We spend a lot of time in the Coromandel and I thought I knew it pretty well but every time we explore by boat we see a whole different side to the peninsula.
We’re not lucky enough to have our own boat but we are lucky enough to have James parents with the most amazing boat ever – an amphibian Sea Legs!! We pay them frequently in bait and fuel to take us out and we are extra lucky that they never seem to mind with James and Pa spending a good chunk of time fishing out in the Coromandel waters.
We also get to do a bit of exploring as a family and the other day we went out exploring for a day. What an absolute paradise! From the sheltered bays, accessible only by sea, where you are the only people on the beach…
To the gap – an impossibly small space to get through at low tide, with towering sides either side through to the sheltered waters of Te Kouma.
To bays so still and clear that when we anchored in at 2m deep the kids all put on their mermaid tales and jumped straight in (safety note here – Mermaid tales have got a bit of bad press – personally I love them – but as a bit of a precaution, please be aware that they aren’t always safe in the ocean and the only reason our kids were wearing them there is that the water was calm and James was right there in the water with them with 3 of us also on the boat able to help).
To our all time favourite – Elephant Cove. A cove that shelters many a boat and is just perfect for swimming. It also looks surprisingly like an elephant.
Along the way we’ve seen penguins, dolphins, birds and mussel farms. And we’ve caught our fair share of Snapper and Kingfish (as well as a few baby Sharks).
It’s a magical spot so if you can get yourself on the invite list on a boat in the Coromandel then make sure you do it!