Cook's Beach and Cathedral Cove

Gill's notebook:

Rain and mist. Cathedral Cove - now or never! Set off in drizzle - got to village - Hahie, drove to Cathedral Cove car park - closed, back to parking in village. 20 minutes to CC path then further 45 to CC. Pouring with rain, v. wet - walked back soaked. Loud cicadas.

Pete's F.B. post:

My holiday reading - James Cook's Journal. Whitianga is situated in 'Mercury Bay', named by Cook because it was the place where he and his assistant observed the solar transit of Mercury in November 1769. The recording of astronomical events which helped establish more accurate longitudinal measurement was the scientific purpose for his voyage, as important at the time as the aim of proving the existence of a 'southern continent'. Anyway, the spot where this happened is just along the coast - so we had to pay a visit.

There was something affecting about reading Cook's entry about the transit of Mercury exactly in the spot where it was taken.

Of course there are controversies concerning the impact of European exploration on native culture -

Notwithstanding - Cook's journal is a remarkable testament to human resilience and exceptional seamanship

Given that there was an element of 'joining the dots' about Cook's final map, his guesswork proved as impressive as his observation.

Misty days have their beauty too

It was a 14km drive around the estuary from here to Cathedral Cove. We were close to another of the Coromandel's famous sites - Hot Water Beach - we decided to give it a miss as there seemed no end in sight to the dreary weather.

The path to Cathedral Cove passes through the coastal temperate rain forest.

Many tree ferns and the loudest cicadas we have ever heard.

Even through a veil of steady rain the cliffs looked impressive

and the rain spotted wayside flowers beautiful too.

By the time we reached Cathedral Cove the rain had become torrential.

For a while a gaggle of us took shelter in the cave hoping that the downpour would ease off...

It didn't - resulting in two very wet travellers by the time we returned to the car.

My sandals squelched slightly for days.