Some like it hot - thousands of Kiwis take the plunge as sea temperatures soarJoseph Johnson/Stuff Luke Vivian has his daughter Lydia Vivian-Trip, 4, applies sunblock to her father, Luke, at Sumner Beach. Alistair Hughes / Stuff Ocean temperatures have been warmer than usual for this time of year. Waves lapping the beaches of Mt Maunganui in Tauranga were 20C, while Hot Water Beach in Coromandel lived up to its name, touching 22C. Niwa forecaster Chris Brandolino said: "Ocean temperatures around the country are much warmer than usual for the time of year. Brandolino said: "Temperatures in the Tasman Sea, on the West Coast, are more unusually warm than the ocean temperatures on the Pacific side.

Source: Stuff December 25, 2017 06:56 UTC