His vehicle was one of about 30 parked up at the freedom camping lot just south of the Marine Parade boundary yesterday, and he predicted there would be more arriving as it was the time of the year for young German students to travel - and New Zealand was a popular destination.
It is their "gap year" of education and like the other lads he caught up with on the Marine Parade site it was the time to see a part of the world "which is as far away from home as it can get".
Paul Dierkes and Peer Straka, both from Hanover, had bought a basic but comfortable van at a car fair in Auckland about three months ago and have spent the past six weeks in the Bay doing some casual orchard work.
"It's great here," Mr Dierkes said.
"Really good to be by the ocean."
They were enjoying the sun and the relaxing atmosphere and friendliness of the region "and the markets and the library".
Mr Dierkes said the site was a good one, and a popular one, as it was off the main way highway and the city was nearby.
The region was a comfortable one to stay in, he said.
Edward Schwarz from Kologne agreed.
He too had been doing some orchard work for the past month and said the seafront camping zone was "a good place to be" and he had met plenty of new friends there.
"All Germans here and a few French," Mr Toelke said.
He is set to return to Germany next June to resume university studies while Mr Dierkes and Mr Straka will head home in January.
Another visitor, Eyleen Frentrup from Dusseldorf, is also enjoying the gap years and with her friend has been as far north as Cape Reinga.
They have also called at Piha, Taupo, Tauranga and Castlepoint and had been in Napier for about a week.
"We are really enjoying it here," she said, and she hoped to find some work so they could stay a little longer.
"Then we'll go to Wellington and the South Island - then fly home...back to university."
