More Than Waves

Location:
New Zealand

surf, food, kiwi

By betsy

When you hitchhike as often as we do, you get used to the “Cotton Eye Joe.” You know, the whole “were did you come from, where did you go” line of questioning? Nash, who lives in town but works in Whale Bay at the lodge where I live, patiently answers each question every single day.

A typical exchange:

Driver: So where are you from?

Nash: Scotland.

Driver: Oh cool, how long have you been here?

Nash: Since October.

Driver: You like it?

Nash: Love it.

(brief pause)

Driver: Been out yet today?

Nash: Nope, headed to work (thinking, it is only 6:45am).

This is the Raglan Cotton Eye Joe, and if you’ve ever been here, you know exactly where “out” is: surfing. The question is as standard as a parent asking a kid what he learned at school today. It’s rhetorical really, but it matters. And, more than likely, whoever picks us up hitchhiking has either been out, is going out, or will pull over on to the side of Wainui Road to see if it’s worth going out later. It usually is.

Raglan, like most places in New Zealand, isn’t nearly as huge as it could be. It’s known around the world as one of Aotearoa’s top surfing spots, “home of the famous left hand break.” Luckily, such status hasn’t yet rendered it cliché—or teeming with burly, territorial surfer dudes. In fact, it might just be the fact that Raglan boasts much more than killer waves that keeps it real. The community-oriented people who live and work here want to make sure that residents have the option of catching a documentary film or taking an art class in addition to enjoying the surf and scenery.

My typical day in Rags—when the surf’s not cranking, of course—plays out like this: We wake up, salute the sun with some stretching on the porch (and a peek at the sea), then hitch into town for carrot cake and a Long Black (that’s espresso with a spray of hot water) at the Tongue and Groove Café. If we’ve gotten paid recently, we might do a bit of shopping because the souvenirs here are truly one-of-a-kind. Bow St, the main drag, is lined with cool shops that sell gorgeous creations. From the ubiquitous pounamu (greenstone) jewelry to the simply delightful handmade leather shoes at Soul Shoes, there is no reason to buy NZ key chains or refrigerator magnets here in Raglan.

Hours later and hungry again, we might have to wait in line at Rosie’s Fish n’ Chips, but it’ll be worth it. Locally-caught fish, fried to perfection with a side of chips and an ice-cold L&P—cheers mate! Now, with the onset of food coma, we walk across the Harbor Bridge to the park on the estuary before we start drooling into the greasy newspaper packaging of our lunch—nothing a little sleep next to the ebb and flow of the turquoise tide can’t take care of. At high tide on a sunny day, though, there’s not much space for shut-eye with the local boys doing bombs off the bridge—the kiwi name for cannonballs.

Knowing that another hitch looms before us like the sun beginning its descent in the western sky, we will begin to make our move back to our jungle home. First, though, a stop at the wharf to scope out the catch of the day and buy dinner. Then, with kahawai and tuna on ice, we mosey over to the bottle shop for a bottle—or two—of NZ Sav Blanc. When it’s time to hitch back to our home in the bush, we stand on the footpath across from the fire station with our food bags in hand. Not five minutes passes before a couple with a young son pulls over and motions us in.

They clearly have been “out;” their son scampers out of the car and into the front seat with his dad, so that Nash and I can squeeze in on either side of their stacked surfboards. This time it’s our turn to do the Cotton Eye Joe.

“How was it?” I ask, my spirits high on a happy day, thinking of good food to come.

“Not bad, eh,” says the woman who’s driving. Her son is freckly and sun-kissed and clearly happy with his day’s surf.

They ask us where we’re headed and we tell them Karioi Lodge in Whale Bay. Our friends run the lodge and surf school, and I’ve been working for my room and board.

“We’re not going quite that far,” the man says, “but we can drop you off at the roundabout.” His wife looks at him with that look, and their son chimes in, “Aw, c’mon Dad, just take them all the way.”

The joint effort works, but as we approach the roundabout and look out towards the sea, the slow roll of pink and orange has begun to crawl towards the horizon. There’s surf, according to our friendly drivers, and Nash and I decide to begin happy hour down at Whale Bay.

“Thanks for the ride,” we exclaim as we hop out of the car with our groceries and down to the grassy space where we can see the waves at Whale Bay and Indicators. Turns out we’re not the only ones with the idea; blankets and picnics line the rocky shore, and kids and grown-ups of all ages are taking in the pounding waves and surfers riding them. This is why people come to Raglan, but it’s days like mine that make them stay.

Further Information

Travel tips: Take the local bus from Hamilton. Stay at the Raglan Backpackers for the in-town experience, or stay in the "bush" at Karioi Lodge for more peace and quiet. Take lessons from the Raglan Surf School, based at Karioi.

Buy cute handmade leather shoes at Soul Shoes and try to get fresh fish at the wharf for dinner!

Must see/do at this place: At high tide, do bombs off of the harbor bridge! Catch live kiwi dub at the Yot Club or Aqua Velvet. Take a kayak tour with Raglan Eco Kayak. Eat at Rosie's Fish N/ Chips. Take a drive to the Te Toto Gorge. SURF!

You should avoid here: Avoid the sushi joint. If you like locally grown food, avoid the supermarket and buy at Kaiwhenua Organics up Whaanga Road.