Hot Water Beach

Our travels through the Cormandel Peninsula led us to the lovely Hot Water Beach. For 2 hours on either side of low tide, you can dig yourself a hole that fills with piping hot water heated by the underground hot springs. A natural hot tub at the beach!

We rented our space (available from all the local cafes and hotels) and got to work. It was one of the most crowded "attractions" I've seen in NZ. Everyone starts digging and then they give each other confused looks. "This doesn't feel hot." So you dig deeper and it still doesn't feel hot. I was beginning to wonder if people get so exhausted from digging that they're just happy to finally sit in a pool of cold water.

Then the crowd slowly realizes that the hot water supply is limited to a very narrow area of the shore. We moved to a new location and kept digging. No luck. Try a new location. Each time, I dipped my foot in to test my work and each time it was cold. I heard someone sitting in a pool next to me say, "Ouch, the water is too hot." I almost slapped her.

Then it finally happened. I dipped my foot into hole #52 and it was scalding. The water really was too hot. Sitting/standing in one area for too long would burn your bum/feet. People were jumping around like they were walking on hot coals. Steam was rising from the ground. One man even tried to cook a package of ramen noodles.

It was something to see... a few hundred people jammed into a very small area of beach, the rest of shore totally deserted. From time to time, a big wave would send a rush of cold water into everyone's personal hot tubs. The entire crowd would let out a big "oooh!" As the tide came in, those cold waves began to overpower the hot pools. We reluctantly called packed away our shovel and headed back to town. Another hard day's work in New Zealand! I have the boiled foot to prove it.