Opinion: Bring on the lighter evenings and afternoons at the beach

Longer days means more opportunity to head outdoors. Photo / File

The start of daylight saving at the end of September is one of my favourite times of the year.

While the first few days can be a tad rough - and a slight reminder of winter - rising an hour earlier in the dark to get ready for work, but after you get used to the time difference, it's predominantly longer evenings, warmer weather and activities galore from here on in.

It marks the moment I start getting excited about summer.

It reminds me that warmer weather is upon us, the evenings are longer which means there is more time to enjoy the outdoors at the end of the working day and that there are a plethora of sports and entertainment events about to visit our city.

Weekends are busy with plenty of activities happening around the Western Bay, from markets, to concerts, outdoor music events and much more motivation to exercise without realising it - all because it's usually much nicer outside after a traditionally wet and great winter.

October is another favourite month, with sporting activities starting to pick up again after the shoulder season, the first long weekend (for some) in a while and life saving patrols getting under way too ... which is also a reminder that beach days, watermelon and the coconut scents of summer days are not out of reach.

Bliss.

Some of the bigger events coming to Tauranga this month includes Hoopnation, New Zealand's biggest Pro-Am basketball competition between October 19-22, when 1380 athletes play more than 389 games over four days across nine venues.

This week, we're hosting the New Zealand Gymnastics Championships at Mount Maunganui's ASB Arena from Monday until Saturday, and the first cruise ship of the season visits this week too.

A lot is happening for athletes outside of the Western Bay too, with local sports stars selected to represent New Zealand in the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympics, between October 6 and 18, set to head off this week.

From here on in, it will no doubt be a busy time for many, but with lighter and warmer evenings, I'm here for it.