On a recent flight back to my home country of New Zealand,  I had the privilege of taking a road trip with two of our friends to Cape Reinga. You might wonder where the name of the cape comes from. The Māori word 'Reinga', means the Underworld and another Māori name is 'Te Rerenga Wairua', which means the leaping-off place of spirits. These names are associated with the Māori belief that the cape is the point where the spirits of the dead enter the underworld. This was a place I had never been and the idea of standing at the tip of the North Island of New Zealand caught my imagination. The road to the Cape is tar-sealed all the way and it is approximately 100 kilometres from Kaitaia. On the way up, we stopped at Houhora where I was struck by the beauty of the snow white silica sands which attracted my eye from some distance away - I had never seen such white sand and beautiful, pristine coastline.

On approaching the Cape, I was not expecting the atmosphere I encountered. There was something very special about this place. I found peace here. I was able to see both the western and eastern sides of the island as the strip of land on which we drove became narrow. To be able to look both to the left and the right and to see two different oceans was quite remarkable. Let me tell you a little bit about these oceans. At the cape, two oceans meet – these are the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. From the cape, you can quite clearly see the two oceans “collide” as their currents clash with white darts of waves mingling in every direction. I imagine a boat would not have much chance here and would be pulled in every direction.

The lone pohutukawa tree jutting out from the side of the cliff

We arrived at the well-presented car park, with enough space to receive a tourist bus or two and ample parking for cars. Stepping through the ‘entranceway to the Cape’ was enchanting as I heard what sounded like the wind gently singing through the carefully architectured gateway and I was struck by a stunning view. On the walk down to the lighthouse, I was reminded of the native landscape that I had missed since living in Australia – flax was planted in abundance and decorated the path beautifully. Everything had been well thought out and walking this path to the cape did not feel like an intrusion to the environment but rather, created a feeling of harmony with it. A lone Pohutukawa stretched out from the side of a cliff face, weathered by time and climate. It had a special symbolism as this particular tree had never flowered as our traditional Christmas tree, the Pohutukawa usually does.

Upon reaching the lighthouse, I looked out upon the horizon and saw the Three Kings Islands or Manawa Islands. From what I could gather, I was fortunate to have seen these as apparently they are not always visible on the horizon. There are actually thirteen islands in this group, though on the horizon there do not appear to be that many. They are separated from the mainland of New Zealand by a distance of 55 kilometres and cover an area approximately 4.86 square kilometres. I was interested to find that the lighthouse is controlled from a computer in Wellington. It was first built in 1941 and this was the time it was first lit. The original lighthouse was not on the Cape but was located on nearby Motuopao Island and was known as the Cape Maria Van Diemen Lighthouse, which was built in 1878 but proved difficult to access; hence, the position of the present lighthouse today.

The beautiful Cape Maria van Diemen

On the walk down to the lighthouse of Cape Reinga, I looked over and saw Cape Maria van Diemen, a stunning part of the coast with its gorgeous array of colours, where green dusted foliage meets golden sand with a stretch of sea biting the coastline and then proceeding and receding in individual patterns, never the same. It was so beautiful that I wished I could stand there and look at it forever. There were numerous tracks off the main one inviting me to take a much closer look at the coastline if I had time to spare.

I regreted having to leave Cape Reinga as we strolled back up the gentle slope to the car park. It was the sort of place that I just wanted to stand at and soak in the beauty and purity of the environment. It turned out to be one of the best things I did on my trip back and a place that made a lasting impression upon me. Being at the tip of the North Island and looking down, knowing there was no further to go, was of special significance. It was the end of the road north, but what a fine sight to see and one that will never be forgotten.