A 9 o'clock breakfast again this morning as we do not have far to go today - Waikanae via the classic car museum at Paraparaumu.
Fruit again, including the infamous Tamarillo ( who sung that song, oh no, not quite the right title).
The aforementioned Tamarillo.
All packed and ready to go, we take a last trip around the waterfront as we say goodbye to Windy Wellie, rain has stopped and sky is brightening, looks good for the journey. Around the corner we pass the art gallery and shop, consider stopping for a gander, but doesn't open until 11 and since it's only just gone 10 we give it a miss. Some derelict piers provide a good photo opp. though.
As we hit the coast above Poriru a raft of birds is seen in the sea, but nowhere to stop and too far away to ID, although they looked like some kind of Petrel. We follow them down the coast for a while.
We have plenty of time, so call in to see what the metropolis of Paraparaumu has to offer on our way to the car museum. Sun is out and shining brightly.
Sign looks familiar, but it's a different place (just).
And the beach - well I guess they all look the same!
The car park at Southwards the Classic car museum is almost empty - hope it's open. It is.
Cor blimey, that's a lot of old cars (and other things!).
The cars are in a very large hanger,
and there's a downstairs too.
Plus a 'corridor' of motorbikes/bicycles upstairs,
and several alcoves with a variety of 'collectibles' including quite a few cabinets full of different novelty salt and pepper shakers (this has shades of the Bakelite Museum in Willenden).
A number of hours are spent wandering around the display cars. Some particular ones of note or peculiarity perhaps
An MG that is older than ours
A car with handmade wicker bits on it
What? they went round the world in that?
A Mumbai bus - do they really need that many mirrors?
A row of old fire appliances
Harley Davidson motorbikes have changed a bit since this one
There's an old Gypsy Moth plane too.
Managed to escape the cars by mid afternoon and find our way to B&B on the beachfront at Waikanae. Good views from the balcony, bedroom and lounge area.
Eric soaks up the rays (with Factor50 on of course)
Filled up with tea, drop scones and chocolate cake we venture out the 50yds to walk along the beach to the estuary. See if we can spot any of the birds we missed on our tour last Monday.
There are large flocks of mixed birds in the sea, with terns ( both white- fronted and Caspian) diving for fish, gulls, two different types of Shearwater (Sooty and Fluttering) we think, Black-backed Gulls, Red-billed Gulls, Shag and potentially and Arctic Skua. A good start. It's Whitebait season and there must be shoal of those or some other fish out there as the birds are in a feeding frenzy.
Kapiti Island is in the background, a very important site for birds in NZ.
We catch up with those feisty Oystercatchers further along the beach, so give them a wide berth,
and the White-fronted Terns on the edge of the estuary. They are nesting and we do not want to disturb (or be dive-bombed!).
There is plenty of driftwood on the beach, and here people have taken to making 'artworks' with some of the pieces.
The smaller driftwood here forms it's own little barrier to temporarily hold the tide back, until it is breached in some places.
Also quite a lot of shells on the beach - we think this is a new one for us.
Stroll back to accommodation, miss the sunset as
we are out for dinner just a little further along the road. Two starter meals with sides, just to leave room for the pudding - divine!
Restaurant is busy and late when we return, and so to bed.