March 29, 2024

Stratford to Egmont National Park to New Plymouth

It is Good Friday and everything is closed. We cannot not even get a coffee, nothing.

We drive to Egmont National Park and hike partially up Mt. Taranaki. It has snowed in the higher elevations during the night. At the foot of the volcano is beautiful mountain rainforest.

I am able to catch a partial glimpse of Mt. Taranaki. We drive around the mountain along the coast and keep on checking if she is out of the clouds.

Around 4 pm the volcano is finally free and shows itself in its beauty. She has a snow hat.

We park ourselves on a parking lot right next to the ocean. All of a sudden a lot of cars start to drive up and park next and around us. We assume it is because of the nice sunset coming up shortly. But all these people, mostly locals, come to observe how the sparlings come to settle for the night. Shortly before sunset 1000 and 1000 of sparlings arrive in a thick black cloud and circle around a couple of rocks out in the ocean. And then the swoop down and settle on the various rocks. It is impressive to witness.