Hot Water Springs Beach

Late this afternoon we walked down to the beach to see just what it was all about, i.e. hot water oozing out of the sand. There were lots of people there, even though the weather was quite cold, so we gathered it was an important place, and we were not disappointed. There was spring water leaking onto the beach all the way along but it was mostly cold, then we came to a part where the water was very hot. Some people (the brave) were lying in holes filled with hot (some very hot) water. The idea is to dig a hole and let it fill with hot water and then lie in it. We were not so brave and just paddled in the hot water, which was too hot in the places where it was bubbling out of the ground. I hoped that a geyser did not suddenly appear out of the ground but all was calm.

On the way here we stopped the car and went for a walk to see caves that had developed due to the sea pounding on the volcanic rocks, which are made out of pumice and ash. The walk was very hilly so was good for fitness as well as for scenery. Walter took the photo of Te Ho Ho rock though the Cathedral Cave. The whole area (Te Whanganui-A-Hei) is a marine reserve. Over the years the sea has caused made quite an inroad into the coastline so there were tiny islands a short way out to sea, which I guess were once the coastline. A pity it was not December, as the Pohutukawa trees, which were growing along the edge of the beach, would have been in flower (similar to red Christmas flower).

This morning we went for a trip on a very narrow gauge light railway, which went up through the bush to a lookout. This railway has been developed by an artist who has spend nearly thirty years building the railway, single handed. He has also replanted the area in native trees. The interesting part was the way the tracks were laid so that there was a zig zag method of taking the train up the steep tracks. Altogether there were major viaducts, 3 short tunnels, 2 spirals and 5 reversing points. The artist (a potter) placed his work at different points along the track. It was raining and very cold so we all had to wear plastic ponchos to keep dry. I was frozen by the time we returned. We travelled over more twisty roads and one way bridges, which are very popular here and you really have to make sure that you keep a look out for traffic coming the opposite way before you approach the bridge.

I forgot to mention the Mangrove swamps, which abound by the hundreds up north. They are at the end of all the inlets and are very dense. This is very encouraging ecologically as it would have been very easy to have destroyed them years ago. They are so important for the breeding of fish.

Tonight we are staying at another superb Holiday Park (the same company as the one in Coromandel Town). This one charges $42, the most so far but the facilities are even better than before. The lounge, dining and kitchen areas are very plush. However we are sitting in our van, which is reasonably cosy with the heater going but I can feel the draught coming under the curtains (single glazing on the windows). It is going to be a very cold night.