Great views of Auckland’s coastline on our Sealink trip to Pine Harbour with Rangitoto making a familiar backdrop.  By the time the sea and road travellers met up we made a group of 18. We left the marina (with its boats hoisted so high in dry dock they looked as if they were sitting on top of the shopping complex) and took advantage of low tide to cross the causeway to Motukaraka (or Flat) Island.  While surrounded by pohutukawa at beach level the island was less enticing in the interior with scrappy vegetation leading to the summit. A dilapidated aluminium shed was as tired as the steps up to it, but a fitting time and place for morning tea.

We then ventured round the coastline over some slippery characters of rocks but found moving forward safer on our bottoms. Others explored some private property (with admonishments from the house keeper) to meet the rock sliders at Shelly Bay. Over lunch we enjoyed views of a charming old shed (see photo) and  Rangitoto reassuringly the same.  After returning through Beachlands streets of converted baches and new builds, we enjoyed the marina café offerings while waiting for our ferry. A good WOPs walk with sun, sea, sheds and refreshments!

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Alison K