Pelican Adventuring Part 2

I awoke the next morning to the sound of a Dash 8 aircraft starting up over at the airline terminal but couldn’t see it due to the fog on the aerodrome.

A warm cosy night in my sleeping bag on the deck of the aero club kept me out of any overnight showers and saved me packing a wet tent back into the Pelican.

The sound of the Dash 8 starting up had me out of bed to watch his departure but I didn’t see it taxying to the far end of the runway. I had my camera ready for the change in note of his engines applying take off power and stood poised ready for action. As it took off I tracked the engine note with my camera but only saw a glimpse of the aircraft as it crossed the upwind threshold and disappear southbound to Auckland with its load of happy passengers.

After that bit of fun to start my day I reviewed my breakfast menu and set about putting my espresso coffee pot on its burner while I relaxed and waited for the fog to clear.This gave me time to check the early forecasts for the northland region, review my map of northland and pack my overnight gear back into the Pelican. The fog was slowly dissipating while I pondered my next move over to the terminal, to refuel at the on site Mogas facility. This saved me cadging a ride into town to refuel my 20 litre containers to take me around North Cape and onwards to Cape Reinga then back to Newland’s strip at Patua South.

Before the refuel though, I managed to speak with the Airvan pilot from Salt Air who was towing his aircraft out to the flight line with a motorised towbar. These discussions confirmed I was not able to land on their strip further up the track to North Cape so I settled in to wait for the cloud base to rise further and watched him make his departure on the first scenic flight of the day. This was captured on camera just like the Dash 8 departure earlier. The engine note over the rise to the north of my position allowed me to keep the camera poised while following his engine approaching my position and captured his departure nicely as he came into view.

About 45 minutes later my flight was ready to rise into the air for reasonable viewing under the cloud base and I proceeded in very scenic early morning northland conditions taking in the unfamiliar sights along the way. Past Whangaroa Harbour, abeam Mangonui and northwards to Houhora Heads.

Approaching the Heads I saw the smoky fires still burning in the flat peaty areas north of Houhora. This 350 hectare block had been burning for sometime and tended to flare up periodically so had fire crews on standby to deal with these flare ups. Seeing this first hand from the Pelican reaffirmed the necessity of having fire crews readily on site to protect the area and residents nearby.

Proceeding along the Great Exhibition Bay beach gave me a bird’s eye view of the immense sand dunes in this region of northland and the remoteness of the small communities in the region. Fine weather with plenty of sunlight now shining down on the Pelican made very pleasant viewing as I had left the clouds behind by the time I reached Houhora so made photographing the area easy. The beach fishermen were dotted along this remote beach as I headed for North Cape. My first real view of the Cape as I had only ever driven to Cape Reinga once, many years before and this area is not visible from the road.

Stories popped into my head, as I rounded the Cape and photographed the area, of ships sinking and battling the swift currents meeting at the cape. First views of New Zealand by earlier seafarers and aviators in later years. Traversing the areas between the two Capes gave me glimpses of other outdoor adventures that many others have in these isolated beach locations and so I put it on “the list” for more fun times when weather and time permitted me back 🤪.

Cape Reinga came into view and the sunlit lighthouse just needed to be in my photographic records as I flew by. Passing the Cape had me remembering the family road trip up here many years ago when we camped at Hihi Beach and explored northland together. For a small country New Zealand has an enormous amount of outdoor activities to grab your attention and expand your enthusiasm for the great outdoors.

Passing the great expanse of sand to the south of Cape Reinga had clouds return and shadows dulling the photos of this area but it was an educational flight back to Kaitaia as I observed small settlements, large avocado orchards and kiwi fruit vines along the way.

Kaitaia was a fly by as the aerodrome is out of town and would be a delay in the flight if I landed and found no one there at the Club so I flew south and east from there, again unfamiliar territory but I happily arrived back at Whangaroa Harbour via the scenic route in wonderful flying conditions.

Wow, is what came to mind!

Now for the scenic east coast of Northland back to Patua South to see if Warren was at home and his strip serviceable for me to land for a “catch-up”. For those of you who have never visited this area by air, sea or land it is a must do in summer with good outdoor temperatures and conditions. I saw beautiful farmland, orchards, bays, beaches, rocky headlands, tramping sites, camping sites, bush clad areas and sunshine.

This has to be beachy 🏖 northland at it’s best.🙃

Patua South came into the Pelican’s windscreen in due course and conditions were perfect for Newland’s strip which popped into view as expected. A quick left circuit and finals had me back on the ground to taxi up to Warren’s shed in time to see him walk out of the doorway wondering who was pulling up on his strip.

Always a great spot when weather conditions produce a Pelican opportunity to alight, usually unannounced like today. A 50/50 chance to catch up with Warren and talk flying, summer sun, engineering and adventuring, plus the fantastic spot he lives in.

After a catch-up conversation and my suggested onwards itinerary to Kauri Mountain, his nearby neighbouring airstrip, I departed.

Love his strip which reminds me of my bush flying days in Papua New Guinea where we did similar flying in Cessna 185, 206, 207, 402, Bn2 Islanders and DHC6 Twin otters. All sorts of cargos and all sorts of weathers.

My joy was short lived after becoming airborne at the bottom of his strip and climbed to Kauri mountain visible in my windscreen ahead. A rough running engine got my immediate attention and I did a quick U turn and landed back on his strip without further mishap.

Explaining the situation to Warren, had his tool box out, fuel drains done (no water or sediment in the drains) spark plugs out but nothing showing untoward, nothing loose or leaking so we closed it up and reattached the cowling which had been removed for engine inspections. We had no further ideas so I took off again for Kauri Mountain.

No problems encountered in the short climbing flight so I circled Kauri Mountain to make an uphill landing in the 350 m strip but in the prevailing conditions found a 15 knot tailwind on finals. Wow. Not comfortable with that so as I circled a couple of guys came out of the hangars to see what was happening. When they saw I wanted to land they rushed to the top of the strip and removed the parked trailer to give me a good approach.

This achieved, I did what Warren said he had done in his higher performance aircraft. Made an approach into wind but downhill!

Great flyers combination here. Hangars open, conditions not perfect, flyers respond to the situation and a successful landing achieved. Lo and behold, as I taxied back up to the hangars and shut down I recognised a fellow microlighter. Brian Millet stepped up to welcome me to Kauri Mountain. Whoopee. In good company.

End part 2 to be continued