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Cruising Guides |
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| Bay of Islands & Northland - North Cape to Cape Brett | |
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 Of all New Zealand's cruising grounds, the Bay of Islands is probably the finest - endless sheltered bays, clear, clean water and a climate that is consistently warmer than anywhere else in the country. Ferries and all manner of excursion boats ply across and around it and there are boats everywhere...
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Russell |
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 Sail power ruled in the new colonies and when New Zealand was first
colonised ship’s masters had a lot of say in where the original settlements were
built. It is therefore entirely reasonable to expect that sailing in and out of the site
of New Zealand’s first capital should be as easy as pie, and it takes only the
faintest sprinkle of salt in your veins to see why Russell was made the
nation’s first capitalTucked neatly
in behind a sheltering peninsula, Russell’s steeply shelving pebble beach keeps
sailor’s feet, and hence ship’s decks, conveniently free of sand. Deep,
glutinous, mud lies just beyond the two fathom line, swallowing anchors and winch handles
alike, while the prevailing offshore breeze allows even the most cautious watch keeper a
few hours ashore. The legendary Bay of Islands Swordfish Club, author Zane Grey's favourite hangout back in the thirties, has a splendid verandah that overlooks the wharf. Entry to this venerable institution is restricted to members and their guests, but judicious pestering of Graeme MacIntosh, skipper of Mako and a prominent club functionary, might get you an invitation. Alternatively, if Hot Rod happens to be tied at the wharf, offer to buy Roy Harrington a drink and let him suggest the venue. The interior is gloriously festooned with numerous pieces of dead fish, several tons of silverware and the names and deeds of countless heroic fisherpersons. |
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 Picture: THE TUCKER THOMPSON REACHES ACROSS THE BAY Early in January, the Tall Ships Race lines a motley assortment of veteran and multimasted vessels up off the end of the wharf for the firing of a cannon. Prominent among the fleet each year are a couple of our beloved listees - Tom Water's Windborne and Pip and Oliver's A Place in the Sun - who load up with family and friends and make a serious party of it. Book early if you want to join them. After a strenuous day of cut throat water bombing and insult hurling, the contestants gather at Russell yacht club for a huge hangi*, prizegiving and tactical analysis. |
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Paihia & Opua |
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 Paihia is the tourist centre of the Bay of Islands –
zillions of motels and a very busy wharf bedecked with offices, advertisements and
uniformed tourism officials shunting their clients in and out of buses and boats. The bulk
of the Bay’s skippered charter vessels and day trips depart from here, and a brand
new colonial style booking office offers a boggling selection of water and land based
activities. A couple of miles further up the channel from Paihia, Opua is the Bay’s deep water port. Opua is the place to look for bareboat charters, and while there is quite a current running past the wharf, access by water is very easy and the locals are good and friendly. It is a port of entry for overseas vessels, and during the hurricane season in the Pacific (November to May) the wharf’s coin operated shower and laundry facilities are jam packed with foreign adventurers. Beyond Opua, the Waikare Inlet is a great spot for gunkholing. Somewhat shallow in parts, it pays to do your exploring on a rising tide. Amazing mangrove forests abound with oysters that have escaped from neighbouring marine farms, and lifestylists in lavish homesteads share the coastline with an assortment of interesting eccentrics. |
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The Islands |
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| To most people, the real Bay of
Islands is that magical playground that takes in Te Rawhiti inlet and the necklace of
islands beginning with Motuarohia and ending in Urapukapuka. The mainland
adjoining Te Rawhiti meanders around and about and back in on itself, resulting in a huge
number of sheltered inlets, beaches and natural harbours facing any direction you like. OPITO BAY: One of the best anchorages in this area is Opito Bay, with swinging room for about 80 boats and enormous pohutukawa trees that overhang a fine swimming beach. The water in the inlet is clean and warm and is regularly visited by dolphins. Kerikeri |
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Heading North |
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 Load up on stores and head on out to the coast where
a very pleasant day’s sailing will take you past the wreck of Greenpeace's Rainbow
Warrior, a world famous marine reserve and dive site. Mid aftermnoon should have
you slap bang against the towering cliffs at the back of Whangaroa Bay. At the very last
minute, the harbour entrance appears and the fiord-like Whangaroa Harbour opens
before you. WHANGAROA HARBOUR The water here is surprisingly deep, and the whole harbour drips with history. No longer a commercial port, it was one of the last centres of a booming kauri timber trade. The once gloriously decrepid Kingfish Lodge at the mouth of the harbour (in the foreground of the picture above), and accessible only by water has recently suffered a severe makeover and is now regularly filled with movie stars and vacationing despots. Continuing north past a series of magnificently rugged and broken cliffs to Doubtless Bay reveals the sweep of Tokerau Beach with Mangonui Harbour tucked in behind a headland at its Southern end. Fifty miles beyond Mangonui lie isolated Parengarenga Harbour (which should be entered only with local knowledge or under ideal conditions) and North Cape. North Cape is a common operating limit for many
charter boats, although certain vessels have exemptions that allow them to carry on to the
rich fishing grounds around Three Kings Islands. |
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