I
n the 19th century, burying a sailor at sea was standard practice, so this
1842 lonely land grave is rare and thought to be the oldest sailor’s grave in
New Zealand. Buried here is William Simpson, a 22-year-old sailor of the British
Navy ship HMS
Tortoise
, who was killed while loading kauri spars onto the ship
in Te Karo Bay. This site is on the reserve maintained by the Navy.
The small memorial is not the only attraction here. Swim, surf or kayak in Te
Karo Bay, a picturesque and private coastline set against the spectacular
backdrop of the Coromandel. Picnic tables are located in shade of trees in the
adjoining Pohutukawa Grove Recreation Reserve.
Directions: Turn off SH 25 on to Sailor’s Grave Road and drive down to the
Pohutukawa Grove Recreation Reserve. A short walking track leads you to the
gravesite. At low tide, a scenic one-hour walk north (and back!) will take you
around the headland to Otara Bay, where you’ll likely find yourself alone on the
beach without a single manmade structure to be seen. Take your fishing rod or
just go to meditate.
Sailor’s Grave
After arriving in New Zealand late in
2009, Pete and I lived at the family bach in
Whangamata. He took me on day trips up the
Coromandel Coast, showing off many of the
places he’d loved to visit as a younger man,
stopping the car at “key points” so I could
whip out my camera and capture the
spectacular scenery as it unfolded.
One of the most striking spots where we
stopped was Te Karo Bay. It was completely
deserted, and it felt like a private paradise with the
only sounds being the water and gently crunching sand
under my feet. As I walked along, waves lapping to my
right, I was captivated by the approaching storm
clouds, rain clearly sweeping down in the distance. We
didn’t quite manage to get back to the car in time, but
the memory of that peaceful idyll and the coming rain
stayed with me.
On the east side of the main road 10k north of
Tairua on SH25, are two stunning Kauri trees.
A marker shows a short track from the Twins
that leads to a smaller grove of kauri and other
natives. (Check track conditions at the Tairua
Info Centre about these walks; this track is not
always open.)
The Lynch Stream Bush Walks start at the
Kauri area. Choose from two options: a circular
track through kauri groves that takes about 1.5
hours or, for those extremely fit, a long difficult
trail that is an extension of the circle walk and
leads you to the ocean just north of Te Karo Bay
(Sailor’s Grave).
You may want to arrange pickup at the Sailor’s
Grave car park, but getting there is a long tramp
from where the walk ends at the shoreline.
SAILOR’S GRAVE AT TE KARO BAY
TWIN KAURI
AND LYNCH STREAM TRACK
Photo by John Drummond
2
HELP PROTECT COROMANDEL KAURI
The Coromandel has the largest population of kauri
outside of Northland. The good news is: our forests are
still free of kauri dieback disease. We all want to keep
it that way.
Kauri dieback is killing kauri on Great Barrier Island,
in Northland and in Auckland. This soil-borne disease
with no cure is spread through the movement of soil.
Humans are the greatest risk, spreading the disease
through dirty, muddy shoes, tramping gear, bike tyres,
machinery – anything that comes in contact with soil.
You can help protect our kauri. As a responsible host,
ask your guests if they have visited at-risk areas, and
help them clean their gear thoroughly. If you have
visited forests anywhere up North, especially Trounson
Kauri Park, Waipoua Forest, and Auckland’s Waitakere
Ranges, remember to clean your gear before and after
you enjoy the bush here – or even use different shoes!
REMEMBER THE 3 S’S:
SCRUB your gear –
remove all soil
SPRAY with disinfectant
STAY on the track and off
kauri roots
For more information visit
