We left Hahei for Whitianga with a pit stop at Hot Water beach.
Hot Water Beach is infamous for the 60degree hot water thermal springs that can be found two hours either side of high tide by digging into the sand. Tourists were aplenty already when we arrived, with hoards of people sitting in little sand temporary bath tubs. As the tide came in and washed away the walls of the latest hole to the cries of their inhabitants as they were flooded with cold water, more would be dug at the back.
Whitianga camp ground didn’t have much on Hahei. Left a lot to be desired. We had a fantastic night catching up with family who live there though for dinner.
Over in Whangamata, more friends and family came to visit us. The camp site was very run down again and the cabin was shocking. Our night fish was dismal, the rain started and we were out. Don’t eat at Smashed Pipis is my only advice here!
Yesterday we arrived in Mount Maunganui. I felt so sick in the back of the motorhome on the windy roads. And there was my Mum, sitting backwards doing crosswords! I feel sick again just thinking about it.
The Mount camp site is fab. Clean and modern facilities at an awesome location… literally at the bottom of the Mount. The sun was shining, I could get some fresh sushi and a vegetable juice – happy days!
We caught the sunset, I made stir fry for dinner again (veggie hit after all the fish and chips) and we hit the hay early for a 5am fish.
Why I agreed to fish at 5am I’m not sure. I must have been thinking of the good memories. Luke cancelled. Anyway I thought we were just fishing on the rocks close to Mount Maunganui. Nope. 40minutes later we are somewhere in Papamoa and they were screening around with the rods. Where the hell would I go get breakfast?!
So I established again that I’m not a morning person. I feel nauseous at that time of the morning but hacked it out and was so grateful to be fishing under Venus and the moon with my family. By the time the sun came up I was in great spirits but the hunger was kicking in. I’m starving! Writing this sitting in the dunes with the sun finally warming us up.
Hilariously Mum tried to cast a few times. At one point she ended up stuck in the middle of surf up to her thighs. If she moved, she would have lost her jandals to the ocean, so instead she braved the cold water. I lost it laughing.
We’ve caught no fish in two hours. Hell, I think we are still using the same damn bait. One hundred percent sure there’s no fish in this ocean.
I cannot wait to hit the thermal hot pools this morning and get some breakfast! Hangry is kicking in. ANZAC day too of course, I am eternally grateful to those who sacrificed their lives for the betterment of our countries and to keep us safe.
