Spring Holidays 2022: Whitianga

Good Morning, Mercury Bay.

The sun is rising behind Shakespeare Cliff and we are already up and running.

While we are discussing today’s plans over breakfast, this little guy had other ideas.

Our car stuffed with essentials, we start our outing to the Northeast.

Wharekako, the famous black and white Simpsons Beach (it looks like it’s wet, but close up the sand is as black as it comes.

And what’s on the beach there besides sand? Mostly small stones and shell fragments. Pipi, scallops, oysters, blue mussel shells. Black stones with quarz veins.

White flowers, black sand.

Kuaotuno Beach, the dunes are sparcely covered in grass, the few beach houses are probably only visited in summer. Very empty, very cool beach.

A thin layer of Tangerine Quartz (color from rust) glitters in the sun.

Rising over the hills to Monty’s Lookout. From here, several beaches to the West and Northwest are visible.

Nearing Otama Bay. The green hills we just drove over are absolutely worth mentioning.

The wind is picking up, we can see it even from here. Hopefully all the vessels are anchored well.

Looks still peaceful, from underneath the strong arms of a pohutukawa tree.

An original NZ Sealegs! It was conceived as the solution to a problem – all the hassle involved in launching and retrieving a boat. And it looks wonderful, gliding out of the water without effort, driving up the beach.

Beachwalkers.

Opito Bay from Black Jack Road.

It doesn’t get any better!

Lunch break in the park. While we would prefer to just sit on the bench, somebody needs to double check if the car is still where we left it.

Yeah, it was parked alright and we discover yet another cool vista bench.

And then there’s no way out! Lunch needs to be devoured!

Then the free roaming kid is back to what he likes most: Inspecting vehicles.

White Sands of Otama. A few youngster fishermen are trying their luck.

And everywhere there are people enjoying a bath in the ocean. Guess you must be born kiwi to not mind 15°C warm water.

Driving by Monty’s again. RIP.

A few hours later, the color of the water has changed to a deeper tone.

Back at Buffalo Bay, no time to loose, we’re off to the beach again!

And this time, nothing can stop little C from running straight into the water (he rolled a bit after tripping but was fine, just soaked lol)

The Mercury Bay Dairy Co. / now district museum.

The Whitianga ferry. The gap is only a hundred meters or so, over there is Cooks Beach (unfortunately it doesn’t take cars, so we had to go 32 km around the estuary).