Onehunga War Memorial Pool and Leisure Centre

In Auckland CBD again and just enough time for a quick lunchtime trip 15 minutes south of the city. My pool finder app shows a single 25m pool, and Google shows images of an indoor lap pool and an outdoor pool. A quick check on Google Maps and yes, there does seem to be an outdoor pool right next to the main leisure centre building — hopefully it's open, though we're still out of season in New Zealand.

I was planning the usual 2km session, but I'd just had a literal block of sugar that the bakery was advertising as a 'ginger cake', so I might need a couple of extra lengths to compensate.

Arrived and headed through to reception to book in — another bargain swim at NZD$8.20. Through the glass, the indoor pool looked quiet and set up with six 25m lanes. The outdoor pool, unfortunately, was closed for the winter and due to reopen in November.

Quick change in the fairly basic changing rooms — no lockers to be found. Packed clothes into my bag and headed out onto the pool deck. The storage options were either poolside cubby holes or a fancy pay-per-use digital touchscreen locker. Realised we're in New Zealand, so bag on poolside would be just fine.

Jumped in the fast lane with a lady knocking out some great pace laps — in a sea of southern hemisphere Speedo swimwear, I noticed after a few passes that she was wearing the same Arena pattern swim costume as my jammers. Never seen anyone else with those — small things!

Had to give the goggles a quick flush after the first 400m or so — gave them a dry rub to see if that worked (it didn't!). Planned an opening 1,600m, but broke at the 1km mark to sort out the misty goggles.

Finished with a 400, 300, 200, 100, then some 100s to work off that ginger block that was still sitting heavy.

Heading back up to Silverdale with a quick stop for a pale ale at the beach at Takapuna.