Fish Far North New Zealand

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Fish Far North New Zealand

Started in 2009 in the very far north of New Zealand. Now doing multi day tours nationwide under the umbrella 'Peter and Xiaoli Tours'

Peter and Xiaoli Tours does individual or small group tours through out New Zealand. No 2 tours are ever the same. We ask our clients to provide a brief or a wish list of what they are looking to see or do in their time with us. We then package a tour that meets their needs but encompasses our very experienced guiding abilities. We photograph every tour and on completion at no extra charge give our client a USB stick of all our photos taken on tour wit them

31/01/2023

The wet weather gear is drying. The sun shining. But what a time in the early hours of the morning. Torrential rain. We survived the night. I believe the property is fine. The cows I will check later but they to should be okay. What a night especially the early hours of the morning. The noise of the torrential rain. The dogs were scared and wanted to sleep by our heads. That I didn't enjoy. But Friday I go on tour so that is now my next event to work towards

26/01/2023

Northland once again in flood. We had almost 100ml in a very short time of rain. The river on our boundary is the highest we have ever seen. Our little stream is up 1.5 metres. Our stupid cows tried cross it and 4 were washed down the stream. Fortunately all got out in the neighboring forestry land. We will retrieve them once water levels are down.
And now the sun shines!
The Dimension Festival is on the next farm the 3rd, 4th and 5th. Over 1000 tickets sold for what I term a hippie festival. Fortunately I will be on tour so wont need to listen to the 24 hour music .

25/01/2023

The deck is down. Just the front posts to support the covered roof to go up. But Bunnings in Kaikohe I cleaned out of the bolts I needed and still not enough. Need go further afield obviously.
Just been reminded the 3rd is next week so I will be off on the next 20 day tour. That snuck up on me. At least Xiaoli can now walk out on to the deck so that pressure is off me.
Sh*tty weather forecast for the next 4 days so work outside will need be halted.
Our 2.5 hectares of pines they start milling within the fortnight. Money is already committed for a trip for Xiaoli to head home to China as its 2019 since she last saw family. I will stay put on the farm. Not interested in doing a long haul flight again.

20/01/2023

Day 2 of positive progress on the deck construction. Deck boards are only laid there so we can get in and out currently. Tomorrow more work to finish the deck then its on with the roof part.
Xiaoli happy. A damn nuisance at times trying to tell me I am doing it wrong but then I ask why, I realise she doesn't actually know what I am doing. At one stage I pleaded with her to go see her hens and ducks and leave me alone.
Bulldozer was in yesterday. Has made the very unsafe tracks now very safe for the tractor. Now easy for me to get around the 50 acres.

17/01/2023

Today the deck area was cleared of rocks. Tomorrow my work begins. Many post holes need digging. A lot of concrete to be mixed but first I must square everything up so I know where the piles need go.
A bulldozer also arrives tomorrow to make our farm tracks safer for the tractor.
Firewood pile is now growing . Hopefully I have cut enough for this winter plus half of next year.
And with all this going on I still need have nightly talks with the German travel company re the forthcoming tour. I fly to Christchurch on the 3rd. 13 people confirmed

14/01/2023

The decking timber has arrived and you know what that means? I need work my butt off.
My mate with digger will scrape the site tomorrow or Monday to clear all the metal we dropped there to get the house in. Then my work starts. Need use the auger to dig post holes. Mix the concrete by hand in the wheel barrow. And on it goes.
And yes there is a deadline. It must be completed so Xiaoli can easily enter and exit the house when I go on tour February 3rd. The first tour being 20 days but there may be another equal length after that.
Need chase the plumber to install the fireplace flu. Its damn ongoing the work!

12/01/2023

Who was the bright spark that named Northland the winterless north. Its only winterless because summer swapped with winter.
Today we are very overcast with rain threatening. Guessing the temperature is about 18. I should be in shorts and short sleeve shirts. Instead I am in trackpants with a sweatshirt on.
Damn wild pigs ran through the house area 11pm last night. What a noise as the knocked everything over. Need go check the pig trap later.
A tour company in Germany yesterday asked their NZ agent to see if I would do their 20 day tour starting February 4. Apparently I got glowing reviews last tour. So the February schedule now reorganized to accommodate the request. Unfortunately it means the deck wont get completed prior going away which was the sole reason I took no more bookings until late February. But it is what it is and nice to know it was the company back in Germany that specifically requested me. Never thought I would seem to specialize in tours for Germans.
We both passed our medicals yesterday which is good news. My hearing is failing but I have turned down the hearing aids at this point of time. I know its not good but I am happy.

31/12/2022

The latest 4 additions to our growing herd making a total of 16 now of varying ages. We have an over abundance of grass this summer. Next summer will be different as they will all be much larger. But there should be no need to feed out summer or winter.

27/12/2022

The hearth is almost finished. Just needs a board around the base which I will do once dry. Cost us a massive $100 and a lot of sweat on Christmas Day. The rock inserts from the river on our boundary. Very happy with the result given we were quote $650 upwards to buy a hearth.
The fireplace the plumber will attach the flu etc in January so this winter we will be very warm.
A Kent fireplace with 7kw rating which is the maximum needed for our house size.. Firewood cut last summer and stored in our hayshed so very dry. Totara and Kahikatea which we felled to create the building site.

15/11/2022

In 2009 we started in tourism Ninety Mile Beach based. Known as FISH FAR NORTH. 2 logos. One for the Kiwi plus English speaking market, one for the Chinese market.
The Chinese became our key market for the beach accommodation. Not so much for the tours. But it was the Chinese market ask if we would do a South Island tour. And that was the real start of Peter and Xiaoli Tours. FISH FAR NORTH was dropped as a visual name albeit still our legal name.
We grew rapidly both in the far north and doing what we term long haul tours.
This Saturday I meet 15 from Germany in Christchurch for a 19 day tour ending in Auckland. We are ready for retirement so this may be our last tour. A decision yet to be finalized. Really loving our farm which slowly are getting the way we want it. Many fruit trees of differing varieties planted. 4 avocado trees and yesterday 4 macadamia trees planted that I acquired from a Gisborne nursery.
Our 12 calves are growing but next move is to move into pure Hereford cows.
Freezers are full of farm meat including wild pork. We are happy

09/11/2022

Caught in our trap. Just discovered when I went to retrieve the electric fence. Tomorrow will shoot and butcher. Then reset the trap

07/11/2022

Over 100 chickens due to hatch this week. Some started yesterday 2 days early
Ads placed as we try sell a large number. Need produce income to pay for Xiaoli's hobby of keeping our feathered friends.
The Muscovy ducks are finally laying. Xiaoli has decided she has too many adult male ducks so some will slip on a sharp knife in the next few days and head to the freezer.
Pigeons now allowed out of the loft each day. Already young being raised in the nests in the loft. And those out flying are already earning their keep keeping the hawks away.

02/11/2022

2 less wild pigs. And believe me they are abundant here. These 2 now are in the freezer

01/11/2022

Isn't she just gorgeous?

26/10/2022

The lupins are flowering making for a beautiful mornings walk around the farm.
The cows haven't moved from where I found them yesterday as we have so much grass for them. Tempting to buy a few more but feeling once the 12 grow then they will eat more and I dont want to be forced to feed out. Prefer to know we always have an abundance of growth.
After turning down multiple tours I have finally relented to pressure to take a group of 15 on a 19 day tour. Not my preferred route but one cant always get what they want. So November 17 its off to Christchurch leaving Xiaoli and Shaun to look after the animals.
Whangarei Council visited yesterday to check the entranceway a mate and I put in to ensure it met their requirements. All passed with flying colours including the Clegg measurements which were far above the requirement so title will now finally be issued. Its taken almost 12 months since we first signed the agreement to buy. So the next week or so the bank account is going to empty out rapidly. Bu**er! Enjoyed seeing the 6 figure balance but alas, no more

18/10/2022

Another use for their food bowl

16/10/2022

Damn incubator heating element failed with 3 days to go. And unfortunately we dont know how long before we discovered it, that it had failed. By borrowing a friends incubator we did manage to get 16 to hatch but we lost a lot more than that.
A new incubator is due to arrive this week and that takes 96 eggs. So we are ready to go once here.

15/10/2022

6 wild pigs. Only 100m from the house. Set the trap tomorrow!

12/10/2022

Xiaoli's dinner. Caught overnight.

12/10/2022

Xiaoli's nursery plants are growing in numbers. She has many young 'money trees', yet I cant find any money beneath them. You need wonder why someone named them money trees.
2 incubators in operation with eggs starting to hatch. A panic yesterday as the heating element on our larger incubator ceased to work with 3 days left to go. A quick trip up to our mates up the road to borrow is 2 incubators to put our near hatching eggs. The next 24 hours will determine if we saved all the chickens about to hatch. A new incubator now been ordered as we have advance orders for chickens

06/10/2022

Damn neighbors cows broke our fence last week when I chased them out. And I forgot to check it so 7 of ours headed next door. Hence Xiaoli and I did over 7000 steps before 8am this morning.
A lovely walk over our farm then back down the road. They are now being re-educated as to what an electric fence does. They can stay in the house paddocks until I get back up to fix the breaks neighbors cows cause.

05/10/2022

If I was a dog, I would be pretty happy with that kennel. The 6 month old pup was due here last week. Then it became Monday and now he has advised the problem is covid in their own family. And until all are in the clear, we cannot get the dog.
I read the contract this morning for the 18 day tour and rejected it. Very biased towards the company and certainly not the driver/guide. Told them I work on the KIS principle and suggest they revisit or I cannot work for them.
Separately had a company visit here today as they want me to drive 5 day Northland tours for them. I have agreed after the 18 day tour should I do it, I will talk to them should they still be interested.
Very happy being a play farmer currently

04/10/2022

To meet council requirements so title can be issued we needed redo the entrance way. Only part finished today. Needs be 12 metres wide with all sorts of other rules. We love playing in the mud! Yeah right!
The farm dog pup is yet to arrive but my mate told Xiaoli the kennel her and Shaun criticised the size of, is big enough. A win to me!
Tomorrow D Day. That stands for decision day on doing summer tours. Various offers on the table. One company going to come here to talk in the morning. I dont want to work but money now talked is attractive and it would allow us to finish things like the decks

03/10/2022

Started building a dog kennel for the farm dog pup due to arrive supposedly today. Shaun and Xiaoli both knew it was one of my projects today but I got it 70% finished (more than the photo shows) for these 2 experts to decide it is too small. Bu**er! Have they not heard of opening the mouth earlier.
Tools have now been abandoned and I joined my 2 little mates on the couch. They dont talk back!
Our road frontage was meant to be worked on today. My mates digger is here but he is a no show. I guess that means its tomorrow.
Multiple offers to work on tours this summer. It seems the offers just keep coming. I dont want to work as I am really enjoying working on the land. But tours mean money. And initial offers were not great offers but now it seems money has increased. Decision time! Work or play doing my own things?

29/09/2022

The pigeons finally have a home. They will be shut in there for another 3 weeks. Then the hatch door will be opened so they can fly. I just need outside perches. And a pulley system so the boss can open and close the hatch. And built so rodent proof.
Xiaoli complained the top nest area is too high for her. I told her to grow wings.
It was built so seldom do we need enter. Food and water can be provided through the hatch on the side
Now time to head off and set the eel net. German ex tour customers here tomorrow for 2 nights. Feed them some eel.

28/09/2022

I think we are going to have a cross between hen and ducks! Maybe the unique progeny will make us money?

27/09/2022

Get the tools out and it rains. Put them away and wait and that saga has continued all day. All thats left to do is secure the battens over the top ready for the iron. And put a hatch door on where the pigeons will exit and enter plus a couple of perches just outside the door.
Xiaoli is upset I used a branch for the internal perch. I pointed out birds need irregular size perches as that is what the get in the wild. I won the debate I think, but only because I refused to back down.'

By Thursday I will relocate the loft over by our chicken coup and the pigeons will then get a proper home, rather than the dog cage they currently lodge in. I built enough nesting area for 12 pairs so okay size for another year as we only have 4 or 5 pairs. 11 birds in total.

And today I get gifted a young farm dog. Probably about 6 months old. She will arrive Thursday. From excellent farm dog stock. That I have not told Xiaoli yet.

Tomorrow I need head Tutukaka to meet up with a German couple that toured with me pre covid. I was taking them sailing on my mates boat but my mate was doing some maintenance and a small fix became more major. We will still get on the boat and drink some lovely wine from Waiheke and eat sushi. I will dangle my fishing rod over the side and see if I can catch a Snapper for sashimi. Early October my German friends will come stay with Xiaoli and I for a couple of days. It will be good to catch up. Last time with me Gerwin fractured 4 vertebrae on the sand toboggins. He obviously forgave me.

26/09/2022

Pigeon loft almost finished. Add perches tomorrow. Finish framing around the door. Finish their food area so we dont need enter the loft to feed. 5 minutes work tomorrow. Yeah right. Iron roof will be added once positioned in the hayshed area.
It will suffice for the existing 11 pigeons but will need additions once they multiply

24/09/2022

48 eggs put in the incubator today. Hens are laying really well now. Nothing like a genuine free range hen. Completely different to shop bought eggs.

22/09/2022

Destined for the BBQ! Yum

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The house has arrived. Tomorrow my work starts with measuring and planning decks etc. Hooking up spouting. Fortunately from my 4000 so called friends I had multiple offers of help. Yeah right! Tomorrow is the start of the next stage of what we do. I need hook up the plumbing. Build covered decks and on it goes. Tired of the mud!!!!

Its a little wet here. House arrives tomorrow so we need the rain to stop now Transformer was due to be installed today. But this wet spell sees it delayed until the 24th. Bugger! Checked the pig trap but obviously even the pigs are trying to stay dry as the bait is left untouched. Succulent if not very smelly meat plus a dead duck.

the grass was taller than the poor dogs. Another trailer load to the farm today. Count down to the removal truck comes in 8 days. Helpers including son seem to have gone into hiding after all the talk that they would be there to help us. I guess we are on our own

A beautiful morning to launch the kontiki with customers on Ninety Mile Beach. Unfortunately only 2 Snapper graced us with their presence and to give me a little exercise, the winch blew a fuse. So a lot of hauling line over the shoulder. Certainly got the steps for the day up. 7 more days to the business is closed for good on Ninety Mile Beach

Ninety Mile Beach 4wd tours. We are open for 4wd tour bookings up Ninety Mile Beach to Cape Reinga. After over 12 years regularly doing these tours, this is our final summer offering them. These tours are exclusive to the person or group booking us. 1 to 4 people. We carry sandboards for those daring to use them in the sand dunes. We warn these can be dangerous and accidents do happen. So we hold no responsibility on the day. A picnic lunch will be provided at Tapotupotu Bay. You are welcome to have a swim whilst there. Duration is 5 hours plus. Departure time is to suit you but whether we drive up the beach or down the beach is dictated by tides on the day. Message or email us from FB. Or go to the contact button on our website, www.peterandxiaoli.com We do still have accommodation available some dates if needed also

The shearers working hard on Shaun's farm this morning. I offered to help but they were scared I would show them up. So my offer was declined. Bugger!

The beautiful trickling stream we will build our house close to

Another superb day on Ninety Mile Beach. The fish think so to as they must be out there sunbathing as only 1 bothered to come back to visit. Raw fish for dinner. Yum

A waterfall we found by accident. Xiaoli giving wrong directions to get off the farm. A beautiful waterfall but highly unlikely I will try to to get back to. Bush crashing downhill to get there and then needed be done in reverse. I thought Shaun was going to meet me at the top of the farm with the UTV but he didnt show up. So damn I was exhausted. I will not trust Xiaoli for directions again

A fish on Doubtless Bay late yesterday afternoon just for a change to Ninety Mile Beach. I had forgotten how calm the east coast beaches are versus the west coast. Caught 2 Snapper which is about all we expected. Both 35cm plus but small when comparing to Ninety Mile Beach. Donated gutted and scaled to a very special friend in Taipa, Prathom. Still kicking when we arrived despite being gutted etc. I know they would have been very much enjoyed and appreciated. And I got a cuddle in return. A good trade all round. Prathom is a hero of mine. Her life is devoted to caring for her invalided sister and I admire what she does

An idyllic house setting alongside a beautiful all year round stony bottom creek. Unfortunately not in our price bracket. Bugger!!!!

This little seal came ashore beside us today. Exhausted but just lay there watching us catch our Kahawai and Snapper

To remain self sufficient and avoid visiting the supermarket given I have no immune system we visited the fish in front of our house with a great mate living our little bubble through these difficult times. We did get wet up to our ankles😂. And bought home 3 beautiful Snapper. Dropped the heads and bones plus some fillets to the gate of another friend. So 2 families fed. Now I need to learn to brew my own beer!

A beautiful 4km beach walk in lockdown which we are allowed as the beach is at our doorstep

Its good to be home. Very happy I had a stop with Shaun on the way home so I could video the next area to buy off the adjoining forest. A perfect house location with a little clearing. North facing with fabulous views up and down the river. I can sit by the river and cast for trout. Or turn over some rocks for fresh water lobsters. Did a supermarket stop on the final leg home. Well stocked so we can sit here at home and watch the tides come and go. And work on the new Hisun website

A cute video of Li Li. Unfortunately why I was away the 2 girls had a serious fight. Not like them. I guess my fault for not being around

Last night and tonight we stay the Belt Road Motorcamp New Plymouth. A well kept clean and tidy camp with great facilities. The downside, you get battered by the westerly winds coming directly off the sea. The mountain they must have deflated over night as its no where to be seen🤣. I lived Taranaki for 2 years whilst under a work contract to run 3 provincial branches of an advertising agency. New Plymouth was my base and I needed regular trips Palmerston North and Napier. At 18 months into the contract I signaled I would be departing end of 2 years. Told head office that it was not profitable to run provincial agencies. Put my foot in it really as they said then close the branches and my choice to run the business from Auckland or Wellington. I chose Auckland. I then went on to secure key Taranaki business that promised if I based in Auckland with all facilities on offer they would sign with me. And they all did. Today I need meet with a mate that did many Variety Club BASH events both NZ and the US at the same time I did. See if I can further my concept for raising a minimum of $100,000 for the Starship Childrens Hospital. I must dress warmly. Its damn cold

Wild Peacocks in front of the house today. As we explored the farm we saw man

Our first full day on the farm. Slept in the caravan last night as no furniture in the house. Plus love my comforts in the caravan. Love it here. Xiaoli wants to put a house here for us. Live off the grid. Wi Fi only works sometimes but a booster can rectify that. I think we have counted 3 cars going down the road today. River is looking angry following the rain but no flooding. Wild turkeys and peacocks on the property. The farmer left us some sheep and a ride on mower. Told us, his gift. I see there is one lonely angus steer meat eating age so I need talk to him about it. Family and friends, come visit. Bring your caravans or campervans. Fish for trout we are told about in the river. Hopefully fresh water lobsters to. Yum

Ohope Beach tonight. A very wet drive here today but now just overcast. The dogs felt at home being able to run on the sand. Tomorrow we will head back to Auckland. Visit the boat show on Friday and then head home to Ninety Mile Beach. By then its 10 or 11 days away. Time to spend a little time at home. I have a gastroscopy scheduled for Monday and Xiaoli's turn for a little sleep Wednesday why the do a little exploratory work to find out what is or is not going on. Hopefully just aging issues. The settlement on the farm may be further away than we thought but really doesnt matter. Early June Shaun and I are full on with Mystery Creek Field days so neither of us would be able to be at the farm for a while. Early night tonight I think

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