My new Canadian friend Lorriann had mentioned something about the ferry earlier. This is the official course route – a chartered cruise that runs from Pouto Point to Helensville. It runs during the official course event, but otherwise, you’ll be spending 900NZD for the ride, so you’re better off taking the 100km detour. This is what I had planned. But I learn, by divine magic, that the ferry is running on Tuesday for only 80NZD each. Today is Sunday. I did some calculations and have come to the conclusion that taking the ferry will not delay me at all. Moreover, it’ll provide me with a cheeky day off. I hastily email the ferry company and land myself a place.

I am spending two nights in Dargaville (everyone’s bucket list Kiwi destination). From my perspective, I like it because there is a supermarket that doesn’t close by 5pm, a Pizza Hut and a fish n chip shop. The woman running the holiday park likes to put bikers together. I don’t know if this is to encourage us to socialise or keep us out of the way. In any case, my tent neighbours are Lorriann and a German man named Markus, who has been doing this entire trip carrying a fishing rod. Markus is a character and we thoroughly enjoy our day off in Dargaville. We are joined by Sherree early in the day, who had arrived two hours after us yesterday and opted for a cabin over setting up her tent in the rain (I had arrived during the break between downpours luckily). We all share a lovely day together, sitting by our tents in the sunshine, whilst eating, planning ahead and bantering strongly. A short while later, I hear “George” in the distance as two more cyclists pull up. It’s Ash and Andy from Ahipara, the day of Ninety Mile Beach take two. We have a proper squad forming. Then join two new fellas, Paora and a man whose name I never got… We have a chilled out evening and head to bed early. Everyone wants to set off early tomorrow to avoid missing the ferry (given we have no idea how many weeks it will be until it runs again…)

The next day, everyone sets off in their own time, with the hope of reconvening later. I am second to last off and delay myself further by stopping at New Zealand’s smallest Chapel. I say a little hello to mum and then hit the road again and continue on a hilly, bendy stretch to Pouto Point. At least it it’s a quiet road… eventually.

As I am cycling, I get caught up by the man whose name escapes me, a Kiwi fella from Whakatane (pronounced ‘fuh-kuh-taa-nay’). We spend half an hour riding together as he teaches me about New Zealand wildlife (he works for the Department of Conservation). I allow him to tank on as I pause to look at some pretty horses.

After 60km of cycling, I make it onto the beach and am greeted by Markus. I then head up to the campsite above and find a string of other bikes. Inside, we have Sebastian, who I met on my first day of pedalling, a new chap, Stuart, Lorriann, and eventually Ash, Andy and many more. The woman running the campground, Tracey, offers everyone free ice-cream and even puts out lunch bits for the lot of us. She’s a legend. We feast and I then head to the beach for a swim. I meet Sherree and Markus on the way and get caught up in conversation. We are then joined by the Colorado couple, Aaron and Janet, who I met on my first official day, in Cape Reinga, as well as eventually Paora and many more folks. It’s a big reunion. Everyone I have met so far is here… except the two men named Bob – ‘The Bobs’ as they’re now referred to as.

We see the ferry arrive and make our way down to the beach with our bikes. Boarding is something of an operation. We take our bags off and a few volunteers head onto the top deck to grab our steeds as they are passed up to them. We work like a conveyer built. When this is done, we all board with our panniers and take a seat. By 5:30pm, we’re cruising. I take a moment to enjoy the lifeboat trailing behind the ship. In the case of an emergency, I don’t think we’ll fit all 20 of us in there…

I spend some time on the front of the boat chatting with Andy and then later Lorriann. The atmosphere is great and everyone chats away. As the sun starts to set, a rainbow appears opposite and Ash and I take some photos. There is a strong sense of community amongst us all. Such a diverse group of people (though almost exclusively Germans, Brits, Kiwis and Canadians it would seem) all united in one goal: to cycle the length of this magnificent land. As the boat arrives, it gets dark and we all do our bit with the unloading. We make our farewells, unsure if our paths will cross again, but happy to have had this experience together. I cycle away with Markus and Sherree and watch their bike lights disappear into the distance as I turn into my AirBnB.