This is the twenty-sixth in my series of short reflections on different places in Australia and New Zealand, as experienced during my November 2019 visit. Today continues my account of a journey through New Zealand’s North Island.
In my last post I wrote about our visit to the Tamaki Maori village at Rotorua, when we became a Maori tribe for the evening with an elected Chief, and gained an insight into the world of the Maori people: an immersive, experiential evening, full of fun and fresh insights: and deservedly one of New Zealand’s most popular attractions.
After our visit to Rotorua we headed north again, this time up into the Coromandel Peninsula.
Our destination was Hahei, on the South Pacific coast, not far from Cathedral Cove: which appears as the first dramatic setting for the Pevensie children as they arrive unexpectedly in Narnia in the opening scene of the film Prince Caspian.
The route to Coromandel took us via the Katikati Bird Gardens at Aongatete, on the Bay of Plenty. We toured the gardens with feed for the birds; many fowls and their chicks scurried along the paths, among beautiful planting and a rich variety of flowers in brilliant colours.
We continued on our journey, which took us through richly forested mountains and between deep cuttings filled with diverse trees interspersed with giant tree ferns, the blue shape of further mountain ranges ahead of us. We stopped off at Whangamata to enjoy its picturesque harbour opening out into the South Pacific.
I sat by the Ocean Sports Club enjoying the idyllic surroundings, and listening to the sound of Elton John’s voice floating out over the South Pacific from the Ocean Sports Club.
We drove on again through dramatic mountain scenery.
Arriving at Hahei, we found our accommodation: one of the cottages forming part of a development named “The Church Accommodation“. Each cottage is set in lush subtropical gardens; the site originally surrounded a former Methodist Chapel which has now been converted into a bistro. It is a well-designed development for tourist accommodation and we weren’t the only visitors wandering around gazing at the flowers in the gardens, enchanted by the subtropical planting.
First thing the next day we embarked on a ten-person boat trip out into the Bay of Plenty to see Cathedral Cove. The trip was called The Hahei Explorer.We were told that the early boat trip was the best to take, when the bay would be at its calmest. I must admit that once we were out on the bay, I found myself wondering what it would be like later in the day, if this was what he called “calm waters”!
On arrival at the beach we all donned life jackets, removed shoes and socks, rolled up our trouser legs and enclosed cameras and possessions in waterproof sealed bags. Waves rolled in as we climbed onto the boat. The launch was quite rough and then we bounced over the bay, the water a glorious rich turquoise.
The boat trip was great fun and very invigorating, and our young skipper stood at the back and provided a commentary about the rock formations we passed: a sharp spike sticking straight up, triangular with one long serrated side; a hole in the rock, a cave through which we cruised.
To be out on the bay, bouncing over the waves, immersed in dramatic natural beauty, is a purifying experience. Daily concerns and worries lift away and for that short time you are part of the creation, absorbed in wonder.
We cruised past the glorious Cathedral Cove. A few people stood on the pristine pale gold beach; at the height of the tourist season tourists congregate here in their thousands. So we were very glad to have chosen the earlier boat trip, and to find the beach so empty. We saw kayakers out on the bay as we cruised past.
When we returned to Hahei Beach the waves were much more vigorous as they washed onto the sand. As I rose to disembark I was drenched by a large wave, having remained dry throughout the entire boat trip!
Later two of our party walked to Cathedral Cove from Hahei, and captured these scenes of awesome grandeur.
Finally we visited Hot Water Beach, not far from Hahei. There, thermal activity beneath the surface mean that hot water bubbles through the sand – but only in certain areas where several tourist were busy digging so they could sit in the “natural hot tub” when the water rolled in and filled the holes they’d dug. It was very entertaining to watch them; and some of our party did their own digging!
We revelled in the enchanting views of the beach and shoreline in the late afternoon light.
Finally, we celebrated our “Sundowner” with a New Zealand sparkling wine very close to genuine champagne, called Cloudy Bay – Pelorus. I was delighted to learn that this wine is named after a special dolphin called Pelorus who guided ships through the treacherous waters of Cook Strait from 1888 to 1912.
A fitting end to an amazing day.
SC Skillman, psychological, suspense, paranormal fiction & non-fiction. My next book, Paranormal Warwickshire, will be published by Amberley Publishing on 15th June 2020 and is available to pre-order now either online, or from the publisher’s website, or from your local bookshop.
scskillman.com 