According to our Marco Polo guide book Cathedral Cove is a gigantic, arched limestone cavern that connects two sandy beaches, but is accessible only at low tide. The book fails to say that it’s a fairly strenuous walk from Hahei in blazing sunshine. But it was worth it and we had a lovely swim.
We didn’t stay long at the beach that gets cut off; we didn’t know how much higher the tide was going to rise. So we went back through the arch to the Mares Leg Cove and swam by the Smiling Sphinx rock.
Next we visited the Hot Water Beach… but it was still high tide. I bet the sand was hotter than the water.
On our return to Whitianga we collected our washing from the line then set off to the Irish pub again. This time the food was better.