Day 15 - Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach

We woke early, showered and hit the road. Luckily for us the owner didn't start jet washing the benches until 7:30 and we were well awake by then, not wanting to spend any more time there then necessary. We stopped at the sea front, parked up and prepared our breakfast of granola and a cuppa. We took both outside and ate our breakie in front of the glistening rolling sea and rising sun.

Our destination today was Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach, both mentioned in the guide book and both we expected to be utterly beautiful. When we arrived in Hahei, we stopped at the general store for lunch supplies which disappointingly ended with a bag of crisps...they dreally are missing a trick in these local stores. We packed our bag and headed off on what was labelled as a 1.5hr trek, described as an up and down track. We had picked the HOTTEST day for our trek and the sun was blistering on our heads and shoulders, and so very humid. The track was truly up and down, having to stop to catch out breath and to take in the breathtaking views around every bend. Half way along we finally hit a Tarmac path so we knew we were heading in the right direction, and finally down hill.

After some very steep steps we finally hit the beach and there were already quite a few tourists dotted across the beach and the other side of the cove. Our first stop was to get some snaps of cathedral cove, trying desperately to get shots without annoying tourists in. The cove was surrounded by towering cliffs on both sides and the crystal clear blue waters calmly lapped against fallen boulders and the golden sand. Snapping done, we found a spot to make camp and sunbathe. We took in the beautiful surroundings for around an hour; we stupidly hadn't taken our swimsuits so couldn't get in the tempting waters. We read books, did puzzles and people watched for long enough, so we decided to head back to Kylie and get our swim wear and finally give into temptation. It took us a total of 29 minutes to reach the starting point...pah to the 1.5hrs. We got to the van, changed and headed off for Hot Water Beach.

With far less people and equally beautiful sand, sky and the rolling waves of the sea, Hot Water Beach was a winner! We rotisseried for a couple of hours, interrupted only by the occasional, obligatory dip to cool our sun kissed skin. Bliss. The sea at this beach was good for surfing and dangerous for pretty much anything else. The rip tides were deceptive as the shallow water went on for easily 40 meters, and every so often you felt the gentle tug at your knees and knew if you were swimming you'd soon be drawn away from shore.

We stayed safe and searched for shells. Done, we headed back to Kylie to find somewhere to feed and sleep before we hand her back tomorrow. The past two and a bit weeks have flown by. It's been a fantastic adventure if not relaxing. We have certainly covered some miles but oh my goodness the views, scenery and places we've visited have been sooo worth the journey. New Zealand's north island is stunning. Highly recommend!

We settled on Thames for our final pit stop, once more experiencing freedom camping in an effort to save enough cash to refill the gas bottle tomorrow! And we found a unique brewery come bar come kitchen to see us through. A couple of pilsners/plum ciders, sliders and a pizza later and we headed back to Kylie for our final night.