NZ Travel Log 0305 – Shipwreck Bay and Wallyworld

05 Mar NZ Travel Log 0305 – Shipwreck Bay and Wallyworld

Remember the movie “National Lampoon’s Vacation” with Chevy Chase?  They drove days and days to get to the famed Wallyworld for their big yearly vacation.   They traveled through bad weather, survived car trouble and even Aunt Edna’s death, only to find that Wallyworld was closed – and a big disappointment.

Here is our NZ equivalent of Wallyworld:  Wiggs was so excited to go to the well advertised Hot Spring Pools and Waterslides.  The brochure pictures kids having fun on water bumper cars and big slides.

We drove hours in pitch blackness through country roads, all night long.  Drew wanted Wiggs to wake up to this wonderland of fun, so we free-camped in a turnout across the road with a plan that when the gates opened, we’d be ready.  And when the sun came up – well, we found

False Advertising!

WALLYWORLD!  It looked nothing like the brochure!  An old inn-

The real deal!

keeper that has worked one too many years grumpily took our money.  We pulled into a run-down, abandoned theme park with about 6 people present, all over the age of 80.  The wind was howling and it was cold, which added to the ominous feeling.

Not easily daunted, and in typical Brophy fashion, we put on our swimsuits and jumped in.  Wiggs didn’t know the difference – to him, it was the most fun he’d had all month!

SHIPWRECK BAY:  Prior to our Wallyworld pilgrimage, we were in the Northland at Shipwreck Bay.  Famed for its long left hand waves that wrap around the point, its beauty was stunning.

The coolest thing about Shipwreck Bay is that you can actually drive around the point, if you dare.  There is no road, just a beautiful, rocky point that wraps around and leads to uncharted lands on the other side.  We drove a short distance on the point, until we hit a large rocky outcrop, and decided to stop there because: A) We were almost out of fuel and B) it looked like we needed a 4-wheel drive.  It would suck getting stuck out there……

Shipwreck Bay has great waves, so we hear (it was flat for us).  There were more pigs on the beach than there were waves. 

Pigs on beach at Shipwreck Bay

With lack of waves, we did some paddle boarding in the warm, crystal clear water.  Wigg’s even tried a little paddle boarding, too.

IS IT THE END OF THE DUMMY RUN?

We are now heading back to Raglan, where we know there are waves.  And maybe we should have stayed there all along, but hey, then we wouldn’t have seen all that we’ve seen, eh?  At this point, we feel we know the North Island like the back of our hands.

And we hope that this is the end of the Dummy Run.

Thanks for all your surf prayers – A huge swell is expected – just in time for Drew’s Birthday (March 8th).  Let’s hope it delivers!

Wiggs found a piece of shipwreck!

Kauri Coast Lookout

Life is Good – Spunk and Drew & Wiggss xxoo

Paddleboarding in flat spells.....

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PPS:  Read Post titled “Don’t hate me because I’m American”.

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