From Pauanui we headed to Hahei yesterday for some walking, today our goal is to see more beaches and to reach in Whitianga early for an extended stay.
The Coromandel Peninsula is home to the Coromandel Brown Kiwi. The brown kiwi is faster at breeding than other kiwi, producing up to two eggs a clutch, and one to two clutches a year, as opposed to the more usual one egg per year in other kiwi species. However, much of that good reproductive work is undone by the ravages of dogs, stoats, and loss of habitat.Hot Water Beach. The natural hot springs are created by two underground fissures which naturally pump hot water up through the sand. Although volcanic activity is no longer prevalent on the Coromandel Peninsula, the hot mineral pools are a legacy of an exciting geothermal past.Didn’t bring your own spade? Frett not, there are some for hire here! Just pick one, take it to the hot spring area, pick your spot, start digging. Don’t burn your feet!Hahei, Part 2. This time we also visit the beach that we came to love 12 years ago (and still have a picture of in our bedroom).Our fellow baby tourist loves the beach, too.The reserve is long stretched and parts of it turn into a camping area at some point.Te Tio Island at noon.The mentioned camp. The front row looks really luxurious.Northern Rata in bloom.Back row in the camp, that’s more kiwi.Cook’s Beach hinterland to beach.Same direction, a bit closer, says the tele lens.Short stop on a random roadside lookout. There’s some kayak action going on there.Relaxed NZ farm, and I would like to say these are sheep in the distance, but it’s likely silage rolls.The odd classic car that crosses our path today.Whitianga marina. It’s undeniably warmer here, the summer half year has begun!Like memes, love murals!Some are wall filling art.How he looks at us!Around the corner, we fall into a seafood shop that sells us a dozen battered oysters, we wait for them, happily.And here they are, today’s lunch snack, a real treat.This bar would be an option for dinner, it’s too full atm.So we check in at our motel and discover that it’s really close to the beach, we send our baby inspector to assess the situation.He’s very thorough, but interrupted by the wind that wants to look at his hat.Maybe Dad can hold the hat until I finish the log, yeah?The flowers are nice here too.And all that while Mom puts dinner on the table.Another round over the high rocky steps down to the sea.Better equipped this time, he brought a tool!After-dinner beach sit.We go for the after-dinner town walk. It’s a few km along the street and then in the dunes, but quite nice and we get to see the sun setting behind the mountains.Seagulls have come looking for food in the high tide rim.Nice day, we’re all well worked out and tired.That’s a job for Schweindi now, cuddles and kisses and then we bring ourselves to bed early ;)
