Braving one of New Zealand's best known beaches on the West Coast of Auckland in the middle of winter is not most people's idea of a great time. And doing so at dawn will have most people wondering just how geographically challenged I might be, given the sun rises completely in the other direction. But you might just be surprised at how worthwhile a trip to a west coast beach is at this time of day, where all the right ingredients are already in place to greet the sun's rise.