{"id":10396,"date":"2024-04-20T19:17:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-20T07:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myblogary.com\/?p=10396"},"modified":"2024-04-24T12:26:50","modified_gmt":"2024-04-24T00:26:50","slug":"hell-hole-of-the-pacific-rv-day-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myblogary.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/20\/hell-hole-of-the-pacific-rv-day-7\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cHell Hole of the Pacific.\u201d (RV Day 7)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

April 20<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We awoke to 30 mph wind and pouring rain pounding on the roof of the RV. It\u2019s very comforting to be snuggled up in bed, listening to the rain right on top of you. We continue to be impressed with another accurate NZ forecast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We had a lunch reservation at Sage at Paroa Bay<\/a>, so enjoying a leisurely meal during a storm seemed as good of an idea as any.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We left the RV park around 10 a.m. and headed up to the Bay of Islands. Apple Maps insisted we cut across a 17 mile dirt and gravel road mountain pass known as the Hikurangi Coastal Ward. The road was narrow, windy and through thick forest bush. Initially, we stopped at the entrance of the road and debated our passage for a few minutes. Apple Maps must be right, we thought, and we went for it. Maybe it\u2019s not the best idea to take a forest road in the pouring rain. Perhaps the signs showing curvy roads with falling rocks would be a clue? Silly foreigners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mud and rock slide<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Here comes the rocks and trees<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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We drove through the scenic Ngaiotonga nature reserve. As a result of the storm, there were downed trees, flooding and boulders in the middle of road. It was a white knuckle drive for Mitch, maneuvering around all those road blocks in the RV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We got caught in one small landslide. Mitch had to get out of the RV and remove debris and rocks from the road, so we could get through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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