Surfing @ Raglan

To discover New-Zealand, I am joining a G-Adventure trip of 1 week with about 15 persons, across the North Island.

We start Sunday June 9th by going 150 km South to Auckland, to see the Raglan bay then try a bit of surfing.

We will then keep going to the famous Rotorua region, trek across a volcano on a National Park, then end into the country's capital, Wellington. I will share those adventures through other posts ;-)




So it sounds Kiwiland is boasting some of the most varied and rugged landscapes on Earth (New-Zealanders nickname is Kiwi, by the way). Well, driving from Auckland to Raglan already gives good glimpses of this. The scenery is very green and hilly, with a very diverse vegetation. Pines are mixed with trees and palm trees, colorful flowers and big ferns.

The North Island is a very diverse region, with volcanic fields, lush rain forest, ragged mountains, and rolling hills of farmland... This will provide a great taste over a week of what New-Zealand is, even though everyone is saying the South Island is more beautiful... I will have to come back and check this later ;-)

Not easy to take pictures of this landscape though... I don't think my photos show really what New-Zealand looks, but at least it is a try and gives a feel.

Hills view

This 1st afternoon, we visit the surroundings of the Raglan's bay, with a conservation farm 1st then going to a boat on the bay.

Alpagas with Raglan's bay background

Colorful wild flowers

Random view!

 The weather isn't the best that afternoon, but it just proves the Maori name of New-Zealand: "Aotearoa", or the "land with the long-white cloud". Yes, it was clearly overcast that day, even though we had some good sun rays from time to time.

Raglan's bay

Raglan's bay is quite big (12 km inland), and has a the exact green / hills landscape I was expecting for NZ. There are also limestones

Raglan's bay

Green hills and cliffs digging into Raglan's bay

Limestones rocks

Limestones rocks columns and a black-sand beach

Sunset on the bay

The black-sand beach of Ngarunui

Monday morning, we are hitting the black-sand beach for a lesson of surf. I am so happy, it has been a while I wanted to do this, given my windsurf / kitesurf / wakesurf experience! Never thought I would try in NZ, this adds some fun.

The black-sand beach of Ngarunui: we will surf there :)

The group before action! (I'm #3 from left)

Last repeat before action

Oh yeah, I succeeded to stand-up! ;-)

The group resting

Too much on the back-foot, I gonna fall, but still fun!

Of course i got addicted to surfing. I knew I would love it, and can only confirm I just want to go again on the board and try to hit waves. Quite a tiring sport, paddling and going through the waves is really exhausting, but so great to be in the sea & waves with a fantastic scenery behind.