Beach weekend

The last time Jen and I drove to Cathedral Cove we didn't actually see it. It was our first weekend in New Zealand and driving on the left side of the road, particularly in the dark, was terrifying. By the time we reached Cathedral Cove we worked out the math and realized that it would be dark once we hit the road again.
The choice was simple.
Who would have thought it would have taken us six months to go back?
In a surprising turn of events this summer, it was sunny for two straight days. So Jen and I and every other Kiwi in the country decided to go to the beach.
We hit up the hot water beach first. At first glance, the beach seemed completely empty. That was until we looked to the right and noticed a ton of people packed into a small section of the beach. For two hours on either side of low tide, beach goers have access to the hot water, which oozes up from beneath the surface. It's only accessible at a particular part of the beach, which explained the congestion. And when they say hot, they really, really mean it. Jen and I didn't have a spade, but we didn't really need one. I dug my feet in a few inches and immediately felt the scalding water. You're supposed to let the ocean water mix to avoid burning yourself.
Whenever I told anyone about heading to Cathedral Cove there was an immediate gasp of air, followed by explanations of how gorgeous it was. Turned it, they weren't being overly dramatic. It's a breathtaking sight.
Our chief photographer couldn't pull out her camera fast enough. She got a little frustrated with all the other people taking their photos, but she managed to get a few decent shots.
You know that famous mom question: "If your friends jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you?" Well my answer is yes. I saw a ton of people swimming out to a big rock and jumping off it and I decided to follow suit - twice.
Not only did I live, but my bathing suit stayed on.
And now, time for some photos: 1. Empty part of the hot water beach; 2. Jen among the crowd; 3. Me in the hot water; 4. Jen and I at hot water beach; 5. Cathedral Cove; 6. Me walking through the cove; 7. Jen walking towards the cove; 8. Me underwater; 9. Rock formations in the sea; 10. Me freaking my mom out.