July 22nd, 2018
This weekend we finally got some sun, so naturally we took to the beach. The west coast of the north island is home to two of the world’s most beautiful black sand beaches, Karekare and Piha. Just a 45 minute drive away, eight of us set out to make the journey. In New Zealand, you only need to be twenty years old to drive a rental car, leaving all but one of us eligible. Being a rather fast and confident driver in the US, I thought it best for someone else to take the wheel along the narrow and unknown streets. Thankfully, those who took the wheel did a decent job of driving not only on the opposite side of the road, but the opposite side of the car than we’re used to.
We arrived at Karekare just after 11am. We came upon a sign that pointed down to the beach or up to the waterfalls. We couldn’t pass up waterfalls, and decided to being our day there. Tucked away on the side of the mountain we had just driven down we found two falls. The first was a short cascade that collected into a small but very deep pool before continuing to drip down into a creek. It was a matter of seconds before we all tore off our shoes and began climbing up to the pool. The water was icy and the rocks were sharp and slippery, but we made it to the ledge where we dipped our toes in and posed for pictures.
The second waterfall was taller than any of us could estimate, and pooled into a medium-sized lagoon. This was where the true fun began. Once again unable to resist the temptation, we quickly changed into our swimsuits and half of us waded in. Two brave souls did a full polar plunge, letting their entire bodies be swallowed by the fridged water. As for me, I went about stomach-deep -- enough to be content with saying I had gone in, but not far enough to be submerged. The water was a clear, aqua color -- the kind of color you’d imagine water to be if you were painting or coloring it.
Wet, cold, and lacking towels, we threw on what we could, put the rest in our packs, and continued on to the beach. Down a sandy path lined with tall grasses was the shore. We must have arrived at low tide, as the beach stretched for what seemed like miles before the waves break. Setting our stuff down, we sat for a moment and enjoyed a quick picnic. Music, snacks, the sound of waves crashing, and the giddiness of diving into waterfalls fueled our smiles and our energy. A few at a time we began wandering around. Down to the shore, over to the large rock that sat just a few feet into the ocean, to each side of where we’d sat.
After a bit we all decided to pick up and see more of the beach. Walking first to a massive rock, three people began to climb up. It was a vertical climb, much like a rock wall you’d find in a gym. Closer to the shore were rocks that stretched out into the ocean. Climbing barefoot along these formations we found a cove where the water came in, splashing up on the rocks and glistening as the sun was setting over the horizon.
After a long time exploring and climbing the various rocks we decided to hop over to Piha beach. Slightly more developed, there was a small surf school lining the path to the beach and a handful of people out on the waves. A massive rock stood firmly on the shore and we noticed there were stairs etched into the side, allowing us to walk up and get a full view of the beach. After completing yet another steep climb, we were gifted with a view of the sun going down over the expansive Piha beach. We didn’t stay up there for long as it was crowded and getting late, but, once again, the view was worth the climb. I’m starting to sense that as a theme of this country: you’ll have to climb a long way, lose your breath and strain your legs, but what you see from the top will make you forget how difficult it was to reach the sights.
