A couple of weeks ago, my humans took me to Bethells Beach – this is a fantastic beach on Auckland’s West Coast. (Hsin-Yi: the West Coast is where they filmed “The Piano”).
my humans took this and have not changed anything on their computer - this is exactly what it looks like!
My humans love the West Coast beaches because they are so wild and beautiful and not spoilt by many humans leaving rubbish and bringing their machines there.
The beach has black sand from volcanoes which shows rainbow colours in the sunlight and looks like a shining mirror. There is a lovely light there, which you never see anywhere else. Everything looks silver and bright and the sky looks like it will go on forever – almost as if you could reach out and touch the edge of the world! My human, Hsin-Yi, thinks this is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
There are lots of cliffs and forests around the beaches and we usually go for a long bush walk through the mountains, which are called the Waitakere Ranges, before coming to the beach.
There are many beaches to choose from – a lot of humans like Piha Beach because the waves there are very big and they can stand on a board and ride on them, by doing something called “surfing”.
But my own humans’ favourites are Bethells Beach , which has got a great beach cafe and Karekare Beach, which is so beautiful and quiet and empty – it is like being alone in the world.
Gannet Colony at Muriwai Beach, West Coast, Auckland
Sometimes they also take me to Muriwai Beach where you can see a colony of big birds with yellow heads called ‘gannets’ (although I never got to see them ‘coz dogs are not allowed to climb up the path to see their nests – humph!) There is also a fantastic fish & chips shop by the beach at Muriwai…mmm, drool…
Dogs are allowed on most but not all the beaches – there is usually a sign that tells you if we can go on the beach and if we are allowed off-leash. Some beaches only allow us in some parts which are marked by special flags.
For more information about each beach, go to: Auckland Regional Council – Dogs in Parks.
Can I have some kumara fries? Please?
We arrived at Bethells Beach just at noon and so my humans decided to have lunch first at the ‘beach cafe’ – this is really just a big car machine parked on the sand, with tables around it.
But they make delicious hamburgers and thick, crunchy kumara fries with garlic aioli…mmm…
Of course, I had to do a Down Stay until my humans finished eating but I was drooling so much that Paul felt sorry for me and secretly gave me half of his burger when Hsin-Yi wasn’t looking! 
Then finally it was time to hit the beach!
Come on! Hurry up, guys!
I’m usually a wimp when it comes to the sea…I’m a bit scared of the waves! But my humans have been taking me to the West Coast beaches since I was a puppy and Hsin-Yi always goes with me to run through the waves, so I’m a bit braver now and I don’t mind getting my paws wet…a bit!
Here is a picture of me the first time they brought me to Bethells – when I was 3 months old!
Me at 3 months...
And here I am now – 5 years later!
I can go by myself...I'm a big girl now!
Gotcha!
There were volunteer lifeguards on the beach – and when they saw me, they all came over to make a big fuss of me!
Hello...hello...
There was also a really huge cave at the end of the beach and some rock pools to explore!
Hsin-Yi also played my favourite chasing game where I had to stand and wait while she walked off far away and then when she shouted “Come!” and started running as fast as she could - I had to GALLOP and catch her! I love this game!
Our paws made funny marks in the sand and Hsin-Yi thought they looked so pretty so she took lots of photos…
One of the things I love to do the most is chase the birds on the beach – there are some really small birds that fly very fast and very low to the ground – and I am sure they are teasing me to catch them! When I see them, I go crazy and run and run all over the beach after them (you can see this in the video – below)
Well, soon it was time to go home…
Me and Paul at Bethells Beach
On the way back, I had a cooling dip in the creek beside the beach…
Do we have to go?
…and then we all squeezed back into our little car machine for the drive back home.
The West Coast beaches are about 40mins to 1hr drive from Auckland city centre and my humans say we are very lucky to live so close to such beautiful beaches.
Many other doggies have to sit in the car machine for hours and hours before they can get to a beach… and some doggies live so far away that they have never seen a beach!
I can’t imagine that – I have been going to beaches since I was a puppy…I’m a beach babe!
Here is a video of my fantastic day at Bethells Beach – check out the bit where my human slowed down the film so you can see me galloping like crazy!
.
BEA-U-T-FUL!!
What amazing beaches. You’re very lucky to live in such gorgeous place. I love the video and the music. What a fun day!
You are one lucky doggy, Honey! What a beautiful beach! My parents hope to visit New Zealand one day and check out all the lovely places you have been to!
WOW!
That furst pikh was INKHREDIBLE!!!
It was soooo khute to see woo as wee pup AND now!
Woo are furry lukhky to get to such khool places PLUS your pawrents are pawesome!
Tank woo fur sharing your gallop too!
Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
Awesome! How incredibly beautiful are your beaches. Thanks for sharing. I think my humans would love to visit Auckland some day!
Jackson
Wow, Honey you are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place with such cool parents!! I’ve never been to a beach before..of course, this will be my first summer, so who knows? Anyway, thanks for sharing your amazing day with us.
Teddy
Wow you’re so lucky to live near the sea. I’m one of those dogs who live too far away to ever visit a beach. New Zealand is a beautiful place. I love seeing all of the nature pictures. It looks like you guys had a lot of fun. And Honey you looked beautiful in your slow motion running scene.
Hi Honey,
Our mum often says that she wants to take us to Bethells Beach, which she herself has never been to, because many people recommend it, but she hasn’t made it yet. Looks like a really nice place for dogs!! Thank you for sharing many photos of the beach!
What a great post! That beach is just the best, we would all be in heaven there.
The footprints were fun and it looks like there isn’t much difference in the size of your paw and Hsin-Yi’s foot!
Loved the video too, I was singing along!
Hi Honey! What a wonderful day out you had! You are so lucky to go to the beach so often! It looks like NZ has some amazing beaches, nothing like the yukky Engerland ones!
We loved your video, especially the part where you run in slow motion, you look so graceful when you run! What a great game to play!
Love Scotty xxx
About the crossing paws training that is perfect! Using your foot for the target would work great because that leads perfectly to the cue being crossing your own paws . . . er feet
I didn’t like those bubble thingies because when I bit them they tasted bad. I finally ran away and hid so Mommy said she won’t do it again.
That is one gorgeous place. And how wonderful that you can go there too. Did you go inside that cave? Thank you for sharing such a beautiful place.
Woos, the OP Pack
That beach looks awesome. We def don’t have anything like that near us! We are so jealous! So happy you had a fun weekend!
Wags,
Pruett and Daphne
Oh my Honey! Lovely photos!
That is a gorgeous beach!!!! Meowm says she would really love to be there right now…the ocean makes her feel good. Thank you for sharing that wonderful place with us.
What a beewootiful place that is! You sure had a pawsome time on the beach huh Honey?
Smoochies,
Solid Gold Dancer
What an awsome place to live! What a beach! Gosh, is one of the most bootiful beaches we’ve seen! And those photos are great and that video, too!
This blog is one of the best blogs on the block!
Love
Pipa
My Great Dane Princeton loves the beach, too! Here are some photos of him romping at the beach:
http://my-great-dane.blogspot.com/2009/01/dane-pup-loves-beach-great-photos.html
Last time we when to the beach, Princeton waded in really deep and almost learned to swim!
Wow, Honey, looks like you had another beautiful day out with your humans. That beach looks gorgeous and I can’t wait to take my small humans there to check it out. They would love it, especially the cave. You know all the best places to go in New Zealand, maybe you should get a job as a tourism mascot! You are so good to sit and wait politely, while your humans eat. What good doggie manners! It must be torture (lucky for you, Paul is a softie!) Can’t wait to see what you get up to next…
Oh Honey, what a COOL place! It looks like you had a fantastic time and those burgers looked yummy! Paul is so nice to share with you.
I love the paw print pictures too. 
And that slow motion running on the video….you ARE a beach babe for sure! That was funny too when you realized Hsin-Yi was gone and you went to find her. My Mom tries to hide from me too. 
Tell your humans they are amazing at making those videos!
Love,
Nala
Wow honey! That beach looks incredible! you are so lucky, we don’t live anywhere near a beach.
Tell your mom and dad hi from us, we are working on answering our honest blog but it takes a little while to get mom to take the right pictures.
your mom takes great pictures though!
Kisses
Boxen & Bella
wow!!!what a great day you had!
that beach looks so beautiful
love the paw pictures! you sure have a huge paw!
and your puppy pic… so adorable!
Sara wants to thank your mummy for all the information she got us! she´s really sweet!
thanks
lot´s of licks
Pu
Hey Honey those are sum purty nice pitchers and wut a fancy place! I have not been to the beech but thats okay cause I dont like to go places much. Mummy sez Teksus beeches are not too purty anyways and they are always crowded. She would like to visit New Zeeland and see those beeches!
Yer pal Dozer
We DO have a Zoom Groom. Mum got it as a gift from a pet shop a few years ago, but she has kept it in a storage without making use of it. Thank you for reminging us of it!
Oh WOW! I thought I was lucky living on a lake but that beach is pretty amazing! I sure thing that you saying you are “a big girl now” is the understatement of the year! BOL
Glad you all had such a good time!!
Licks,
Kylie
PeeS- Sorry if I haven’t been around much, Mommy’s new job has really been taking time out of MY Blogging time! AH hem… I might have to have a word with her boss. What in the insurance business is more important then my Blog?!
What a very pretty place Honey! Thanks for showing it to us. You sure look different now to when you was a puppy.
No wonder those lifeguards were in love with you!
~lickies, Ludo
Very gorgeous beach, Honey.
I hope I can go to the beach soon.
Take care and see you around!
Love,
Homer
What a fun video! We wuz smiling through the whole thing! What a fun trip! Mommee can’t wait to take us to the beach someday. She knows we would love it.
wuv,
Gus and Waldo
“Viernes” is Spanish for Friday. I wanted something that went with Friday for videos (like Wordless Wednesday or Thankful Thursday), but I couldn’t think of anything. So, Video Viernes it is.
Oh, what fun! I would LOVE to go to the beach and play!!! Too bad my country is landlocked, but at least I have a pool! If I didn’t have my pool (tub), I don’t know what I’d do with this African heat!
Smiles from Africa,
Sheba the Rhodesian ridgeback
Wow, your blog site has been remodeled! Very charming. Love it!
Thank you for your birthday message to Cookie. Our mum also says she feels she shares so many things with yours. We should arrange for them to meet up sometime!
By the way, the song used in Cookie’s birthday video is sang by our mum’s cousin’s daughter, who is singer and songwriter. Although she is not well known yet, our mum loves her songs. The song in the video says that she wants to take photos of things around her and send them to her love who is far away.
we just spent all afternoon at work reading your entire blog! and we loved every bit of it! you saved us from a boring afternoon of work–hehehe!!! Honey is just fabulous, you guys do some amazing, kewl stuff! hope you don’t mind if we follow along on your advertures!
cheers–Saige & Guinness
That beach is really beautiful Honey.
You are lucky living so close to it. We have to travel about an hour and a half to get to our nearest beach. We love the beach. It looks like you all had a great day there.
Holly & Zac…XX
It looks like you got a new bloggie layout! And it seems to be doing all the things your Mommy asked about! I hope she wasn’t talking nonsense and your Mommy was able understand her. Sometimes I question who speaks better, me or her! BOL
Licks,
Kylie
Hi Honey!
I’m Oskar, a miniature schnuazer from Michigan in the US. I’m going to follow your adventures.
I’d love it if you’d come say hello on my blog also!
Oh. Wow! That first picture is so beautiful…..such a gorgeous place, I bet the sunsets there are amazing!
(How does Hsin-Yi slow the film down? We look demonic when we gallop and it would be funny in slo-mo)
)
Thank you for sharing your great day with us Honey, we loved the video….especially of you galloping, you’re so graceful
We love coming to your blog and hate that we can’t visit more often, we’re always playing catch-up….but then we get a feast of two or three posts in one go….bonus!
Great pics…as usual and cool how you always put a map on so we can see where you have to travel to
We too feel so lucky to live near beautiful beaches…we have some caves like that along parts of our coastline but that one is MASSIVE! Were there bats inside? Our ones have bat colonies….yuks!
Slobbers xx
Beautiful pictures Honey!!! We especially like the one of the cave! My guys are quite jealous of your beautiful beaches!
Really interesting blog thanks!