New Zealand - March 6th -April 15th
2008
Going home for a visit came about fast,
We had just come out of the yard after spending way to long
at Cracker Boy Boat Works in West Palm Beach STH FL one of
the last do it yourself yards left in the sunshine state. We
were back on the inner coastal just south of Peanut island
and opposite the Palm Beach sailing club, when cams mum
called and asked if we could make it back to NZ for his
Granddad Dicks 80th birthday. Well we are pretty good at
making huge changes in short time periods, so it was
organized to fly out on the 4th of March after putting the
boat back up on the hard in yes CB Boat works for 5 weeks
and leaving a pissed of cat to be looked after by our good
friend and canvas lady Jeannie. Flying from WPB to Chicago
to San Francisco then on to Sydney and finally Auckland NZ,
44 hours later door to door made for the mental and physical
awareness that buying the cheapest tickets isn't always the
best way to go, next time we go by our own boat. Seeing the
smiling faces of family at the airport and walking onto
native ground made it all well worth it! Even the
kafuffle in Sydney airport where they just about sent us
back for forgetting to attain visas for the kids (darn it
that's right they are US citizens). New Zealand hadn't
changed much in the eight years since we first left by
motorboat doing the south pacific crossing to Newport
CA. We have gotten so use to America's big highways that the
little two lane road heading to Opua in the Bay of Islands
was a little scary, driven by race car driver Grandpa Kip,
up and down the mountains which compared to the flat
straights in Florida made for plenty of nervous laughter. Ah
it was a wonderful site to see the beauty that has made New
Zealand famous around the world and arriving at Cam's
parents newly built eco friendly inside and out. The house's
highlight is their view of the Bay of Islands which is
breathtaking. Tutu' has the touch of a green goddess and her
native garden is the envy of the neigbourhood.
Surprising Granddad Dick was a grand event as he didn't
recognize any of us at first, and thought we were strangers
coming over for lunch. Dick being an old sea dog himself has
an amazing collection of stories about sailing the world and
Pat has detailed all their voyages with diaries and
photographs. Being that we had two weeks in the bay of
islands we enthusiastically agreed to go on his boat
'Kaheno" for a few days around the islands. I had forgotten
the clean tranquil inspriring beauty of the islands and the
emerald waters that surrounded them. We went to Roberton
Island with its lagoons lush foligage and steep cliffs. With
only two boats in the bay and the odd tourist boat coming in
detailing the history of Captain Cooks first landing in NZ
on this island, we had quiet surroundings to enjoy the good
company of family and a beautiful North Island sunset. Over
the next couple of days we dug for Pippis (a NZ favourite
shell fish) and climbed over mountains through black forests
to secluded beaches and crystal waters. At Urapukapuka
Island we walked over the sheep laden hills to the other
side of the island and made our way back along the oyster
rocks. The low tide had created wonderful pools for the kids
to explore the local crustacean and caught an octopus that
proved to be a exciting family adventure to get it back to
the boat to show Granddad , especially since the bag was
leaking and we had to swim across areas that we couldn't
rock climb. No octopus was harmed in this adventure and was
safely returned to the sea to live out its years in the
safety of Davey Jones locker.
Opua is the first entry into NZ to
clear customs, there is plenty of places to anchor and
Granddad Dick has a number of moorings, which is located
opposite the Opua Wharf as you head in. You won't find more
friendlier locals, with a dairy and post office at the end
of the dock. Boaters are within walking distance to Ashby's
Boatyard down the road and Allan Legge of Allan Legge Boat
Builders will help you out with any boat part and knowledge
needed. Chris Hornell of Bay of Islands Marine Center" are
great people, they have all the equipment to keep your
outboard running smooth, Chris also owns and races Revs, the
local favorite, sleek race boat you can see tied up in front
of the sailing club on Wednesday nights for race night.
Hilton Edmonds owns and operates the local tug & mooring
service, and also very partial to Mount Gay Rum, His
beautiful wife Louisa has the best shoes (As Maya went
through every pair) and is the most gracious hostess.
Philippe their son is the best fishing person and knows all
the best local spots for catching fish (not that he'll kiss
the fish and tell). Granddad Dick is the inventor of the
captain special which is a brew only he can make, for
willing sailors. Just as well it's a short walk up the dock
to the house he built at 76 yrs old on the hillside of Tapu
point. (Kiwi ingenuity at its finest)
buy music Beatles Yellow Submarine
In the next bay north of Opua is
Paihia this seaside resort town is where all the tourist
whale & Dolphin watching and hole in the rock tours depart
from. Paihia is also home to the Waitangi treaty grounds the
birthplace of NZ history, the 1840 treaty between the
British sovereignty and the Maori chiefs of Aotearoa.
Another 20 minutes up the road and we were in Kerikeri
home to the best oranges in the world (a tad biased) and now
some wonderful local vineyards set in rural environments
like Cottle Hill estates, and Marsden Estates both are award
winning vineyards producing smooth, rich and clean tasting
wines. Not to forget the best cheese's in the north "Mahoe"
cheese factory is located on a organic farm where the free
roaming cow's are milked to supply this variety of fine
cheeses. We then headed south to meet up with Ma & Pop
uncle Sam and the rest of the Dowdall whanua. It was great
to be home and Tauranga had changed a lot as the city was
now a bustling metropolis and the harbor was filled with new
marinas, a boat yard and plenty of trendy cafe's & shopping.
We all jumped into Pop's wagon and headed to Mount
Maunganui, this is also the name of the extinct volcano
which rises above the town. Shrouded in history and legend
the mountain is a dominate feature of the landscape and
climbing the summit offers amazing views of the surrounding
city and ocean. I find when ever I go home to walk either up
or around or both always completes the journey back to my
roots. Also to top it off is a swim in the natural
thermal salt water hot pools at the base of the mountain.
Unfortunately we didn't see White Island (or Whakaari as it
was named by the Maori before the Europeans arrived)
erupting from it's home in the sea 48 kilometers off the
coast off the Bay of Plenty.
The kids had a fab time swimming in Ma
and Pops swimming pool and the good kiwi food that filled
their bellies, local fish from the next door neighbor, New
Zealand green mussels, oysters, pippis, paua, fresh tuna and
anything else cooked by Ma, especially her muffins that are
made for special mermaids. Oh and almost getting eaten
themselves by a bronze whaler shark while playing in the sea
between the beach fisherman whom were carsting with mullet
bait and babies legs. We drove down to aunty Shells and
uncle Matt's farm which is just south of Rotorua and has the
back drop of the Whirinaki mountain range. Maya and
Fynn rode the donkeys and tried to pat the pet pig but she
was too into eating the walnuts falling on the ground. Matt
provides a service to trek the famous Whirinaki forest and
the Urewera National park walkways. The tree's in these
forest's have a continuous lineage stretching back to the
ancient continent of Gondwanaland. If you are in the area it
is truly a must see.
Deftones White Pony mp3
www.getoutthere.co.nz
For anyone sailing in the south pacific
New Zealand "Aotearoa" is two island's not to be
missed, I've only given a short description of places we
went to in the North Island and haven't touched on the
magnificent beauty of the South Island of the country, that
boasts magnificent Passes and thermal rivers, glaciers,
waterfalls and wildlife of one of the last untouched places
on the planet.
