Jucy Adventure - Tutukaka

Our main purpose of visiting the Tutukaka Coast was so that T&D could dive at Poor Knights Island which is supposed to be one of the top 10 dive sites in the world.  We woke up a little later than ideal to get to the dive shop by 8 am and since we got to the park late the night before, we had not yet paid for our campsite.  We were in a rush and Justin and I just needed to drop off T&D and then we planned on returning to the park to shower and organize the Jucy.   We didn't see anyone in the park office yet so we drove by and planned on paying when we returned.  Evidently that was not such a good idea as the campsite owner tailed us the short drive to the marina and jumped out of his car upset that we were skipping out without paying.  We explained the situation to him and he calmed down and even apologized numerous times to us.  He said he gets around 50 people a year that skip out without paying, most of those being in rented campervans.  

Justin and I spent the day driving along the Tutukaka coast (maybe a 20 km drive one way) stopping as we pleased.  We visited Whangarei Falls, Matapouri Bay, Woolleys Bay, Sandy Bay, and took a short hike to Whale Bay.  We had a picnic out of the back of the Jucy and even waited out a rainstorm inside the Jucy while parked next to the beach.   It was a relaxing, perfect day!

Too cool for the falls

Whangarei Falls

Picnic at Sandy Bay

The Jucy on a famous New Zealand one lane bridge

Road sign indicating the rules of the way one bridge....figure that one out!

View on the hike to Whale Bay

Justin trying out his wetsuit at Sandy Bay

We picked up T&D after their dive and drove up to Paihia in the Bay of Islands.  We set up camp at the Beachside Holiday Park.  The park is on the beach a few kilometers outside of Paihia.  We had dinner at a local pizza place and then played cards in the Jucy. 

Beachside Holiday Park

Jucy Adventure - The Beginning

Our friends David and Tiffany Dyer arrived in Auckland last Thursday afternoon.  We drove up to Mount Eden to catch some views of the sunset over the city.   Later, Justin and I enjoyed dinner at Jack Tar on the North Wharf near our apartment while torturing the Dyer's by engaging them in conversation and attempting to sight-see when their bodies felt like it was 3 am!  

David and Tiffany on Mount Eden

View of the city on the way to North Wharf

On Friday, David and Tiffany stopped by my office and the 3 of us walked to pick up our Jucy Condo campervan which would come to be known as The Jucy.  We met Justin for a quick dinner of Ramen noodles before packing up and loading out.  David and I underestimated the spice level at this restaurant and were barely able to eat our food!  We were red faced and peeling off our layers by the end!

We packed up the Jucy and drove to the Tutukaka Holiday Park for the night (about 2.5 hours from Auckland).  The road from Auckland to Tutukaka would probably seem unmemorable in a car in the daylight.  But let me tell you, in the dark, in a large campervan, it felt very scarey!  It is hard to explain the roads in New Zealand but they have more twist and turns than I have ever seen and tend to become narrower the further out of town you drive.  Justin, our fearless driver, delivered us safely to our destination but he was worn out from the trek!  Justin and I spent the first night in The Jucy on the bottom bunk while Tiffany and David took the upper, coffin bed. 

Picking up The Jucy

David and Tiffany on the top bunk