Great Barrier Island preview!

After our stint in Taupo, Dan and I headed out to Great Barrier Island for a week. He had to work, and it was time for me to get the feel for life on the island and to start making some connections. Island life is unlike anything I have ever experienced. It is a very small community where everyone has some connection to someone else. Its a very basic way of living - electricity comes from a diesel generator that only runs for a few hours a day, food must be ordered and shipped from the mainland, and anything you buy on the island is 2x as expensive as on the mainland. Roads are insane, and the locals drive like "bats outta hell." Mostly gravel, with so many blind turns you can't even imagine, and only enough space for 1.5 cars, you just pray you won't meet another car on the road. The scenery is stunning and breathtaking. Every night there is an amazing sunset. The birds own the island, and their calls are heard from every place you go. The sea life is booming, and the water is so clear you can see 10 meters down. If you can manage the oddities that come with this place, its a heaven on earth.

After our 30 minute plan ride from Auckland, we stopped for a quick hike up Windy Canyon. The view was incredible, and you could see both sides of the island! This is looking out 

 towards the east at Whangapoua estuary.

This is the little "dog house" we stayed in for our first week! It sits right next to a stream that is filled with eels. When the wind blew at night, I swore the roof, if not the entire structure, was going to blow away! That is Karaka Bay in the background.

This is the inside of the cottage - very small and cute!

This is the view from up the hill of Karaka Bay. Dan works for a company called The Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuit Center that functions kind of as a camp for school kids. Kids come over to the island and Dan takes them out sea kayaking, tramping, rock climbing, sailing, etc. OPC is based down and to the right. The huge fence in this picture is a predator proof fence - it keeps things like rats, mice, cats, etc out of Glenfern Sanctuary, which is on the left side of the fence, and runs all the way down and to the other side of the point of on the left. 

Unfortunatly I didn't take many pictures while I was out on the Barrier this time around, but there will most definitely be more to come!