Tasty Teas and Sandy Dancefloors
By PETERS, Carol
Eating a delicious lunch and enjoying the view of Haulashore Island, I suddenly realised that I was sitting where someone’s bedroom could have been years ago.
It may now be the Waterfront Cafe and Bar but to generations of Nelsonians the building on that site will always be the Harbour Light Store, a place to pop into for supplies, an ice cream or bottle of lemonade on the way along Wakefield Quay and Rocks Rd.
The shop was downstairs, with living quarters at the rear and upstairs.
In those days, less traffic made it easier to park the car outside the shop and dash in to buy what was needed.
Memory took me on a trip further afield. Remember how people would park their car in the Basin Reserve, facing the sea and having packed a picnic afternoon tea, sit and enjoy the winter sun and the view of sea and snow-clad mountains? Perhaps that is no longer a popular pastime with the continual stream of slow-moving traffic to spoil the peace, view and access to the reserve.
Meanwhile, down the road from the Harbour Light Store were those two stalwarts of Tahuna: the Hut for “tasty teas” and the Cosy Corner for milkshakes, ice cream, groceries, teas and luncheon.
Both of these popular places were ideally situated for visitors to the beach or motorcamp, and it was the icing on the cake to stop for an ice cream after a swim at the beach.
Children taken to afternoon tea at either the Hut or Cosy Corner felt it was really a special treat as somehow both of these places seemed to be a world apart from the city tearooms – rather like a different country.
Imagine the beach area without Natureland and all the organised carparks, with higher sandhills and right on the front beach the big slide and a couple of swings.
The changing sheds were plonked in front of the carpark with a small shop in the centre, neatly ruining the sea view.
Who can recall the “Dine and Dance” that was on the beach at one time? A novel idea, certainly, but perhaps not wildly practical as the drifting sands always seemed to coat the dancefloor, giving the effect of dancing on sandpaper.
Maybe some remember their visit to the “Dine and Dance” with the moonlight shining across the sea, the noise of the waves – something so different from the usual Saturday night dance. A romantic evening at Tahuna!
For visitors to the motorcamp, the beach was the perfect place to be. Families from Nelson used to take their caravans to the camp for the school holidays.
Mothers and children would stay, while the men in the family would continue to work in Nelson, travelling by car, bicycle, on foot or bus, arriving back in the evening in time for a swim before the evening meal.
Weekends could signal the arrival of family groups visiting for picnics. Memories of these idyllic holidays include a beautiful great dane bitch who lived at the camp and would play “chasing” and “hide and seek” with the children.
The “road to the beach”, has been well-worn by generations of Nelsonians since the day it opened in 1899.
(c) 2007 Nelson Mail, The. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.