Cove and Beach

On Tuesday, May 18, Mark had the day off so we went driving and exploring up the coast from Whangamata. We had two places in particular that we wanted to see but both required being there around low tide which wasn’t until 4 in the afternoon. We drove past the turnoffs for those two (free) sights and kept going north.

We went as far as we could to a small ferry landing with a walk-on ferry across to Whitianga. However, since the day was sunny (not what had been predicted), we decided to skip the ferry and hike up the hillside for a view of Flaxmill Bay instead--blue sparkling water, a tiny marina, a prominent tree clad bluff, and curving sandy beaches. On descending the hillside, we walked the shell strewn beach for a stretch before heading back to the car. We drove through the mostly deserted oceanfront hamlet of Cook’s Beach and proceeded on to a funky little winery we had read about.

Purangi Estates is a grandiose name for the weatherworn looking winery but it was an entertaining stop. The cellar door host/cook/server/owner was perhaps a bit manic but was a fount of strange and wonderful information and a master of all manner of English language accents. We were, of course, treated to a few wine samples but also to their signature offering feijoa liquour. We stayed for lunch and had a scrumptious wood oven baked pizza which we ate at a sunny picnic table in the kiwifruit orchard side yard. Four pouncing kittens kept us company.

By this time, we deemed that we had occupied enough time that we could drive back to see our first low tide site--Cathedral Cove. This area was used in some of the opening scenes in Prince Caspian, the second Narnia movie. After a 35 minute walk down and across a bush covered cliff face, we arrived at the beach.

Cathedral Cove features a huge stone archway that, at low tide, connects two small pristine beaches. We had read in the local Coastal News that due to rock fall the Department of Conservation had closed the archway to walking so we weren’t sure what we would find. There were definitely warning signs and a few ropes strung up but no one was paying them any heed. So we joined the other few visitors and walked through the archway to the adjoining beach. We lingered some but knew that we still wanted to get to the other low tide site so we somewhat more slowly hiked back up the cliff side.

do you see San?

Our last stop for the day was Hot Water Beach. This unique beach is an anomaly. From the carpark we joined others, many carrying spades, in walking down the beach to an area of rocky outcrop.

Underground hot springs bubble to the surface between the low and high tide reaches. For an hour or two either side of low tide, people congregate, dig themselves “spas”, and lounge in the warm water. The deeper you dig, the hotter it gets although in some places it is scalding hot (up to 147 degrees F) right on the sand!

We dug a modest sized hole for our feet, rolled up our jeans, and enjoyed the ambiance of late day sun and clouds, crashing surf, and happy crowds. As we dried our feet and put our shoes and socks back on, an overhead cloud began to spit at us. Perfect time to go!