I'd heard about the black sand on New
Zealand's west coast but I couldn't quite imagine what it would be
like in real life. Not my cup of tea I'd thought to myself, being
biased. I lived and love the chalk white sand of Jervis Bay on
Australia's eastern seashore. It's my kind of sand. Dazzling, pure
and whiter than white.
So I wasn't expecting real sand and I
wasn't expecting it to be black black and I wasn't expecting it to be
diamond bright, or to sparkle and glint at me, with or without the
sun. It took my breath away. It's beautiful, it's a shock to all the
senses.
Fresh water streams from nearby Mt Egmont lose momentum as they meet the beach, spreading out in ripples
across the smooth, untouched, black surface into the sea. Fat seagulls
squawk from little and large rocks that litter the
water's edge. No-one else is here. I think of Longfellow's “I hope
to join your seaside walk, saddened and mostly silent with
emotion, not interrupting with intrusive talk, the grand majestic
symphonies of ocean”.
Our villa, one of five – the Ahu Ahu
Beach Villas. It's thoughtfully designed, under-stated, private and
provides everything we need. We meet up with the owners, three nights
running. David & Nuala. They generously
offer freshly caught tuna and crayfish with homemade marinades and
sauces. David even cooks our cray. We're speechless. Words don't come
to extoll their virtues.
Ahu Ahu is roughly five hours drive
south of Auckland and five minutes from Oakura near New Plymouth. Mt Egmont's viewing platform and
climbing station is thirty minutes away. Ahu Ahu Beach Villas are a magic place to
stay. Three days was not long enough. Check their website for more details www.ahu.co.nz
David's marinade for (luminous pink)
seared tuna
sesame seed oil
sweet chilli sauce
soy sauce
garlic
ginger
lemon infused rice bran oil
lemon juice
David's aioli sauce for the tuna and
crayfish
crushed garlic
sour cream
chopped basil
lemon juice
lemon infused rice bran oil
