Whangaruru to Whananaki

I left Sue's camp at Whangaruru early to roadwalk to Helena Bay and follow a farm bush walk to Kaiikanui Road and then Morepork track to Whangaruru. See the clematis flowering just past Whangaruru School? 

A man cruised to a halt mid-road to ask if I'd seen baits in the bush yesterday. Confirmed I had, then asked in my most plaintive voice if Helena Bay was very far?

"Jump in, I'll take you there." Well, we drove past (I can take you to the start of the track) and braked suddenly to note kumerahau in flower (boil leaves and stems for internal complaints)...

and kept driving all the way to Mimiwhangata. Now, I hunted pigs there a few years ago and knew I was well off-trail. My kindly Mormon music-playing charter-school supporting koro was going to ask the farm manager if the five rideable horses could be borrowed for a kids camp. I faced a huge uphill hike back to where I needed to be. My great good fortune was that the farm manager was out so koro drove me up the hill of horror till we found the entry to Morepork Track. 

Mostly it was an ugly uphill grunt but a lovely puriri and these kauri rickers charmed me. 

I found the lone tree in a paddock as per the trail notes, slogged around a boggy estuary mangrove belt, and walked in to Whananaki with time left to wash clothes I've worn 24/7 for 8 days

Rain forecast tomorrow so will I take my first zero day in this hut or will I simply keep walking?