Miracle on the roads around Waihi Beach

Saw quite a freaky and scary accident on the way to Kauri Point this morning -It was heading towards Katikati approx 1 - 1.5 ks from the Waihi Beach turn off. I was on my way to get strawberries when I saw this car come straight across the centre line approx 100 metres in front of me go through a fence - do a roll and land on its 4 wheels and stop in the middle of the paddock on my side of the road.Stopped the car - could not find the hazzard flashers so just jumped the fence and ran across the paddock to see if I could help. Luckily so did 10 or so others who had seen the accident. The driver was a young mum with 2 kids strapped in the back seats in proper car restraints and all three were un harmed but in shock.
Managed to help calm the kids  and their mum whilst the ambulance was on its way and helped deliver them to the ambulance.

It was a miracle no one was injured as the car could easily have hit on coming traffic and there may have been horrific injuries. Thank heavens all were ok and unscathed and the car only had front fender trouble.

It also restores your faith in humanity - the help on the scene from passers by was really something else- strangers who wanted to help someone in need.

To find Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/map.html

Xmas at Waihi Beach

Just thought you would like to see  what is happening in and around Waihi Beach - the Pohutukawas are coming out and will be about for the next few weeks - the Kiwi Xmas tree in all it's splendour.

For more photos of Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/photos.html

www.waihibeachinfo.co.nz

In the last few months leading up to Xmas I was reselling the listing space on the http://www.waihibeachinfo.co.nz/ website - the local website that has all the information you would ever want to know about Waihi Beach. Everything from the history of Waihi Beach, emergency services, local services like the library hours to recycling station hours over the holiday period plus weather forecasts, surf cam and much more.
Additionally businesses can list in the appropriate section be it dining, accommodation, trade services, activities etc - the website has grown incredibly since inception in 2005 and now has over 60,000 page views and nearly 20,000 unique visitors annually - yet some prospective advertisers said they did not need to be on this website as they had their own website now - trying to explain to these advertisers that you need to drive traffic to their websites was not understood and they did not understand that you drive  traffic to your site by linking to or listing on successful websites like the local http://www.waihibeachinfo.co.nz/ website.

For more information on links go to www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/links.html

Driving to and from the Waihi Beach

have done a little driving this last week to and from Auckland once and to and from Auckland International airport once also.

Went to Auckland International airport to pick up my eldest son who was coming home for Xmas from Melbourne - reasonable traffic on the way up but a zoo once I got to the airport terminal - coming in just after mid night I thought everything thing would be sleepy and not so many people around - how wrong was I. The terminal had hundreds of people waiting for friends, family etc coming home for Xmas - I could not believe my eyes and getting a park took 15 minutes - Waihi Beach is a doddle in comparison.They were 3 deep around the entrance waiting to meet their loved ones.

The traffic on Xmas day was surprising - totally did not expect to see the numbers of cars on the road going up and certainly not out and about on Xmas day. There was a traffic jam for no apparent reason coming south at approx mid day around Manurewa - go figure stuck in traffic on Xmas day - thankfully not us.

Coming home was no better - people doing silly things - some driving too slowly and others way too fast. And the big rush is on boxing day - thanks heavens we did not wait until then and it would have been much worse.

For more info on driving times to and from Waihi Beach  www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/contact.html

Waihi Beach Fresh Produce Market

Had a day from hell today as there was going to be a big Waihi Beach Fresh Produce Market at the beach coinciding  with the Pumphouse Pistons having a car & motor bike show across the road at the Waihi Beach Hotel.

  

The day started out sort of ok with low cloud around the hills and we had our fingers crossed for some sun and no rain but for once the weather forecasters got it right and the longer the day went the wetter the day got. It was a pity as the market had a great selection of stall holders all ready and rearing to go but the rain was a real dampner. The variety on offer was great - fresh locally grown cherries, tomatoes, capsicums, lettuces, basil  and many more herbs, waffles, sausages on bread, mussell fritters, fresh coffee and ice creams, free range eggs, free range pork cuts, freshly smoked fish, freshly made bread and buns, wood fired pizzas, fresh flowers and locally made cheeses and much much more.

Fingers crossed for fine weather through summer

For more information on activities at Waihi Beach - www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html 

New Bar at the Surf Club Waihi Beach

Last night we went to the opening of the new bar at the Waihi Beach Surf Club at the northern end of the beach. We were very impressed at the potential of the club bar as it is right on the beach with 180 deg views.

The bar will be open from approx daily 4pm  until 11pm but entry is member only - membership is $30.00 annually and guests can bring up to 4 visitors. The surf club bar is targetting families and is keen to increase its membership across the board. Meals will be available as well as bar snacks.

The Waihi Beach Surf Club has a proud history at the Beach  and is seen as a leader amongst the surf lfesaving fraternity so it may a clue for greater things to come- interesting to note there a many families where there are several generations in the family all with roots in the surf club as it had been a corner stone of the community back in the day.

Lets get behind the Waihi Beach Surf Club and make it the envy of other clubs nationally and while we are talking nationally - there is a desire to get the surf lfesaving nationals back to Waihi Beach as it has been over 5 years since it was last here- wouldn't it be great to have them here and show off the great new facilities!

For more information on activities at Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html

Mayor Island

                                         

Yesterday I went on a fishing trip to Mayor Island with a few neighbours and had a great time, The Mayor (Tuhua)  was fantastic - there in all its glory and waters around it just so clear. At one stage there we could see twenty odd feet in the water and watch the blue and pink maumau swim around. But it was a reminder what a great asset we have out there - how beautiful and preserved the island is and surrounded by clear clean waters.The pohutakawas were not out yet - some patehes were seen but more to come over the next month when the Mayor will be surrounded with red flowers.

The fishing wasn't too bad either - we landed terakihi, gurnard, grandady hapuka in great numbers, porae, blue cod, pink maumau, mackeral and a couple of snapper that were too small and had to go back. We also saw several sharks - one as big as two - two and a half meters - remember that this is their domain.

For more information on activities in and around Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html

Cricket

What is going on in the sporting world. Aussie dropping to no 5 in the world at Test cricket and New Zealand performing at their inconsistent best in one day cricket - the aussie demise is a surprise but New Zealands performance is par for the course.

To see the aussies not being able to take wickets nor make runs - gee they now know what it is like to have a team of good average cricketers without world class stars. New Zealand has a world class player once or twice  a decade - Vetorri & Bond recently but Aussie have been spoilt  with Gilchrist, Warne, Mc Grath, Hayden, Langer & Lee and they do not get replaced over night.

It is great to see Ricky Ponting struggling with his bowlers not taking wickets  and not knowing who to throw the ball to - New Zealand skippers have had that problem for years and have had to do the best with what they had.Welcome to the real world and fielding for 2 days on end - cricket can surely be a leveller.

Waihi Beach Signs

We have had some progress with Transit Waikato and we have movement in getting a sign up coming from Waihi to Waihi Beach - not sure if and when we will actually get the sign up or what size it will be but we appear to have their ok in going ahead to apply for a consent to put the sign up - marvellous - watch this space.

To find Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/map.html

Guest comments

                                       

It was interesting recently to discuss with guests from the US what they thought of New Zealand and had it measured up to their prior to visit expectations. " It has been everything we expected and more - so much more!" was the comment that came back from both guests.

"Waihi Beach - when we booked we thought somewhere quiet for our last day in New Zealand before we fly out - we loved the walk over to Orakawa Bay - there was virtually no one there - we had the place to ourselves and we decided to have a look at the gold mine in Waihi - wow there is lots more to do - you could easily spend days here" www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities

Waihi - Mine town

Managed to get to the memeorial sevice for the Pike River disaster in Waihi yesterday. It was a very good reminder that Waihi is a sister type community to Greymouth as both communities are mining towns so Greymouth and the Pike River 29 were very much in the thoughts of those who attended.

The sevice had speakers including the Mayor of Hauraki John Tregider, General manager of Newmont Waihi Gold Glen Grindlay plus Mary Carmaine from the Hauraki District council who is from Waihi. Each spoke about different effects mining had on the local community and how much they related to Greymouth and how the miners who worked in Waihi related to Pike River. The empathy was there for all to see. Miners from one of the underground contractors performed a waiata - included amongst these were members of the Waihi mine rescue team - one of whom had just come back from Pike River.

It was quite telling to walk into the memorial hall in Waihi and see 29 miners hats with their helmet lights on and 29 Kowhai trees that will be planted somewhere around the pit rim and later a plaque will be added to remember the Pike River 29.

At the end of the memorial the community was told to take nothing for granted, love their families, hug their friends, partners, wives, husbands and families and have a beer/wine with their mates

Kia Kaha to the families of the Pike River 29

To see more about Waihi http://www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html

Kiwis in Sport

Wow what a year we have had across the board.

From our BMX world champions to Rugby League, Rowing, Athletics, Football, Wood Chopping, NetBall Cycling and Rugby - we have achieved at the very top  - I have no doubt missed some sports out and in some cases we have performed well above what was expected - we tend as a country to punch above our weight - an admirable quality as thats what makes us kiwis living in the country we do.

We should take a minute and think how lucky we are and be thankful for the great environment we have for our various sports people to live and train in and in the wake of the Pike River Disaster sport is put into perspective - they are just games and events.

For more info on activities at Waihi Beach - www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html