13 - Coromandel Peninsula - Tairua

Our first morning in Whangamata on the Coromandel Peninsula was sunny and "fine" and the Kiwis say. We had breakfast on our friend's patio overlooking the Otahu Estuary and all the birds and gardens. After breakfast we had a leisurely walk down the estuary, around the corner to Whangamata Beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean.










This beach is home to the Dotterel, an endangered bird. We watched them skitter across the beach for a long time. As we walked, We collected some beautiful shells and some mussels that had washed up on shore. We had the mussels for lunch, so apparently they hadn't been there too long.





Our first destination of the day was Tairua. There we hiked to the top of Paku Peak where we saw Tuis in the wild for the first time, but couldn't get a good picture. The peak had a beautiful 360 degree view of the Coromandel Peninsula and surrounding islands (comprising the Bay of Plenty).






Next stop of the day -- Hot Water Beach, which is exactly like it sounds -- a natural hot spring pumps steaming water up through the sandy beach. At low tide when the beach is exposed, people congregate at the springs, dig wide pools and soak in them like a natural jacuzzi. When the tide comes in and fills up the pools with cold water, it's time to leave. It was a terrific experience. There were nearly 75 people there.




We took the ever-winding road home for dinner, a sweet and bed.