Loo with a View
11 December 2018 | Cathedral Cove
Penny
Todays trip to Cathedral Cove was via Kuatunu and Whitianga. Kuatunu is about 30k out of Coromandel, a small village with a glorious white sand beach. We stayed a while to watch someone trying to launch his rib through the surf and getting rather wet in the process. From here the road passed through rolling farmland to Whitianga and Mercury bay (so named because Captain Cook anchored there to watch the transit of mercury across the sun and was therefore able to establish an exact latitude and longitude for the new land). Whitianga was a small town on a huge natural harbour and a marina. The marina was mostly full of motor boats and probably not a good yacht desination
Cathedral Bay can only be accessed by sea or via a hilly coastal walk which took about half an hour (longer on the way back as energy levels were dropping. We drove to the parking area shown on google earth to find that it is closed in the summer, so Chris dumped me and said he would pick me up later. He went to sit on Hahei Beach and have a read.
The trail is very well marked and easy to follow. It dips into a shady puriri grove near the start of the hike. I passed a few turn-offs, but decided to explore them on the way back if I had the time and energy.
The trail climbed up giving fantastic views of the Pacific and out to small islets or back to Hahei. After a few up and downs it descended gradually to steep stairs (with no handrail until the bottom flight) that lead to the main beaches. Mares Leg Cove and Cathedral Cove They were amazing, beautiful white sand backed . by huge trees and white cliffs. To the left was a massive cathedral like arch which gives access to the second beach at low water and gives it its name.
At the back of Mares Leg Beach is an impressive long drop toilet with picture windows so that you can admire the view out to sea while you sit on the loo.
I was quite hot and thirsty by then but because of my sudden exit from car had neither bathers or drink with me and did not fancy a long walk back in wet clothes. So after a wander around the beach I made my way back.
I stopped off at Stingray Bay, it was just as perfect as Cathedral Cove but less crowded, Then as I had plenty of time went on to Gemstone Bay but gave up when I arrived at the steep steps down with no handrail. I am still a bit nervous of steep steps after my fall last year. It is a rocky cove with a "snorkel trail" marked out with buoys. Educational placards on shore feature local fish and information about the environment and how not to cause damage
Back at the car park I had over an hour to wait for Chris and no money to get a drink (purse in the car), luckily there was a seat and some shade.
Chris managed to pick me up on time and we drove back to base via Hotwater Beach but did not stat long as they were charging for parking and it was the wrong time of day to dig our own 'spa'. It was also very crowded with barely room to turn around.
It is popular because 2 hours either side of low water you can dig a hole that will be fed by the hot springs just below the surface ($10 to hire a spade) I was keen to try it because the water is actually very hot and not tepid as previous 'hot' springs we have visited. We were told that if you paddle and shuffle your feet in the right spot you can feel the hot water bubbling through the sea. Another visit another time perhaps?
We returned to base via the infamous Route 309. It lulls you into a false sense of security with a smooth tarmacked surface which degenerates into rough gravel, sharp bends and disintegrating edges. It is used as a short cut and cars fly along at speed, one nearly had us off the road and then just around the corner we came across a Countdown van that had gone partly over the edge. I had only just happened so presumably caused by the same car we met (luckily on slightly better bit of road). The driver was OK and waiting for help so we continued but vowed not to use the road again.