Beach Time
Filed under: Beaches in New Zealand, Hubby's Views, Life in New Zealand
I’ve learnt to relax about time since we came to NZ.
In the UK I’d always be wearing a watch and needing to keep an eye on the time. Time to be somewhere, do something, time to get somewhere else – especially during the working week. Much like Alice in Wonderlands mad march hare – mustn’t be late!
Holiday’s always used to be down time, where I didn’t wear a watch ‘cos I’m on holiday and the time generally didn’t matter.
So having moved to NZ and got used to people being more relaxed here, I stopped wearing my watch. While of course mobile phones are everywhere, and I’m hardly without mine these days, there is still some symbolism for me in not wearing a watch.
So today in talking with Avalon about some other people saying they haven’t got time to do stuff, I was pondering beach time as we drove back from Riversdale.
Beach Time, it’s a bit like Island Time for anyone who has been to the smaller south Pacific islands.
It goes something like this;
- What time is it? – time to head to the beach
- What time is it? – time to head into the surf
- What time is it? – time to dry off and read a book
- What time is it? – time to apply more sunblock
- What time is it? – time to turn over and continue reading my book
- What time is it? – time to have a snooze
- What time is it? – time to head back into the water
- What time is it? – time to get some ice cream
- What time is it? – time to go back and get some coffee
- What time is it? – time to catch some more waves
What time is it? – who cares, we’re at the beach!
5 years – who would have thought?
Filed under: Beaches in New Zealand, Life in New Zealand, NZIS & Immigration issues, The Family Sponsorship Saga
Yep – it’s been 5 years now that we have lived here in New Zealand. According to many – I am not supposed to be a successful immigrant. I whinge too much: about sausages and bacon, about the houses, about the banks, about the politics, about the 100% pure marketing crap. I get homesick. I’m proud to be English and miss the UK, and at heart, even though I have citizenship in New Zealand, I am still English – probably will never think of myself as a Kiwi.
And yet – I’m still here, and happy to be here.
Yes – there are things that make my blood boil, things that enrage me, things about living here that frustrate me to the point of tears. But isn’t that the case anywhere? Much as I love the UK and have a huge sense of national pride (and no amount of being labelled a nasty white coloniser will change that) – there were things about living there I also didn’t like.
You simply do not have to like every single thing about the place you choose to live in order to be allowed to live there. If that were the case – we would have a world population of about 1000 people.
One day I will work on a list of my likes and dislikes – just to see which list has more items on it. What I do know is that despite the things I do not like about living in New Zealand, I love living here, and it terrifies me that Immigration New Zealand may yet be able to screw this up for me and make me go back to the UK because they are determined to keep families apart. What I have seen of New Zealand in the past year is the very worst it has to offer it’s immigrants, and if my family are not all welcome here, then in the end, I too will not stay.
Because at the end of the day, no matter how nice New Zealand’s beaches are, no matter how comparatively cheap the houses are, and that we have a pool and a big house – home for me is where the family is.
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The unseen Wairarapa Coast
I spend a lot of time at the beach, considering that we actually live about 90 minutes drive away. This is I’m sure not a shock to most people. We have just got back from 4 days away, staying at The Dunes in Riversdale – where we always go. (I an a true believer of the premise: If it ain’t broke – don’t fix it).
However, as the weather was not the greatest (this does not generally bother me – the beach in bad weather is still soothing to the soul), we decided to actually get up off our backsides and go exploring.
So we took a trip further north up the coast to take a look at Matakoina. A local friend of ours has a caravan up there, and had told us it was worth a look. The only reason its taken so long is that – well – we like Riversdale – which defianltely ain’t broke.
So anyway – here’s what we found – the photos don’t really do it justice – but that’s because I’m not a photographer.
That hill is a sand dune believe it or not.
A spectacular rocky beach with waves crashing over the rocks in the distance.
Wish we had room to stick this pet rock in the car 
Rock Pools
Crashing Waves
The Pefect Starter Bach
Really Strange Rock Formations
Looking back (South) towards Castlepoint.
Castlepoint
Castlepoint Lighthouse
And finally – the sun setting at Riversdale.
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Clean, Green, 100% Pure – Sewage :(
North and South has an interesting editorial this month, about the fact that even though there really hardly anyone living in New Zealand – we have an appalling problem with sewage pollution.
It may look sparkling clean over here in the photos, but its not. Not by a long shot. Our beaches – lovely though are – are apparently full of crap. Masterton council wants to discharge effluent into the local Ruamahunga river. Children swim in it in the summer. Riversdale beach – by favourite spot – has such a problem with antiquated sewage systems that every house will have to convert their system to the new reed bed sewage system. As soon as the council makes up its mind to build it (10years an counting) – until then – the beach stays polluted.
The article concentrates on the sheer unadulterated stupidity of Horowhenua District Council, who spent a whopping $10,000,000 on sparkling new “environmentally friendly” council offices. And have just pleaded guilty to dumping 8.5 million litres of sewage into the local river.
Classy!
This is the tip of the iceberg, and sooner or later people do actually twig that the “100% pure” slogan is just that – a Marketing Slogan. Why New Zealand gets to practice misleading advertising practices and gets away with it is beyond me – but I guess countries are not subject to fair trade laws.
So just be clear when moving here – we have awful sewage problems, and our beaches rivers and lakes are actually quite polluted. One thing they are not is Clean, green or 100% pure. Sometimes it feels like the only thing that stops the country being 100% Sludge is the fact that theres so few people living here.
You can get copies of North&South at Kiwifruits in London. We actully used to get it frequently before we moved out here, and it was really helpful in seeing some of the real life that goes on over here. Its not all fluff!
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Views of Riversdale (for Sarah)
Looking North up the beach towards Castlepoint.
The sun rising over the sea.
The beach at dusk
The Crowds at the Beach on Boxing Day – one of the busiest days of the year.
Clouds Over Riversdale
When we stay overnight – we stay at The Dunes, owned by a very friendly lady called Caroline. It sits literally just behind the Dunes – one minute and you are on the beach. Theres no cooker, but there is a Microwave and small barbie. It a lovely little place, and really relaxing.
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Why I love Riversdale Beach.
I decided to pop over to Riversdale Beach on Friday – as a way of dealing with extreme Immigration Stress. There really is nothing better for me than staring at the sea with a take away coffee. It also helped that it was a stunning day, and the sea was a beautiful turquoise colour.
Well, we went back today, because hubby really also needed a day out, and if we stayed at home we would find things “to do”. So off we toddled.
As usual, we got the beach, and the very first thing we did was head to the shop for the much needed coffee.
Where they still had my EftPOS card from Friday – sat there waiting. Apparently they had assumed I was coming back for a second coffee on Friday. Which I guess at the very least suggest I’m a “regular” now if they remember that I usually do get another one for the drive home.
It’s a good job I didn’t need the card this weekend.
So thanks to Brownie at the Riversdale store, for not laughing at me too hard, and keeping my card safe.
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Beach report – Riversdale 26th July
Since one of our favoured past times since we got to NZ is bumming around on the beach, I figured it was time to start an ongoing series of beach reports.
So today, having spent weeks working our butts off with a variety of issues, I decided it was time to take a day out and head to Riversdale.
So, I can report today that;
1. The beach was busy – there was at least 20 people I saw on the beach while we were there
2. It was bloody cold! Fortunately the wind wasn’t strong enough to whip up sand into the face, it was still darn cold requiring a blanket to sit on the beach despite the glorious sunshine.
3. The waves were pretty shallow, and not that huge or choppy. And there was no one in the water, not even the singular hardy surfer.
4. It looks like there has been some storm erosion of the dunes, which means that instead of the nice slopes going down to the beach proper. The dunes are like they have had a slice taken off, just like the slips on the side of hills pouring mud down onto roads, rail tracks etc.
Still, it was gloriously sunny and the air was fresh, so we felt quite relaxed while we were there.
Being able to head to the beach is one of those things which helped Avalon with the home sickness. While I was never much of a beach person in the UK – lack of swimming ability being one area of caution – I’ve grown to really enjoy being at the beach. On honeymoon we started touring round some of the beaches, and I rather enjoy being in the choppy waves at Riversdale now.
Another water baby converted by NZ’s beaches.
Autumn colours
We took a trip to riversdale today – here are some of the amazing colours we saw:
Autum trees on the way to the beach
Sunset on the way home
Sunset a minute later
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I’m a very stupid lobster.
I went to the beach yesterday. Again.
Now I am paying the price for not reapplying my sunblock. You could fry eggs on my back right now.
Now – firstly – this does not usually happen to me. I tend to be in the “pale and interesting” category – rather than trying to get tanned. And as I don’t really like very hot weather – I also tend to stay out the sun. And if that wasn’t enough – having a school friend die from Skin cancer at the age of 21 has tended to make me very wary of going out without sunblock on.
I don’t mess around with SPF’s of 15 – I go for the industrial strength “nothing’s getting through this sucker” stuff, and sarongs to wrap me up.
Once or twice – I’ve missed a bit with sunblock – and you can see some very funny parts where the sunblock ends and I get a small patch of red, but that is not what happened.
I use the Sun Sense range of creams. These are brilliant – and what you need in the harsh sun of New Zealand. We have a hole in the Ozone layer right above us – so the sun is even more dangerous than usual. I found out about these back in the UK funnily enough. A very well respected doctor that worked in the surgery next to the pharmacy I was running insisted on this range for his patients. At the time we had to get them specially ordered from Australia, as they were not easily available in the UK. Thankfully they now are.
I go for the Sports version – waterproof – so good for going in the sea. And normally – it actually protects me all day. I think yesterdays lesson is that even that needs to be helped with covering up – and we forgot to take the bottle with us – so we couldn’t re-apply.
Mind you – we went early in the morning –and were supposed to be going home by midday – to keep out of the worst of the sun. Thing is – when we looked at the watch – it was already 3pm. We just totally lost track of time. It’s easily done – life just melts away when we get to the beach.
Just one thing – the Cancer society here sells its own brand of sun lotion. The only time I used it – and that was for a short time in the sun – I fried to a crisp. I’m sticking with Sun Sense – and a bit more common sense on my part.
Do take care when emigrating to New Zealand. The sun is fierce – and if you are only really used to what a UK summer looks like – you could be in for a bit of a shock.
Are New Zealand Beaches safe?
Filed under: Beaches in New Zealand, Life in New Zealand
I love the beach. I was there today, at my usual haunt – Riversdale. It’s been a tremendously tough week, and going there is always the best way to deal with it.
The tide was all the way in. Everyone on the beach was sitting up in the dunes, and it was pretty spectacular. Usually the sea is a fair way out.
Now – I love beaches with honking great waves. I’m not a surfer, but myself and my family have always enjoyed the beaches with the huge waves – we just get pummelled by them rather than try and ride them.
So it was with a huge amount of rapture today that we got to Riversdale to find ginormous waves, crashing down the whole length of the beach. We didn’t sit down and relax for a while first – we just headed straight in.
Blimey – the sea was so strong. Within minutes – we were deep enough in that the water was up to our waists – but the waves were so big, that by the time we could stand up after being bowled over by one – the water was up to our necks. A few times – I couldn’t reach the bottom. It was so much fun!
But we also have to be very careful. You see, the waves were that strong – we couldn’t always stand up, and ended up getting dragged into shore – often along the beach as well. And at the same time, as the sea rolled back out – it would drag us out to sea. The strength was phenomenal! (Does that count as a workout???). Trying to stand in one place was pretty difficult, and we both got tired pretty quickly.
One of the reasons I like Riversdale so much is that it is a Patrolled Beach – with DHL Surf Lifeguards looking after it during the high season. I have always had a healthy respect for the sea: while it is a lot of fun – it can kill you if you don’t take the dangers seriously.
This is especially so with New Zealand beaches. Please don’t assume that it is safe to swim at them. Many of them contain Riptides or Rip currents – and if you are not a strong swimmer – or panic – you can end up an ex-swimmer pretty fast.
This is serious.
There have been 13 drownings at New Zealand Beaches so far this year – and it’s only the 17th! If you can’t swim, then learn. Hubby didn’t lean how to swim until about 9 years ago (he was banned from school swimming lessons because they thought it was more important to force him to write Right-handed). Now he is actually a very good swimmer – and gets to enjoy mucking around with huge waves as much as the rest of us.
Riversdale surf lifesaving club runs classes to teach children how to deal with the beach safely – so it’s worth looking for a local version – and getting your kids enrolled.
And learn how to spot rips! Loving Long Island.com actually has a fantastic page on Rip Currents – with useful pictures that tell you what you need to look for.
Most importantly – if you are at a beach in New Zealand with signs up saying it’s not safe to swim – then don’t go in the water. Rip Tides can pull you out to sea even if you are just standing in relative shallow water.
Enjoy the beaches in New Zealand – they are stunning – just don’t be stupid.
Watersafe Auckland has a list of safety tips.
