Our first stop on the Coromandel Peninsula was Hot Water Beach (well, after breakfast at a nearby café). It was low tide, so we took the shovels that we had borrowed from our hotel and went down to the beach. It is well known because, as the name suggests, there is hot water under the beach that you can get to if you dig down about a foot.
We went down to the beach and found a spot between all the other people where the sand felt warm and began digging. In just a few minutes we dug a pretty big hole that was filling with warm water. It was interesting because depending on where you dug, you would find warmer or colder water. In some spots, the water was steaming hot and it hurt your feet to stand there, and then just a foot over, the water could be much cooler. So, we all tried to keep the balance so that everyone could stand in a warm spot and not be too cold or too hot.
A lot of people wore bathing suits and were sitting in their own little “hot tubs,” but we decided to just stay in our clothes and roll up our pants. Dad, though, changed into his bathing suit to get the full experience. We put our feet in the Pacific Ocean quickly, but it was much too cold so we ran back to our warm pool. It was funny that even though it was winter, everyone could enjoy the hot water and be comfortable in bathing suits, but then as they got out they would put on jackets and warm clothing.
This was a pretty unique experience and all of us loved being able to make our own little hot water spa. We spent some time standing and enjoying the warmth before having to head back to the parking lot, which meant crossing through a small (very cold) stream.
Our next stop, Cathedral Cove, was only about 10 minutes away. I had heard from my friends who had traveled here earlier that Cathedral Cove was one of their favorite spots, so it was on my list of must see places. In order to get down the beach, you have to walk about 45 minutes along the coast. It was a beautiful walk and the view of Cathedral Cove was well worth it.
The name comes from a huge rock arch that you can walk through to get to different parts of the beach. It was cloudy when we first got there, but the beautiful rock formations and water were still so pretty. Once it started to get sunnier it began to get even more beautiful with the sky and water such a bright blue. A funny story now that I’ve been home is that at work, the screensaver on my computer changes every day and is usually pretty scenery. I looked at it the other day and recognized the photo, and sure enough it was a picture of Cathedral Cove! I was so excited to be able to say I’ve actually been there – to a screensaver worthy spot.
We explored the beach for awhile and took lots of photos before we decided to head back up the path to the car. Once we got in the car, it was later in the afternoon and was just starting to rain, so it was good timing for us to finish our hiking for the day and get on the road. It only would take us about three hours to get to Auckland, our final destination in New Zealand, so we got there in time to have a nice dinner and ice cream that was just across from our hotel.
Hammond Adventures 