Beach bits

Brunch in Mapua with our girls coffee group to wish B Happy Birthday.  Mapua is such a cool spot.......on the water's edge, an interesting history including major chemical contamination of land from 1945 - 1988 when the Fruitgrowers Chemical Company, produced organochlorine pesticides, a massive and 8-year-long decontamination and clean-up, a kotuku (white heron) which chose Mapua as its winter home from around 1989 to his last known visit in 2010.  He became known as Hamish the Heron and quickly became part of Mapua culture.  He's been immortalised as a statue on the waterfront.  And then, there are the art and craft stores.........absolutely gorgeous, creative, unique shops and artists........easy to spend a lot of both time and money there.  I resisted the latter though and instead drove further along the coast for a bit of camera time in the sun.  Gorgeous :D