OPONONI, OMAPERE, AND WAIPOUA KAURI FOREST...

Next, we headed south, still desperately trying to beat the rain.  Our next stop was to be the Waipoua Kauri Forest.  The Kauri Tree is a very impressive native variety that, if given time, grow to be of more tree than I have ever laid eyes on!  At this point, Kauri are considered endangered.  Once they were discovered by European settlers in the 19th century, a massive deforestaion took place for not only the wood, but the gum as well.
Opononi and Omapere are sister coastal towns on the way to the forest.  New Project guys--Terry brought his New Project shirt here just for you...representin'!!!  A photo for you guys with Terry standing in front of 'Big Daddy', not the oldest Kauri in existence, but the one with the most girth... that's right!!!  The first photos are of the oldest known Kauri, thought to be between 1200 and 200 years old.  Its trunk alone is 53 meters tall, before the branches begin!!  The photos of these trees just won't do justice, you must be in their presence--amazing!!!