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I have been off-line for a while lately as I have been in hospital having my appendix out. I am now slowly making return visits to the Trek sites. It’s taking a while for me to get back to normal because my concentration hasn’t been too bright!!


THIS IS PIHA – NZ’s Most Famous Surf Beach

Piha is New Zealand's most well-known surf beach. Situated on the west coast of the North Island, it is 40 kilometres from the city of Auckland. It has black iron-sand that is VERY hot to walk on in summer and sunny days.

Check out Check out this view of Piha taken from the high road leading down to the shore!!

Piha is known for its awesome surf. After competing here against a New Zealand surf team in 1950, an Australian surf life saving team said they never wanted to compete on the beach again...and they haven't. When Uncle Toby's Iron Man contest was held at Piha in 1997, canoes were snapped in two.

The first surf boat in New Zealand was owned by the Piha Surf Life Saving Club. In the 1930s, club members developed the 'teardrop' surf ski as a rescue craft.

In the 1970s Piha was instrumental in inaugurating the first helicopter surf rescue service in New Zealand.

Piha has rips and currents and is very unforgiving of the unwise so it's important to only swim in patrolled areas. Look at the surf club signs and flags, so you know what's safe and what's not.

This photo shows the southern end of Piha. Many go fishing on these rocks, and end up drowning. But they are warned about the bad waves and rips and currents, but still more go out there with their fishing lines!! Most drownings are of fishermen, who tempt fate on surf-bashed rocks, and often are caught out while hauling in a fish or freeing a snagged line.

www.piha.co.nz/pihasite.htm