Serious socializing today. Mme Awesome took off early to Okupu with Mme V, M M and Mme A for a swim and nature walk. Meanwhile I hit the beach for a stunning experience of way high tide. Think mini tsunamis, covering and reshaping the expansive sands.

Expansive can mean many things. Kaitoke Beach averages about 100 feet from mid tide wave break to the dunes. Enough to play a nice full court game of soccer and comparable to Ipanema. Today was not a day for a game, however, as the breaking waves washed all the way to said dunes with supreme confidence. The volume of water was enough to be downright scary as the force could easily bring flotsam large enough to break an ankle.

Post lunch we all left for the AoteaFM sausage social and then to Kaitoke Stream where it seemed everyone was swimming due to the nutso beach conditions. Plus jumping off the bridge. Or, as Nathan the mechanic and his three sweet kids were, kayaking.

Currently, the stream is way high from being unable to drain. While nice for swimming, it’s inhabitants are not as happy.

Shot of Kaitoke Stream from the beach side, currently unable to reach the ocean.

Same angle, this time from the ocean.

Supper was a traditionally prepared Maori meal, enjoyed at the picnic table overlooking the still tumultuous ocean. Followed by brownies on the deck.

We debated the safety of walking back due to the morning’s insanity and chose to go for it. What a reward: the light of the crescent moon, combined with stars reflected on the ginormous shallow lakes from the AM high tide which were loaded with phosphoruscent magic made for an evening forever to be remembered.

An exquisite ending to a lovely day.