Schooner Seawanhaka

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Photo Album - New Zealand

Once we had the engine problem sorted out and sailed out of Opua, SEAWANHAKA had a good month of sailing exploring the Bay of Islands and Whangaroa Harbor. There is ALWAYS wind in the Bay of Islands; 21 days of sailing in the 2 months in the New Zealand northland, and good wind EVERY day. We did have some pretty rugged weather in December, but there always seems to be a good anchorage with good holding sheltered from the wind when it blows a gale. We spent 4 days sitting out up to 45 knots in Waipiro Cove of Parekura Bay, then sailed to the north shore for Christmas week. We anchored in Rangihoua Bay, Te Puna inlet and Whale Bay, and visited the Kerikeri Cruising Club. They call them "Cruising Clubs" rather than Yacht Clubs, because in Kiwi "yacht " is specific to sailboats, a power boat being called a "launch". We had a very nice ride in our inflatable up the Kerikeri River Channel, about 15 miles up to the wharf at the "Stone Store", the oldest commercial structure in NZ (according to the European settlers). A great run along the Kerikeri River "Track" and just a short hike into the town of Kerikeri. Had a nice Christmas feast of New Zealand lamb!

We caught a nice easterly and sailed 30 miles up the coast through the Cavalli Islands to Whangaroa Harbor. The entrance is a narrow opening in the cliffs, to the fiordlands of the North Island. Good hiking, exploring, protected anchorages, and New Year's eve at the "Gum Diggers Pub". There were at one time 7,000 "gum diggers" digging ancient kauri stumps out of the swamps and mud flats to extract gum for making varnish to keep classic sailboats looking ship-shape! Our friends Gerd and Wilhemina from Bay Marine Electric joined us for a New Year's Day sail back south to the Bay of Islands. May all of the sails of '05 be so sweet! sunshine and fair winds.

Susanna departed in search of warmer waters in Tonga and Samoa, on her way back to Sausalito. I spent a wonderful month anchored off of the quaint little village of Russell, painting, varnishing, running, cycling and swimming, getting the boat ready for a visit from my mother and sister Sharlan. And of course lots of great day sails around the Bay of Islands!

SEAWANHAKA left New Zealand May 22 for the passage back to Fiji. It was a wonderful summer of sailing in the northland: Bay of Islands, Cavalli Islands and Whangaroa Harbor. We made 3 attempts to round Cape Brett and sail south to the Poor Knights Islands, coastal anchorages, and Great Barrier Island. Unfortunately each time the wind was strong from the SE, sending us back into to the refuge of the Bay of Islands. Disappointed not to see some of the southern sights, but no regrets about more wonderful sailing and anchorages in the Bay of Islands! Great summer in New Zealand, but as it turns to fall and the weather starts to cool off, SEAWANHAKA is anxious to be back in the tropics.

Postings:

Click to see New Zealand Postings

(Click on a photo to see a larger view)



Bay of Islands
Wonderful Sailing!

Exploring remote beaches on the north shore.

North shore cove.

Susanna paying our respects to Reverend Samuel Marsden at the site of the first Christian Sermon in NZ.

Rangihoua Bay.

North to Whagaroa - Great sailing and fishing!.

Fresh water bath after a great "tramp".

Portugese Man of War - Polyp stage.
One of the only "stingers" in NZ.

Whangaroa Harbor in the fog. NZ Northland fiordland.

With that name, everyone stops here for water.

New Years Eve in Whangaroa Harbor.

The water finally warms enough for swimming.

Sunny anchorage in Russell. Lesley, Bonnie and Mark.

Start of the Tall Ships/Classic Regatta.

Lots of action in the regatta.

Claire, Charlotte and Paul - Foredeck crew.

SEAWANHAKA crew for Tallships/Classic Regatta.

More great sailing in the Bay of Islands with Australian crew Leah on the bowsprit.

Dutch/British crew.

Cape Brett - South Entrance to the Bay of Islands.

Hole in the Rock.

Deep Water Cove Sunset.

Urupukapuka Bay.

Te Rawhiti Inlet - Albert Channel.

Mom on SEAWANHAKA.

Urupukapuka Bay Anchorage.

Bay of Islands from Urupukapuka Island.

Sister Sharlan hiking Urupukapuka Island.

Urupukapuka Island Sunset.

More Islands from Urupukapuka.

Otiao Bay.

Otiao Bay Beach.

Remote Beach on Urupukapuka Island.

SEAWANHAKA in Urupukapuka Bay.

Hanlon Crew.

Mom on Awaarwaroa Bay Beach.

Stone Store, Mission House and Eliza Hobson - New Zealand history in Kerikeri.

TePuna Inlet Sunset.

TePuna Inlet Full Moon.

"Tramping" from Deep Water Cove to Cape Brett.

Cape Brett from
the shoreside.

Bill and Oisin discuss strategy to sail to Fiji (1100 miles distant!).

NZ coastline south of Cape Brett.

Day sail for Kamakura Restaurant crew.

Rainbow Falls
Kerikeri River.

Bill in the Rainbow
Falls Cave.

Waiiti Bay - Cavalli Islands.

Tramping the Cavalli Islands.

The end of the tramp - a GREAT swim!.

Cavalli Islands Sunset.

Cavalli Islands Sunset.

Cavalli Islands Sunset.

Cavalli Islands Sunset.

...and 1 more great Cavalli Islands sunset.

Pauline ready for oyster picking.

Marianne & Maarten ready for oyster picking.

Whangaroa Harbor Oyster Beds.

Pauline climbing the ratlines.

Pauline relaxing after the oyster hunt.

English Mackerel for lunch on SEAWANHAKA!.

Bay of Islands from Paihia Lookout.

Paihia Lookout "tramp".

Russell.

Russell Beach.

Irish crew Mary.

English crew Jeff.

English crew Sharon.

Dutch crew Joanna and Marjolein.

Oke Bay sunset.

Oke Bay anchorage.

New moon.

Go back to Fiji to New Zealand photos.

Go on to New Zealand to Fiji photos.