slow morning I set out alone, the second last to leave. The Aussie pair I started out with yesterday had yet to get out of their tent. 

On the trail someone had written Jason into the dirt. 

Soon I hit the infamous 90mile beach, named as such because it is exactly 58 miles long. I could see the lone american lady, the two Belgium’s, and Elco way down the beach ahead of me. This section is notorious because it throws fresh TA hikers full of spirit into an endless rock hard beach; difficult terrain at the best of times. No nice warm up for this thru hike. 

At one point a couple horses came jaunting onto the beach, which was alarming. 

I’ll be taking a photo at exactly 11am everyday I’m hiking, an idea I’m stealing from a different blog I no longer remember. Here’s the first.

A Māori police officer came cruising up the beach in his vehicle checking in all the TA’ers to make sure they’re were doing fine, nice to know someone’s looking out for us. 

Eventually, one by one, I caught up to everyone who left before, exchanging conversations before continuing on. A small island, matapia island, broke up the monotony of the endless beach, marking my progress. Eventually after 28km I reached camp, Maunganui Bluff, early at 3:45. A soak in the cold ocean to aid my sore feet. More burritos and off to relax. 

                                                          

A NOBO (northbound) hiker came into camp coming in from Wellington, 1700km down the trail. Offered me some aloe for my very burnt face, nice guy.