Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Marlborough swimming spots in top 10
Two Marlborough swimming spots have been voted the best in the country by AA members.
A swimming hole at the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve, near Havelock, and Lake Rotoiti, 90km south of Nelson, have been named in the top 10 in New Zealand in a recent AA survey.
Nelson Lakes Visitor Centre supervisor Gabriella Czoma says Lake Rotoiti is a popular place for people to make a splash.
‘‘The lake is huge and gets very busy over summer. It’s the main attraction in the area,’’ she says.
‘‘It’s mainly locals that swim there because it’s cold. Even over the summer it doesn’t really warm up much. It’s a beautiful lake, but very cold.’’
But Pelorus Bridge and Lake Rotoiti are not the only prime swimming spots in Marlborough.
Redwoodtown resident Dee Black says her favourite spots to cool off over summer are not on the list.
‘‘My favourite spots are Pink Elephant, Wairau River and Whites Bay,’’ she says.
‘‘There are spots on Pink Elephant where you can jump off rocks.
TOP SPOTS FOR SUMMER
Whites Bay is my favourite because I always went there with my family. There’s plenty of space to swim and play sport.’’
AA Directions editor Kath Webster says good swimming spots formed a big part of the ‘‘Kiwi summer experience’’.
‘‘If it’s not camping at the beach, it’s fishing, surfing, or sailing and, in the height of summer, finding somewhere cool to swim.’’
What we love about swimming holes is that they’re not always
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Urgent 111. Non-urgent, easy to find, so stumbling across one is like finding a hidden gem,’’ she says.
Pelorus Bridge is rated 8th on the list with Lake Rotoiti sitting in 10th place.
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