Lagoon’s the place to cool down … unless it’s full tide

When you’re looking for a place to beat the heat, there’s nothing like a cooling dip in the lagoon – unless it’s low tide, that is.

As these visiting youngsters found when they jumped into a pool cleared of coral and rocks at Arorangi, the shallower water heats up very quickly, and a swim feels more like floating in a warm bath.

The children are here on holiday from Australia and had a great time splashing around. By coincidence, the pool they were in is the very same one the photographer and his wife sometimes used to lounge in on Sunday mornings 22 years ago, while enjoying a coffee with friends who lived beside the lagoon.