Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove (Whitianga)

We have been in Whitianga in the Coromandel Coast now for 6 days. The weather has been very unpredictable but we were able to plan out some great adventure days anyways. First we took a rather windy (Ben felt very sick) 30 minute bus ride from Whitianga to Hot Water Beach. We packed a spade (shovel) and headed down the beach. We weren't quite sure where to begin our digging but found a group of successful diggers and set up next to them. Our first few holes (only a couple scoops of effort) were unsuccessful with only small pools of COLD water. However, eventually a rather hot hole was discovered. We expanded our personal "hot tub" to about 5x7 and 9 inches deep. This hot water beach is quite remarkable and very unique.You can dig and receive cold water and literally 3 inches away there will be water so hot you can't touch it. We haven't experienced anything like before.
Then today we went to Cathedral Cove. We took a short drive and then a quick 45 minute (each way) walk to the Cove. As you descend down the steps there is a beautiful white sand beach before you. Looking to the left there is a huge rock which without the tunnel would be a dead end road. As you walk through the tunnel another beautiful beach is before you. We played with the frisbee, took pictures and swam. We even discovered a cave in which we had to swim out into the ocean to enter the cave. This beach is absolutely the most beautiful and enchanting beach either of us have been too. Words can't really describe it so the pictures below should help. Tomorrow we are off to Lake Taupo again for another 3 day adventure.
~ The Traveling Duo

Digging our hole at Hot Water Beach

Too Hotttttt

Success

He did the majority of the digging

...and I did most of the relaxing

Relaxing at Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove

Birds eating the eye from a fish....

Ben

Brandy

Our Hostel

Hot Water Beach beginning of our dig