Learning to surf could be on the cards for you this summer. Photo / John Borren
In the first of a series, Leonie Freeman investigates the best places to swim in the summer hot-spots.
If you have little ones, the beaches on the North Shore are great - Cheltenham, Narrowneck and Torpedo Bay in Devonport are all calm and lovely when the tide is in and Thorne Bay in Takapuna is great even when the tide is out. If you're not a salt water swimmer, Point Erin Pools in Herne Bay is open from November and is great for all ages - there are diving boards and slides for the bigger kids and a nice big shallow area for little ones (and a large hot pool for the ones that feel the cold). Point Erin sits on prime real estate between Herne Bay and the city and overlooks the harbour bridge and the harbour - take a picnic and spend the day under the shade of old pohutukawa trees, hopping in and out as you please. A day trip here is a bargain - adults are about $5 and kids under 16 are free. They'll never want to leave.
The West Coast provides wonderful swimming fun, as long as you take the necessary caution. Anawhata is one of our most stunning beaches and has wild waves for jumping in, but it also has a lagoon for paddling and shallow swimming. The 20-minute walk from car to beach tends to put off the crowds so it's generally quieter than nearby beaches, but it does mean you feel like you need another swim by the time you get back to your car! Piha and Muriwai are your best bets for safe swimming - they have big waves for playing in and during the summer months they have lifeguards and flags to swim between.
The beaches out west and the Waitakeres are some of Auckland's greatest treasures. But at the beginning of summer this year, a rahui was placed on the Waitakere Ranges - this prohibition is in place to prevent the spread of the highly infectious kauri dieback disease, which is killing beautiful old kauri, and to let the environment recuperate and regenerate. As a result, it's really important to avoid kauri areas in the Waitakere Ranges this summer, and respect the rahui, no matter how much you love and enjoy visiting the area! If we want the bush to look like it does now for future generations to enjoy, I encourage you all to respect the rahui this summer. In saying that, neither beaches, nor spaces adjacent to beaches, are included in the rahui and access will not be restricted to these areas or to public roads.
If you're heading north this summer go for a waterfall swim at the Piroa Falls - a beautiful waterfall on the Ahuroa River about 45 minutes' drive from Whangarei. Take a 10-minute walk through lush native bush and cool down from your car trip. Another very special waterfall up north is Charlie's Rock near Kerikeri on the Waipapa Stream - it has an excellent swimming hole under the falls and is often overlooked because of its proximity to its bigger more famous sister up the road - Rainbow Falls.
If you're heading to the Coromandel, stop at the Waiau Falls just before Coromandel Town. It is not only a pretty waterfall but has a great swimming hole, very easy access and they'll even throw in a lovely, mature kauri grove only a short walk up the track. Another popular waterfall swimming spot south of Auckland is at the Owharoa Falls - only a few kilometres from the Karangahake Gorge - it's a very picturesque and easily accessible waterfall but caution is required when swimming here.
Maraetai Wharf in Maraetai is great for leaping off, and you can watch the masters at work while you're taking a breather. There's a reserve nearby, so take a picnic to enjoy relaxing under the pohutukawa. Other popular wharfs to throw yourself off include Stanley Bay Wharf in Devonport and Judges Bay in Parnell - and both have beaches and reserves nearby for picnicking.
The best spot by far is St Leonard's Beach (between Takapuna and Cheltenham), it's off-lead 24/7 all year round and has good swimming, and is calm enough for dogs. The West Coast beaches (Piha, Karekare, Muriwai) are technically good options but the off-lead areas on the beach are away from the flags and it can be pretty rough waves for the dogs. Another excellent option is Kakamatua (near Huia), which has a river and a big calm inlet you can wallow in at high tide. It's quite shallow, so is ideal for kids and dogs. Combine a trip there with a visit to the cute Huia Foodstore and have an icecream or one of their enormous slices of baking and a cup of tea.
If you need to be achieving something while you recreate, consider taking surfing lessons - beautiful Oakura Beach in Taranaki is a great place to start. Taranaki is famous for its great surfing beaches, and one of the local surf schools even claims that if they can't teach you to surf, no one can. After a day on the water, you can say stuff like 'Oakura Beach offers both right and left handers, which can get hollow and provide some power' and no one will be able to question you . . .
If you'd rather be under the water, the Nga Motu/Sugarloaf Islands in New Plymouth are a popular diving spot with a stunning variety of marine life and there are several local operators who offer training and dive tours of the area.
Given the beauty of the beaches Auckland has to offer, you are pretty much guaranteed a beautiful outlook wherever you swim. On the Shore, Thorne Bay and Cheltenham Beach have especially pretty views, and out west you can't beat Karekare for its majesty and dramatic scenes. Inner-city swimming spot Sentinel Rd Beach in Herne Bay is beautiful at high tide, with a great view of the harbour bridge. Tip - take your breakfast there when the high tide is early and avoid the crowds.
Tapapakanga Regional Park is now well known as the home of Splore and is a beautiful beach for a swim with a view - or follow the coast further north and come to the Orere Point Regional Park, where there are tracks off Howard Rd and access off other un-named roads in the area to some lovely private bays.