custard creams

Hi, I believe that the beaches in Tauranga are great , how is the swimming in the sea? is it warm or cold ? it looks beutifully clear from the pictures although not many pictures I have seen show people swimming in the sea.
May be I need to speed up my application to try for myself (can,t wait!)

Ash1

Hi,


The swimming beaches are mainly from Mount Maunganui through to Papamoa East. This a 20KM stretch which is why you wont see many swimmers as there is so much choice. The safe beaches(monitored by life guards) are at Mouny Maunganui/ Omanu / and Papamoa Beach.
From my experience, the water is pretty cold but this doesn`t seem to stop anybody, even in winter. All year round you will see surfers out when the surf is up, they just wear a thicker wet suit. You can get a wet suit from $70 from The Warehouse.
Hope this helps.
Ash

Am Loolah

Hi Richard and welcome!

I can't comment on swimming as we've only been here since April, but that didn't stop the kids from swimming in it and through May - which was exceptionally warm weather wise.

I was walking the dogs along the beach yesterday and the water felt quite pleasant - and I'm a wimp! Having said that I've only seen a few people in the ocean without wetsuits and that's mainly kids, who let's face it, don't feel the cold!

About a fortnight ago we were at the beach in papamoa and there were loads of swimmers, including our youngest!

I agree with Ash1 though and from Mauao (The Mount) through to Papamoa East is just one, huge, long stretch of golden sand and turquoise ocean!

Liz & Co

Warm at the moment, my kids are kayaking and surfing in shorty wetsuits and body boarding in shorts.

Am Loolah

Me too ...

Liz & Co

Jif walks the dog along the nudist beach - was it you?!?!?!

Am Loolah

Must have been Hubby doing his Tai Chi??!!

Was not me, unless she was gorgeous, then clearly it was me!

Liz & Co

Trust me, wasn't you!!!

krissie

nudist beach? wot nudist beach? didnt know there was one!!!

Angie Richards

Trust me if there was a nudist beach in the mount my oh would have found it by now !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marika 38

Loving this thread, I love to hear all about the beaches, I just can't wait to see everything.
Weathers gone too chilly for being in the sea here in Cornwall now, still o.k for a walk, but I won't be swimming till i get to n.z, so look out for me, I'm the body boarder who can't quite do it, only ever caught one wave,, ever !!!!!

sammymac

I've not been to the nudist bit but it does exist apparently?! Yikes! Have you heard of the Tauranga UFO society too, I fancy giving that one a go?!

You wont get me on the nudist beach anyway, specially with this huge preggie bump of mine.. yes ladies it HAS got even bigger.

In fact, I wouldn't look very out of place on the beach though, bit like a whale at the moment

Did any of you feel the earthquake last Sat night/Sun morning at 1.15am? Scary!

x

Angie Richards

no where was it i sleep like a log lol

sammymac

Well, OH went out on Sat night and I was reading in bed, couldn't sleep (again due to huge preggie bump!). It was all very quiet when suddenly heard a rumble and then the bed started rocking from side to side!! Jumped out of bed wondering which way to run first, stood under the door frame and called OH to ask him when he was going to get his ass back home. He was walking from the pub with a mate and neither of them heard or felt it (yes, they were both plastered, no suprises there then?!) They didnt belive me until they got to the friends house and his wife said the sofa and walls were moving!!

It was an earthquake, strength was 4.7 in Matata I think and so thats why we could feel it in Papamoa/Tauranga. I was scared silly... It lasted all of a few seconds, but I was then panicking about Tsunamis etc. They tested the new sirens this week at the Mount, which were a success apparently. Hope they get some louder ones down in Papamoa, the one we have now is crap...

Anyway, that enough from the histerical pregnant lady!!