Whakatane

We had been hoping to go out to Moutahora island from Whakatane today but the swells on the bar out of the harbour were reaching over 3 metres so it was closed, shame as it is now a bird sanctuary and would have been lovely to see.
As we were in Whakatane we spent a couple of hours pottering about. A nice town; the weather was a pleasant 24° and fine (which the Mount wasn't). This area is a stronghold of Mataatua Iwi and there are some wonderful carvings including 2 beautiful wakas (canoes) in a long house (the photo today shows the stern end of one) and also the Mataatua Wharenui, a meeting house which had left the shores of this area over 100 years ago but had now, after being all around the world, been repatriated and refurbished.
The highlight of the day for me though was watching a small Maori boy (4??) practising his chants and dance techniques.