Rangitoto

One last day in Auckland, so I went out to Rangitoto in the Hauraki Gulf. It's fiery birth was actually witnessed since it is only 600 years old. The landscape is mostly blasted scoria and the vegetation is just starting to take hold. From the top, you have good views of the Gulf and there are a couple sandy beaches among all the rock.

One interesting feature of the island is the baches (pronounced batches, short for bachelor pads) which are little vacation homes on the island. The site is a nature reserve and so no private property or homes are allowed. Nonetheless, camping was allowed for many years. Each year the campers would get a little more comfortable and civilized, until there was a town on the island with street lights and everything. The government finally stepped in and stopped all construction. In a compromise, bach owners can stay, but cannot bequeath their houses. Only a few remain and the rest of the land has gone back to the nature reserve.