Canada comes downunder…

Marnie and Dylan returned to America on January 31^st and next on our agenda was a visit from my very good friends from Canada that I had met back when I had travelled there in my early 20’s. Finally, after many years planning, they were making the big trip to this end of the world.

Jamie, Terry, Fay and Jim

And he's hooked the big one!!
Pity it was a stingray

We were so very excited to meet Jim, Terry and Fay up in Paihia and on yet another cloudy and wet afternoon sailed out through Kent Pass to anchor in-between Dove’s and Blacksmith Bay. 

Keen to catch dinner the lines were soon baited up and dropped in, scoring a few snapper – enough for a meal though, before Jim hooked the Big One!! A mammoth struggle ensued, as he reeled it closer to the boat we got ready to land it then, time and time again it took off, pulling metres of line off the reel for him to wind in again. An hour and a quarter later we got the biggest stingray we had seen so far close enough to SOL to cut the line free and save all the gear bar the hook. Jim had had a ball trying to bring it in and we were all enthralled watching the fight.

Great looking snapper, Jim

A relaxing day - Fay & Terry, up on the foredeck.
Perfect calm exploring Whangaroa Harbour.

Leaving “Stingray Bay” next morning with blue skies and beautiful sunshine we sailed up the coast trawling for, and catching, kahawai on the way. We passed the Cavalli Islands and as the wind increased put a reef in the mainsail and had a super sail to Whangaroa Harbour where we anchored in a very strong tide just off the wharf and headed into the Gamefishing Club for dinner and drinks.

Another glorious day dawned and we toured the upper reaches of this really pretty harbour, stopping in Okura Bay, Totara North, where we went ashore to stretch our legs. We walked down to the site of the oldest timber mill in New Zealand, which only closed down in the early 2000’s. This was particularly interesting to Jim as he had worked in the mill in Canada.

The old mill at Totara North - 

one of the oldest mills and the last kauri mill still in operation

before it closed down in 2002

Sailing back to the Bay of Islands the cloud again increased and yet again it rained – what is the story with this New Zealand summer weather???

Another bad weather day had us doing a bit of land-based touring, we drove first to Opua where we used the excellent shower facilities at the marina there ($2 for 5 mins hot water) had coffee then to Kerikeri.

Kerikeri seems to be the home of “The Oldest….in New Zealand”. It is where you find the Kerikeri Mission Station, (which dates back to 1819). Here is the Oldest Stone Store – the first store and the oldest still operating store in New Zealand, the Oldest Pear Tree and the Oldest Surviving House (Kemp House). St James Church, just a short walk up the road, is one of the Oldest Churches.

Kerikeri - with the stone store, St James Church, Kent House and the river

Lunch was partaken at the pub in Kerikeri, where I had the best seafood chowder ever!! Then we went to Waimate North to the Te Waimate Mission which was the fourth mission station established and is the Oldest Inland Mission Station. Here we looked through this magnificent house, the churchyard nearby and the cemetery containing some of the Oldest Gravestones in New Zealand.

We returned to Paihia via Haruru Falls, more food and alcohol were purchased, then next day we left Paihia and stopped at Roberton Island where we again walked to the lookout at the top. Today, the weather was great and Terry, Fay, Jim and I swam out to the boat leaving Jamie to bring the Yamahama.

Amazing view from Roberton Island summit

We hauled up the screecher and with the wind around 10knots sailed blissfully past the Hole in the Rock down to Whangaruru Harbour anchoring in Tuparehuia Bay for the night. The evening being spent with fishing lines out, drink in hand, enjoying each other’s company, as each evening was spent!!!

Next stop Whangamumu – and what a magnificent stop it was too – Terry and Fay got on the paddleboards (which can convert to kayaks) and kayaked around this beautiful bay whilst Jamie, Jim and I trekked up to the top of the track behind the old whaling station, past the waterfall, to take in the amazing view – north and south.

A walk to check the view from the top of Whangamumu for Jamie, Jim and I

Terry and Fay paddling around the bay, Whangamumu

Yet another Cyclone was heading our way so we returned to the mooring in Paihia and leaving SOL there we drove down to Auckland feeling there was no point in just hanging out on the boat at the mooring with the weather too bad to even get ashore.

We took a break in Warkworth at the Parry Kauri Park where we walked around the boardwalk which loops through the beautiful native bush. The park contains a small museum, various old outbuildings, old farm implements, kauri felling equipment and two of the hugest, oldest kauri trees (take that – Kerikeri!!) – with girths of more than 7 metres – one is thought to be the largest kauri tree on New Zealand’s east coast.

Parry Kauri Park, Warkworth

Auckland was its usual big city bustling self but, joined by long-time friend, Barbara, Fay, Terry and I spent lovely time walking around the city – in the rain. We visited Sky City and the museum – spending a fascinating four hours there – we could spend days and still miss bits. We walked the length of Queen Street window shopping, saw the Art Gallery and the Viaduct Precinct and enjoyed the best Asian seafood dinner ever.

Whilst the girls played tourist, the boys were hard at work fixing up problems left in the wake of the recently departed tenants of our Auckland apartment – what they achieved in 4 days was staggering and Jamie and I are so grateful for all the help from our Canadian visitors to get the apartment sorted and re-leased three days later.

After an awesome visit, we said farewells – we went back to SOL in the Bay of Islands, Fay left to return to Canada, Jim and Terry going to tour Australia for 6 weeks before we meet again in the South Island where we will travel around in a motorhome together for 10 days.