We were unable to find accommodation off Ocean Head beach off Whangarei Heads, with a storm rolling in we weren't taking any chances. A contact we did make about the Marsden Point boat crossing said the weather was too rough to make a crossing anytime soon. We were lucky enough to have a local who dropped us into Whangarei that night, in the pouring rain and helped us find accommodation. Amazing how many places are booked out when it's raining and 9.00pm at night. We restocked and booked a Naked Bus to get us back on the trail. All you can eat breakfast was fantastic, the place we stayed had an old peoples convention going on, short of being faster than them to the buffet, it was a bit odd to be around so many oldies. We didn't knock anybody out of the way but am sure we ate enough to feed a small nation. Staff were great, thanks. We rejoined the trail in Waipu. The rural drivers are speedsters, they don't like to give way on bridges, up this end of the country the government or councils seem to have a love affair with one lane bridges. So close to seeing a head on accident on a blind corner. Since we were on the old trail notes, we ended up on what I think was an old section on the trail. The signs took you around a coastal estuary, which contradict the current notes, in other words we got lost. A good lost, another very helpful chap drove us to the connection just past Langs Bay and just short of the Bream Trail Track. This is a mix of no exit road and private land. Lucky this path had just reopened in October due to lambing. Lambs are already pretty big, cuties though. The start of the Managwhai Heads track the views are devine, we stopped for lunch there and ended up staying way too long. No body around and water views as far as they eye could see. We did think about setting up camp as this was just breathtaking. A bit to exposed though. The track down onto the beach was awesome. Views all the way. Were lucky with the tide timings to go over the rocky heads. We stayed at the Managawhai Heads camp ground, take the road off the beach, don't go around the heads as the sand is really soft and unless its low tide will take more time. You will see the caravans on the water front, there is an access on the left hand side of the road, take that, other wise you go further up the road and access the camp site and walk down to the office. Lots of upgrades going on, it's a great place to stay, and if you ask nicely Richard will take you across the estuary. Richard was awesome.
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