Burning Portfolio

Taken at Muriwai Beach, New Zealand around sunset.

Dolphins at Goat Island

Living in New Zealand without any close family leaves traditional holidays like Christmas a bit bare. So, On Christmas day 2009 we went snorkelling at Goat Island. I’ve mentioned Goat Island a couple of times before, because it is a beautiful marine reserve and only 100km from Auckland. The beach was rather crowded (it was a perfect summer’s day), but only a couple of people, mostly kayakers, snorkellers & divers, dared the cold water. When we got into the water, someone from the shore pointed into the distance and shouted. My first reaction was to think “Shark!” but it turned out to be a bunch of dolphins swimming into the bay. What resulted was us swimming like crazy to get to the area where the dolphins were to get some photos or videos.

The dolphins must have been very curious because we had a couple swim up to us, have a look, make squeaky dolphin noises and then quickly swim away. Truly breath-taking stuff! We got a couple of video clips of the dolphins playing around.

Blueberry Muffins

A lazy Sunday afternoon, a punnet of Blueberries and one lone egg calls for Blueberry Muffins. The recipe is quick and easy, even the guys can do it.

Ingredients

1 egg

¼ cup oil

½ cup white sugar

1 cup milk

2 cups standard plain flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup (approx a punnet) of blueberries

Instructions

Heat the oven at 200°C. If you are using a fan-forced oven, heat at 170-180°C.

Beat the egg, oil, sugar and milk together in a bowl. Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into the wet mixture. Add the blueberries and mix. Do not beat the mixture, but gently stir until you get a think consistent batter. Spoon the mixture into a greased muffin tin and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let the muffins cool before tipping them over onto a wire rack. Dust the muffins with icing sugar before serving. The recipe makes 12 perfect muffins, ready to be served.

Bon appetit!

Hot Water Beach & Cathedral Cove

Hot Water Beach

A beach with hot water? No, not entirely. The sea water is cool but the water that filters up from the beach sand is hot.

Hot Water Beach is a beach on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand, approximately 12 kilometres south east of Whitianga, and approximately 175 kilometres from Auckland by car. Its name comes from underground hot springs which filter up through the sand between the high and low water tidal reaches. The beach is a popular destination both for locals and tourists visiting New Zealand. Annual visitor numbers have been estimated at 130,000, making it one of the most popular geothermal attractions in the Waikato region. wiki

How?

Within two hours either side of low tide, it is possible to dig into the sand allowing hot water to escape to the surface forming a hot water pool. The water temperature which can be as hot as 64°C (147°F), filters up from two underground fissures located close to each other. These natural springs can be found on the beach opposite the off-shore rocks. Visitors often dig large holes and relax and soak in the thermal water. Many visitors bring a spade and bucket with them. Spades can also be hired from the nearby surf shop.

Where?

Hot Water Beach, Coromandel, NZ

 

Cathedral Cove

Cathedral Cove is named after the cave located there linking Mare’s Leg Cove to Cathedral Cove. Gemstone Bay and Stingray Bay are also located within the reserve. A walking track exists from the northern end of Hahei Beach, and it is also possible to walk from the local authority car park at the top of the headland between Hahei and Gemstone Bay. The area is very popular with tourists, and receives around 150,000 visitors a year.

The Cathedral is a gigantic arched cavern that penetrates the headland between two coves. It gives an air of grandeur to the whole of the beach. The headland is the site of an ancient Maori pa (fortified village). The beach is sandy with a pohutukawa backdrop—a perfect place for a picnic followed by a swim.

The cave and beach was used as the tunnel through which the Pevensie children first re-enter Narnia in the movie version of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. wiki

Now that sounds very romantic and pretty, but what they don’t tell you is the 45 minute walk / climb through forest and bush going up and down and around corners. Forest canopy only covers about 20 percent of the walk, so if you are going in the summer time, be sure to apply generous amounts of sun-block and take a hat. A lot of kids went barefoot down the track and were complaining all the way. But, the hike and the blistering heat with the breathtaking views is all worth it when you get to the beach. White sandy beaches, waveless crystal clear blue water and a couple of scattered rocks and islands in the distance.

The big trek to the beach begins.

All of us carrying water bottles, towels, wetsuits and snorkelling gear.

Gemstone Bay, Stingray Bay (next cove in) and Cathedral Cove (around the protruding rock further back).

Te Hoho

The protruding pumice breccia rock at the Cathedral Cove beach is known as “Te Hoho”. This rock was once attached to the main land, but wind and water has sculptured it to form this impressive and unusual rock.

 

Cathedral Cove’s white sandy undisturbed beach and clear blue water.

 

Hole in the rock

Cathedral Cove looking out onto Te Hoho, the pumice rock on the edge of the water.

The view back from Te Hoho on the Cathedral Cove beach.

 

Kayaking to Cathedral Cove 

After trekking all the way back to the car park which took a bit longer than 45 minutes because it is uphill most of the way – but an awesome work out – we were kaput. Two days later, on 1 Jan 2010 we joined up with Sea Kayak Tours. With dry bags for the cameras and splash skirts for the kayaks, we ventured into the sea. The water was a bit choppy because of the light wind in the Coromandel, but it adds to the fun of having some salt water spray land on your warm skin to cool you down. We stopped at Cathedral Cove for a coffee and a bikkie (biscuit) and to admire the spectacular views again. I would highly recommend the kayak tour to anyone with more than an ounce of adventure in them.

 

 

Coffee is served on the beach

Coffee and biscuits were served by our very knowledgeable local tour guide, Ryan.

It was a beautiful and relaxing beach holiday. I recommend that everyone who is in the area should go dig a whole on the Hot Water Beach, trek down to Cathedral Cove and take a kayak tour.

Sun halo

On 30 December 2009, we spent the day on the Cathedral Cove beach in the Coromandel, New Zealand. While sunbathing, I noticed the ring / rainbow around the sun. It was extremely hot that day with some scattered cloud in the sky.

Cathedral Cove, Coromandel, NZ

In July 2009, I wrote about the moon halo that we saw in Auckland, New Zealand.

A halo; also known as a nimbus, icebow or Gloriole) is an optical phenomenon that appears near or around the Sun or Moon, and sometimes near other strong light sources such as street lights. There are many types of optical halos, but they are mostly caused by ice crystals in cold cirrus clouds located high (5–10 km, or 3–6 miles) in the upper troposphere. The particular shape and orientation of the crystals is responsible for the type of halo observed. Light is reflected and refracted by the ice crystals and may split up into colors because of dispersion, similarly to the rainbow. Source: wiki

Pretty awesome natural optical phenomenon!

Sunset at Goat Island

We went camping at Goat Island at the start of December 2009. Took a few snaps of the sunset. In summer, the sun only sets after 9pm in New Zealand.

As we left Auckland, a storm cloud was rolling in.

Creme Soda

For the first time in almost 2 years, I drank Creme Soda. New Zealanders do not know what Creme Soda is and you get a very confused stare if you try and explain it to them. Creme Soda is the ultimate hangover cure (known as the Green Ambulance in South Africa). Creme Soda is green. Creme Soda is manufactured by Coca Cola. Creme Soda isn’t sold in normal NZ stores; you have to buy it in speciality shops. Creme Soda is yum.

And where do you buy biltong, Creme Soda and South African braai salt? At the South African Shop in Rosedale Road in Auckland.

South African Shop in Auckland – new owners

Proud to advertise that the South African Shop in Rosedale Road in Auckland is under new ownership and management. The new owners, Elsabe and Francois, are two amazing people and I’m convinced that they’ll make a success of the shop. Please do visit them online at The South African Shop or join up on their Facebook page.

If you’re in the Auckland area, stop by the shop and pick up some of your favourites. I know I’ll be munching on some Ouma beskuit (rusks) and pink Fizzers soon.

A few travel pics

Old pump house, close to Whangamata, NZ.

 

 

Inside the pump house.

 

Champagne Lake in the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Park outside Rotorua.

Drag Queen Extravaganza

Ettiene’s work Christmas function was held at Finale Restaurant and Cabaret on K Road. Yes, Christmas came early this year. Finale offers a scrumptious buffet dinner with a very yummy kiwi favourite, Pavlova, for dessert. K Road (officially known as Karangahape Road but that’s just a mouthful) is Auckland’s red light district. During the day, it is business as usual with banks, boutiques, cafe’s and opshops operating. After the sun sets, the queens come out to play. 

We were entertained with renditions including covers for Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Michael Jackson (the queens absolutely love them darling), David Guetta and a few kiwi classics that we were clueless about.