NZ: Bay of Islands

Insurance companies don't cover boats in the tropics during cyclone season (Nov. 1- Apr. 1), so most of the cruising community spends that time in New Zealand. We ended up staying in the Bay of Islands (gateway toward the north end of the North Island) for a month, combining exploration and boat work.  

Our first treat was having Art's dad visit from Arizona! We're so grateful he made the long trip, and it kickstarted our land touring (translation: allowed us to postpone boat projects).

Our first stop was the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, where an agreement was formally signed by Maori and British representatives in 1840. 

Maori meeting house

The carvings are symbolic as well as striking

 

Extreme eye and tongue motions are intended
to strike fear in potential enemies
(we agreed to enter in peace)

Ceremonial war canoe

Still entranced by local cultures and knowing Clarence would love the music, we went to an exciting performance in the meeting house.

Next we visited a kauri forest. Similar to our redwoods, these trees used to cover much of the land before they were extensively logged; now just a few patches remain.

Tane Mahuta, the "Lord of the Forest"
This magnificent tree is 51 meters high
(yes, we are learning to use the metric system)
and estimated to be 1500 years old

Look up, and up, and up, and up, and up...

It's not just the kauri trees that are gigantic; the ferns are enormous too!

Many ferns are taller than surrounding trees

This unfurling frond is as large as my fist

And a few other activities (or inactivities):

A kid and his dad fishing

A dad and his kid napping

Can you believe the man in the center turned 87 on this day?

Opua is a good place to get boat work done, and we joined the queue of cruisers maintaining major systems with marine suppliers and specialists nearby. No need to include photos of Art in the engine room or me doing computer business. Instead, here's some fun stuff from that month:

The sheltered and beautiful anchorages in the Bay of Islands
attract large numbers of local and international cruising boats

We saw a lot of these large spotted jellyfish in the marina at Opua

Motuarohia Island: windward side...

...and leeward side (okay, also about an hour later)
The 'pool' on the right has an underwater snorkel trail (i.e. explanatory signs under the water, not visible from above);
locals will swim in bathing suits, but even wetsuits wouldn't make this water comfortable for the rest of us! 

The oldest surviving
stone house in NZ
(Kerikeri, 1835)

The oldest surviving church in NZ
(Russell, 1836)

These trunks are ferns, not trees!

You can tell we were captivated by the ferns...

Our first turkey in the galley oven!

Cruisers from 3 other boats
joined us for the feast

Rocky anchorage at Moturua Island

Flowers from the pohutukawa tree;
hillsides turn red with these blooms

A World War II defense outpost

When not in the midst of ferns,
trails are covered with archways of tall bushes
(in NZ, 'hiking on trails' is called
'tramping in the bush)

Pohutukawa trees along a steep trail

Typical scene: green hills with both trees & fields--
and a tramping track

Another typical scene: sailboat (in this case, Second Wind)
anchored among the islands...and a sheep!

Proof we're in New Zealand

More proof (be careful where you walk)

But so cute!

  Not quite as cute, but almost

After thoroughly enjoying the Bay of Islands, we headed south--around Cape Brett and through a bay full of playful dolphins. Here we are motoring under the raised bridge in Whangarei...

...and at our home base for the next few months: Riverside Marina.

It feels odd to tie to a dock and know we won't be sailing for quite a while; a chapter is over.

The next adventures are on solid ground!