Coromandel Activities

In the last three weeks we have been to some amazing beaches.  I can't believe all we have seen so far  just in the beginning of our travels.

While we were staying with Mel and Tyson we walked to a mall in Shore City to look for a phone.  We found a beach near by Takapuna.  The beach was covered with amazing colorful shells.  As we were walking the beach it began to poor rain.  The rain was warm and the air was warm enough that we were dry by the time we got back to Mel's house.

 Also while staying with Mel and Tyson we went to a beach just 15 minutes north of Auckland called Brown's Bay.  It was an awesome beach.  The water was really warm and shallow and it was a bright sunny day.

We got to Coromandel early to go to the winery so we stopped at Hahei Beach.  This is the beach Eddie stubbed his toes.  We just walked the beach and enjoyed the amazing view and weather.

Later that day we went to a look out called Shakespeare's Cliff.  There is a path to a beach called Lonely Bay.  We walked down to this tiny secluded bay and hung out in the afternoon sun.  It was so fun!

One night we went with Alice, a girl from Belgum, and Daniel, a man from the Czech Republic to Hot Water Beach.  There is a natural hot spring on this beach and when the tide is out there is enough room to dig a jacuzzi in the sand and sit in really hot water while the waves crash near by.  During the day the beach is so busy you can barely find a spot to dig.  Danny told us the local secret is to go when the tide is out at night.  We left at 11pm, found the hot springs while the waves were still crashing over them, and waited for the tide to go out so we could start digging. We joined digging efforts with a family who were there on holiday to dig a huge jacuzzi.  It took a lot of digging and we only had one proper ace (kiwi word for shovel).  Finally we had a whole big enough to fit us all.  By the time we were done digging the family was ready to leave so we had the whole jacuzzi to our selves.  We ended up digging too close to the hot spring so the water was too hot to bare on the right side.  We all squished together on the left side where the water was cooler and every so often we swirled more hot water to the left.  It was amazing.  I have never experienced anything so awesome at a beach.  We sat under the stars in a hot water pool we dug in the sand while the waves crashed 10 feet away with bioluminescence.  Going at night was the best local secret we got.  There was only one other couple on the whole beach.  Daniel pointed out the "Southern Cross" in the bright stars.  This is what the southern hemisphere dwellers use to identify which direction is south.  You can't see it from California.  Hot Water Beach was Eddie and my favorite experience of our trip in Purangi.

In the last week of our stay at Purangi Winery, Alic, Daniel, Eddie, and I went to a beach called New Chums near Cormendel Town.  It was rated one of the top 20 beaches in the world and requires a 20 minute walk over rocks and through the bush to get to it.  New Chums beach was another great experience.

Daniel and Alice

The view when you exit the bush after the 20 minute trek

 On the way back to the winery we stopped in Cormandel Town to get some fish and chips.  We found a small casual shop that was selling fish and chips with fish caught that morning.  It was the best fish and chips I have had in New Zealand so far.

View of Cormandel Town

The winery didn't open until noon and we did not need to start preparing pizzas and cleaning until around 11am.  I always wake up early and Eddie and I were usually going for a run by 9 everyday.  One morning we decided to go to a beach known as Cathedral Cove.  It is a famous beach in New Zealand because of the huge Cathedral shaped cave right one the beach.

Between the lunch and dinner rush at the winery, eddie and I decided to quickly go to a potter's house that was recommended to us by an American couple who came into the winery to eat and taste liquor.  We did not know what to expect but found an amazing sight made from a hilarious kiwi man.  He built his own house out of clay!  The potter showed us his house and casually talked to us while he did yard work in the backyard.

As you can see, our first three weeks in New Zealand were amazing and we still have sooooo much to experience!  We wish our family and friends were here to experience everything with us.  We feel so blessed and can't wait to see what's next!