RWC 2011 - guest comments

We have had many comments via email since the RWC 2011 final from guests from all around the world.

From Germany "We’ve watched the great Game of  the All Blacks against France a few minutes ago. Maybe we are a little bit European but we feel like Kiwis. Congratulations to all New Zealands for winning the world championship"

From Paris "Congratulations, this victory is so well deserved!! The All Blacks were not necessarily the best during this last game but they finally won because they globally deserved this cup"

I received a call this morning asking what the hell were the All Blacks doing cutting it so close - this was from an Australian who lives in the US - he had  bets on with his mates and he was backing the All Blacks.I point was just enough.

Another from Paris "I was really happy that France and NZ were finalists of that Rugby World Cup.

And I'm so happy that the Blacks got that victory today!! They diserved it so much!!"

Just goes to show how the RWC was able to get folk all round the world thinking about New Zealand and they had all stayed with us at Waihi Beach over the last year or two - fantastic!

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

RWC 2011 Final

                                               
                                                            Go The All Blacks

Nervously excited and quietly confident - can't wait for the game tonight!

Rena Oil Spill

Image Mike Hill photography

Relieved that the spill is being contained at this stage and fortunate the spill is not heading our way.

Great to see that the rate of getting the oil off the boat has improved markedly.The salvos and experts are doing a great job in trying conditions.

Huge thanks to all the volunteers who have given up their time and expertise to date to help clear the beaches and the ocean/streams of oil.

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

Waihi Beach and Rena Oil Spill

Yesterday along with approx 30 other Waihi Beach residents I went along to the Bowentown Boating Club to be trained as a volunteer in helping clean up the beach.

Following the Saturday meeting it was great to see action in getting prepared in case the oil heads our way.It is vital we keep our beach, our harbour pristine and free from oil.

For more information on the oil spill www.waihibeachinfo.co.nz/waihi_beach_community_info.html

RWC 2011 semi final win for the AB's v Australia

                                       

A great win against the boys from across the ditch and done in style. The AB's forwards did the job upfront and the rest is history. The Aussie forwards spent a fair bit of time going backwards especially in scrums the more the game went on and some of the tackling was deadly - no tries scored against them.

We hear there may be a few RWC 2011 players and coaches from other countries in and around the beach for the next while as those who are no longer involved get some welll deserved R & R and they could not have come to a better place to do just that.

For more on what to see and do at the beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html

Rena Oil Spill update

Went to a meeting yesterday in Waihi Beach to get the latest on the oil spill.
The head of Maritime NZ  covered of how the grounding happened and where the oil was on the boat - hundreds of tons in about 5 different places and a real mission to get off the boat and totally weather dependent.Maritime NZ had done imaging to plot where the oil was likely to go and whew the weather and tide gods are smiling on us here at Waihi Beach.

Also at the meeting was a marine scientists from Waikato University who covered off the effects to bird life, the echo system and fish and shell fish.

Great to hear from both that the priority is oil, oil oil and getting it off the boat.

At Waihi Beach we are sooo lucky the currents and tides are taking the oil spill south towards Whakatane.Doesn't sound right saying we are lucky at some other regions expense - probably fortunate is a better word.

It was great to see at the meeting groups taking ownership - the coastguard, the local marae, the boating club  all doing their bit to look after our beach and our waters watching for any signs of oil.

For more information on the oil spill www.waihibeachinfo.co.nz/waihi_beach_community_info.html

RWC Semi Final winners

                                                               
                                     

French guests @ Waihi Beach Francis and Anne Marie

Allez Les Bleu - not sure how tthe French made it but they are there in the RWC 2011 finals and they made it against gallant 14 Welsh players. Not sure if the French even knew Wales only had 14 -  as at times they played like Wales had the same number as them - ( for probably 50 of the 60 minutes) but that is sport.

Hold your heads up high Wales - you did your country proud.

Kia Kaha Wales

Ka Kite Ano

Go the AB's v Australia

RWC 2011 - Semi Finals

                          

                       

This weekend will see 4 teams become two with the winners going to the finals and the losers playing off for third and fourth.

Go the AB's - winning by 1 pt is enough but I am picking by 6 -10. I hope the Aussies are that sore from last week they will get even more battered by the AB's and struggle up front.

I am picking Wales to win the other semifinal with my head and my heart says France as we still owe France plenty from previous RWC's.

To date we have had guests from South Africa, Australia, England, Ireland & France and they have been high in their praise of New Zealand and Kiwis - so friendly and welcoming. Our guests last night were commenting how many South Sfrican supporters there are around - in their case in the same cafe as they too were South African supporters.

It is marvellous that all these supporters found their way to Waihi Beach to receive some real Kiwi hospitality.

Intriguing to that 3 of the 4 teams are coached by Kiwis & great that 1 has a connection to Waihi Beach.

The Rena grounding and Waihi Beach

The Rena grounding at the Astrolab reef is a disaster for fishos and divers alike not to mention the communities up and down the BOP coast who are potentail recipients of the spilled oil that is starting to darken our coastal shores. The echological damage to the reef and the surrounding coast will not be able to be adequately measured with time being the only healer.

For locals who have time to lend a hand check out the webpage below for your options www.waihibeachinfo.co.nz/waihi_beach_community_info.html

Astrolabe reef is a favourite fishing spot of  Ali  - she caught a large kingfish there (65kg's)  back in the day and has fished there many times with great memories of good fishing - will it ever be the same again? Will it ever recover?

What about the oil that is leaking onto our coastline - how are we placed to deal with that. If it reaches Waihi Beach do we have a plan to deal with it - I am not aware of a plan - I'd love to know what it is if there is one.

We all know what a paradise we have here at the beach and what we think of our marvellous coastline - lets hope we don't have to have to clean oil from our beaches this far north. You only need to look at the BP spill in the US and the damage done to the nearby coast, marine life,birds and fishing to get an idea of the scale potentially of what we have on our doorstep!

Bathurst V8's - Waihi Beach

Great to see support for the famous race this weekend is alive and kicking here at Waihi Beach.

Our neighbour is a petrol head and obviously supports both camps - me I am Ford through and through.

RWC 2011 - rugby followers from around the world come to Waihi Beach

              Image Mike Hill photography

It is really pleasing to see so many rugby mad overseas visitors who have found their way to Waihi Beach on their way around New Zealand. Most visitors are one team or others supporters but there are some who have been to pool games of other teams just to get the atmosphere and vibe of RWC 2011.

What has been great to hear is the compliments about New Zealaners and about all the towns they have visited - comments like how friendly kiwis are and each town really gets into the spirit of the RWC - does not matter where you go.

To date at Waihi Beach lodge we have had French, Irish, English, Australian and South African supporters and most have also spent time in and around Waihi, Waihi Beach, the Karangahake gorge and up the Coromandel on a day trips. On the rainy Monday recently we had one couple who went to Waitomo and thoroughly enjoyed themselves doing the spellbound tour of Waitomo caves.Even though the weather was not so flash earlier in the week  everyone checked out our beach and thought we were so lucky to be living here - we agreed.

One comment from many of the english was that our spring weather was better than the summers they have been getting over the last few years although whilst they have been over here they have had balmy 29 degrees in London.

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