Escape to a water wonderland in the Rotorua lakes

BARRY THOMPSON suggests pleasure boaties will never tire of the Rotorua lakes. He offers ideas for a weekend afloat.

The Rotorua lakes district offers boaties endless opportunities, with scenery ranging from steaming cliffs and hot water streams to idyllic bays and native ferns with fronds dipping into the deep, blue water.

With a boat the only access to most of the shoreline, that area has been kept in its natural state.

The Rotorua Lakes region has 13 lakes, that range from the small lakes with few boats such as Ngapouri and Ngahewa, to the more familiar lakes Rotorua, Rotoiti and Tarawera. There are some, such as Lake Rotokakahi (Green Lake), that are not open to the boating public. If you have a few days or a long weekend, maybe this Easter, a trailer boat and somewhere to stay, then the Rotorua Lakes are worth a visit. If you want to pack in as much as possible in a short time, and give the major lakes more than a fleeting glance, my pick is to choose Rotorua, Rotoiti, Okataina, Okareka and Tarawera. There's enough to see and do to keep you busy for days.

Okawa Bay Lake Resort, on the shores of Lake Rotoiti, is an ideal base for exploring the lakes. The resort is the only one in the area with a jetty and marina solely for guests' use. Okawa Bay is perfect for wake boarders and skiers who can indulge in their sport in a dedicated and controlled area. If you prefer something less expensive, Rotorua has hotels and motels to suit every pocket and taste.

From Okawa Bay it's a short cruise at 5 knots into Lake Rotoiti, which offers some of the area's best trout fishing and access through the Ohau Channel to Lake Rotorua. Some of the most beautiful bays can be found at Lake Rotoiti's eastern end. Honeymoon Bay and Champagne Bay provide excellent anchorage. Back along the northern side there are also sandy beaches and sheltered anchorage that never seem crowded, even in summer.

But a visit to Lake Rotoiti is not complete without a dip in the Manupirua hot springs, on the lake foreshore. Soaking in the natural bushclad hot springs between dips into the cooling waters of the lake makes a great end to a day's boating. A small charge is made by the Maori owners for use of the pools and you can moor your boat up against the jetties in front of the pools.

Lake Rotorua and Lake Rotoiti are interconnected by the Ohau Channel, a natural waterway that meanders for a few kilometres past the backyards of the marae. A 5 knot restriction is imposed on the channel and it's not unusual to see a trout rising to the surface to make a meal of an unsuspecting dragonfly.

The current runs from Lake Rotorua to Lake Rotoiti and both ends of the lake are shallow close to the shore. If you stick to the markers you'll have no problems and the weir at the Rotorua end of the Ohau Channel should be negotiated with caution as the water flows fast.

Lake Rotorua is vast and shallow around the perimeter, especially where it feeds into the Ohau Channel at the northern end. It offers few sandy beaches for trailer boaters, however, and is more suited to trout fishermen or those who like wide open spaces to tow water toys.

In the centre is Mokoia Island with its hot pools and Maori myths and legends. Legend has it that Hinemoa swam to Mokoia Island from the mainland to be with her lover Tutanakai. She probably sat in the same hot pools as visitors to the island do today.

While Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti are dotted with civilisation, the smaller Lake Okataina is virtually untouched. It's less than a 30-minute drive from the Ohau Channel to Lake Okataina, where the pristine beauty of the lake offers an untouched wilderness.

Apart from the fishing lodge, the area is unspoiled. There is a launching ramp at the end of the one access road - which in itself is worth a visit. Native trees form a canopy over a great section of the narrow road.,

The foreshore of Lake Okataina changes with every bay from thick native bush to sandy beaches and interesting rock formations that rise from the depths. There's even a sunken Maori pa which can be viewed without having to dive into the water with a mask and snorkel. The lake is I great for towing water toys but can become rough. Still, on a windless day it is a waterskier's or wakeboarder's heaven.

No exploration of the Rotorua lakes is complete without a visit to Lake Tarawera. It is as deep and clear as Lake Rotorua is shallow and muddy. It's world famous for its rainbow trout - and then of course there is the hot water beach with the Department of Conservation campsite on the northern side. Bring the boat onto the beach and it's a short walk to more natural hot springs.

At night at certain times of the year you can even see the trout swimming upstream to spawn as they negotiate the shallow rivers that feed the lake.

One of the smaller lakes, Lake Okareka is also a favourite for water skiers.

If you are a keen walker you can make your way from here through well-defined bus tracks to Lake Okataina. Only 15 minutes from the centre of Rotorua, the attractive lake is sheltered from most winds. There's a good launching ramp at the local ski club or Acacia Bay.

The Rotorua lakes prove that there is life beyond the coastal shoreline.

Rotorua