Hire boards somehow fitting inside my compact VW we head for The Beach. It's not hard to find, our informant says. Take the turn-off after the sign in Rasta colours.
Parked, and boards out, the boys wetsuit-up, wax boards and saunter down the access road towards the waves, already connected to their boards by safety leg ropes. It is also reassuring as a parent to see surf guards and a surfing school group going out.
I decide to pass the wait time on the Ngarunui bush walk at the end of the beach, climbing up the hill along the wide track flanked by nikau. The magnificent outlook from the top near the Bryant Reserve provides a panoramic overview of the wave formations but there is no way I can distinguish my offspring among the abundance of black dots on boards bobbing about, patiently waiting for a break in the surf-riding "traffic". The boys later say they managed to catch a couple of good waves. And the surf is certainly more consistent here than the sheltered beaches they have surfed at home in the Hauraki Gulf.
But Ngarunui isn't just for the surfers. It is popular with walkers (some with dogs, others without), horse riders and one friendly blo-karter who stops to chat and sing the praises of his hobby.
By the time I descend the hill and briskly walk to the other end of the beach and back, my three waterlogged groms have had enough of surfing for the afternoon and are rinsing off boards and wetsuits using the tap by the surf school, their teeth chattering from the cooler waters of the west coast and further chilled by the crispness of the breeze.
Back on the road, we pass the coastal Four Directions statues set among flax and depicting compass points. We return to our weekend base for warm showers and hot chocolates at a bach booked through holidayhouses.co.nz. We've got four bedrooms, hot showers, full kitchen, TVs, heaters inside, deck and barbecue outside. All we could need and want.
But I also want to explore Raglan. The next day after dropping the boys back to Ngarunui I return to the town and walk along the boardwalk and across the estuary footbridge to the playground, BMX track, skate park and camping ground.
A few keen souls jump off the footbridge to the water below as it's full tide. Others are making the most of the sunshine and swimming. There are good spots for a barbecue or picnic. At low tide you can walk around the edge of the harbour or all the way along the coast to Ngarunui.
For a small town, Raglan has a great choice of cafes, some conventional, some leaning more to the clean and green and it seems even more surf shops than cafes. (The boys have decided if they are groms then older surfers must be Wallaces and Cheddars after comedy animation Wallace and Gromit).
There's horse treks, a golf course, kayaking, surf lessons and camps for energetic visitors. The seaside town is a beautiful spot to relax, linger over a latte, visit an art gallery, browse the museum or cruise the harbour.
I recommend the Ngarunui bush walk but other short walks include the Te Toto Lower Gorge Track and Bridal Veil/Waireinga Falls Walk. If you feel like a longer walk, the summit tracks on Mt Karioi (or Sleeping Lady) offer magnificent views to Mt Taranaki, Pureora, Maungamangero, Pirongia, Te Aroha and Maungatautari on clear days.
It's been a weekend tailored around the ocean. The groms have had their surf break but I've managed a break from routine, too.
Stay: We found our accommodation on holidayhouses.co.nz. Solscape on the way to the surf beaches also caught our eye.
Eat: The Food Department is great for pizza. Black Sand and The Shack make great coffee.
More info: raglan.net.nz
