Still heading up the North east coast we stopped at a surf location called Matouri Bay. We camped at a fantastic location right on the beach. It was a short walk to the surf, which was good for a couple of days. The beach is owned by a Maori tribe as much of the Northland is. The water is still pretty warm but we are now in 3mm wetsuits. However some of the Maori surfers are much braver and just wear shorts to surf in, and they stay in longer! Next to the campsite was a steep climb to a great look out. NZ have placed a monument at the top to a ship called the Rainbow Bay. It was a Green Peace boat that in the 80's was to lead a flotilla of boats to protest against France's nuclear testing in French Polynesia. Two secret service French agents disguised as tourist attached 2 bombs to the boat and scuppered it whilst still in NZ. A Green piece photographer was killed. They used the ships propeller as part of the monument. It was a great view of the Bay of Islands from the top. An area of 130 Islands named by our own Captain Cook.
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