A line of vehicles marked the point at Te Awanga, as the word was out a swell was running, the day after ex-tropical cyclone Cody passed New Zealand’s east coast. My partner Rick and I spent a couple of days dawdling our way across to Hawke’s Bay hoping to miss the promised downpour of rain as the deep low hit the area. The day we arrived, the sun was shining with no sign of the nasty weather bomb, but the cyclone swell was evident.
We managed to squeeze our camper into a beachfront position on the smooth round stones a couple of metres from the water and among an assortment of vehicles. Next to us, a ute tray strewn with surfboards dwarfed the small car alongside with a surfboard instead of a passenger. An array of well-loved campervans contrasted with a new SUV, hurriedly parked with doors open as the occupants pulled on wetsuits in a hurry to get into the water. The vibe was friendly, as many people waved to mates, obviously locals.
The sea
