Surf at Pukehina Beach, eastern Bay of Plenty

The eastern Bay of Plenty, well-known for its clean white beaches and clear water, is an increasingly popular holiday destination for locals and overseas visitors alike. In contrast to some other parts of the coast where the sea can be clouded by fine sediment from rivers, the sea here is an alluring clear blue-green for much of the year thanks to relatively low fine sediment loads in the local rivers and streams.

This is especially so in late summer (when this photograph was taken), when river flows are at their lowest, further reducing the amount of fine sediment reaching the coast. Late summer calm spells also allow what fine sediment there is in the sea to settle out, resulting in sparkling crystal-clear water which in turn makes for the excellent fishing and swimming that this coast is renowned for.