Motukokako

Today we awoke to a gorgeous sunrise on the east coast and we have just returned from viewing a glorious sunset on the west coast. But the high point of the day, and one which will be tough to surpass, came when we reached Paihia. We had decided to drive through the Bay of Islands (I can hear the shock horror from here) but walking back to the car park to move on north we went bonkers and took a helicopter flight across the islands to this one, sacred to the Maori, and we landed on it!!!

The island is commonly known as 'The Hole in the Rock', Piercy Island (Captain James Cook named it after the first Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Piercy Brett) or its Maori name of Motukokako. As part of the initiation for becoming a Maori warrior, the young men would swim across to the island and climb its steep cliffs to gather feathers from the Kokako bird for their Korawai (feather cloak). It has only been in the last three years that the Maori guardians gave permission for access to the rock.

Needless to say the view of the islands from up there was just fabulous and an early birthday treat to remember for always!