The Beach

I finally made it to the beach. There is some statistic about how 98% of New Zealanders live within 25 miles of the ocean, or something close to that. However, Kaingaroa is one of the furthest spots from the beach in the country, and I have been working, so I had not been. Shane and I finally got out to Whakatane, on the north shore (but not Northland) east of Coromandal. It is east of Tauranga on this map.

It was only the third time I have seen the Pacific and the first time I have seen the South Pacific, although it is far enough south to be a bit cold, even in summer. Since most people live near the beach, surfing is a major pastime, so I thought I would give it a go. The waves were not Maui huge, but they were a lot bigger than in NC or on the Jersey shore. It took a lot of time and effort to finally get out to the breakers, but I actually rode the first wave all the way to the shore. Of course, I didn't even try to stand up, but you have to crawl first. It was definitely a fun ride and nothing like the splashing around I have done in the past. After some recovery, the second time went as well as the first, and I even kept my eyes open for most of it. After that, I had a dry spell where I couldn't catch a wave. Then Shane and I both got too far down on the face of a wave and got sent through the wash cycle. It was pretty exciting stuff. I don't think I am cut out to be a surfer, but it was a great afternoon.