Omapere and Opononi - Small Coastal Settlements - New Zealand

Last weekend our band played at a wedding in Omapere, which is a small coastal settlement on the Hokianga Harbour in Northland, - not far from Rawene, which I included in earlier posts here and here.
There's not a lot more than a resort hotel, a takeaway shop and a petrol station there, but it buzzes with people at this time of year.

Looking down to Omapere (obscured) where the jetty is in the foreground, and Opononi in the distance

Not far along the road is another little settlement - Opononi where there are a lot of different types of accommodation, plus cafes, a pub and a grocery store .

This house would be about 100 years old or more, central Opononi

Opononi hit world news in the 50's with a friendly bottlenose dolphin named "Opo" by the locals, which would come in regularly and play with swimmers.

The bronze statue in Opononi, in memory of Opo

Both settlements are blessed with spectacular scenery.

A classic Kiwi bach in Omapere, with the dunes in the background

The sand dunes on the far side of the harbour are a popular attraction for riding down the steep slopes on a boogie board - right into the water. 
The harbour entrance can be dangerous, becoming suddenly extremely rough, and has been the site of numerous shipwrecks in New Zealand's history.

At the Hokianga Harbour entrance

Locals - Opononi Jetty

and a local sign...