You know how much we love good food and how we like to support local growers around the country so it should not come as any surprise that we found out about local markets. Saturday morning and Farmers Markets were on in both Taipa and Mangonui so we were off at a reasonable hour to attend. The first stop was at Taipa, a small bay at the southern end of Tokerau Beach (which stretches for 18kms) all part of Doubtless Bay. In 1769, Capt. James Cook sailed past the entrance to the area and recorded in his journal "doubtless a bay", hence the name. At the same time, the French ship St Jean Baptiste of François Marie de Surville was anchored within the bay. Each ship was unaware of the other.
We called in to the market at the local Hall, perused what was on offer, made our purchases then went to see the local beach.
Taipa Beach
On the foreshore were a couple of interesting sights, first a couple of seagulls perched atop a sign and a mosaic covered monument which we think is a memorial.
From Taipa, it was on through Cable Bay and Coopers Beach. Cable Bay was thus named as it was the landing point for the first underwater telegraph cable (the red route) linking New Zealand with Australia, Canada and Norfolk Island. The telegraph station operated from 1902 to 1912.
Coopers Beach
Then it is just a short drive over the hill to Mangonui, where there is another market to attend. Of course we had to take photos of ‘the’ famous Fish & Chip shop on the waterfront, and under gloriously blue skies with the tide in and barely a ripple on the water it certainly was a picturesque sight.
Iconic views
Back to the van overlooking Matai Bay, where we quite happily will stay for at least another week.