Glamping

Just back from a weeks camping on the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula. Camping to me is about a complete getaway from the trappings of civilisation, but this year we found ourselves camping on the edge of Whitianga town as it was the only camp ground on the whole peninsular which would take our friends dog. Not quite 'glamping' as such but the kind of camping where you can still pop down the road and pick up a latte if that's what takes your fancy.

Our camp ground had an impressive row of hydrangeas in full bloom, here are some mates relaxing in front of them...

I had a couple of goes at Whitianga Harbour, quite an action packed small harbour with loads of launches, fishing boats (Zane Grey's 'Anglers Eldorado') and a ferry that cuts across it all day.

The young fella fishing under the wharf. We accidentaly left his fishing rod in Auckland, so we had to use hand lines (sadly it won't be long and he'll realise his dad hasn't really got a clue about fishing).

The kids amused themselves by riding their bikes around the camp with other camp kids and playing card games with their cousins. That's our tent in the background, still standing despite our friends dog eating most of our guy ropes...

A trip to Hot Water beach, as the name suggests it has a hot water spring under it. We had a great time digging our hot sand pool surrounded by hundreds of others doing the same thing until eventually the tide came in and demolished it in spectacular fashion. No choice then but to swim in the surf instead. It's probably 10 years since I've been here last and I was surprised at how popular it has become with international travelers...

This is our old gas camp lamp and the mosquito that sucked my blood at the bottom left.

       

This is Otama Beach below. A bit further to the

north and not remotely urban but the beach is so nice,
it feels more exotic like Tahiti...

This retired Massey Fergusson in the campground is used for towing fishing boats and a that classic kiwi milkshake vessel The Longest Drink in Town.

Mercury Bay (in a kind of fisheye style) from Buffalo beach at the bottom. The bay got it's English name when Captain Cook anchored the HMS Endeavour here in 1769 to map the transit of Mercury and therefore New Zealand's true position on the world map for the very first time.