A Little Land Cruising is Fine, too!
Tuesday, Nov. 10th – Slowly and carefully, The Captain backs Avante out of her slip. No, we’re not setting sail. Not yet. Another project is in the offing. It’s been 18 months since Avante has moved from her spot. Who knows what is growing down there on her submerged bottom? How long are the strands of seaweed? How large are the colonies of mussels, and where are they attached? She backs out readily and straight. That’s a good sign. Turning in the fairway, we slowly motor to the boat lift. A bit sluggish she may be, but she moves well. She would break into a gallop if she knew where she was going. On her way to receive a good bottom wash she is! New bottom paint and a thorough polishing of her dark blue hull will follow. The seen and unseen are to be beautified!
Another welcomed surprise in our string of successful undertakings: Hauled out of the water, Avante’s undersides are not anywhere near as encrusted and grossly disgusting as we had feared. Remembering how absolutely yucky she was after a mere 2 months in New Caledonia, we were prepared for the worst, even though locals had told us not to worry. They were right. She is not disgraced as she clears the water.
Gulf Harbour Marina has proven to be a wonderful place to leave our boat. The air is clean with no soot or smog to foul the boat. The water in the marina is clean and cold which limits growth. Though a bit out of the way it may be, its safety and cleanliness make it one of the best marinas in which we have stored Avante.
.
Wednesday, Nov.11th – A week of land-based cruising is planned while Avante gets her beauty job . We drive north along the eastern Matakana Coast following narrow, winding roads up and down the ridges. We pass through small coastal towns which shortly will come to life with the onset of the summer season and school vacation. Right now, all is quiet, and we have a pleasant time driving the uncrowded backroads.
.
Warkworth
is one of the towns we drive through, and we like the looks of it.
Then onto Matakana, the heart of the wine region, where we ride through
rolling hillsides covered in vineyards or dotted with sheep or cows.
Stopping in the port town of Whangarei, we drive down to the touristy
wharf and have lunch at a new place called “In Love with Mussels”.
Yum! New Zealand Green-lipped Mussels. What a treat!
.
The First Mate has booked us into Morepork Lodge, a B & B located above the Waitangi River. It’s a lovely spot a few miles outside the town of Paihia in the Bay of Islands. Barb and Paul run the place complete with 3 alpacas, chickens, a cat and 2 nesting Morepork owls in a tree. We never see the owls, but the view across their lawn down to the river and the sheep grazing on the other side is enough to rest the soul.
.
The trip to Paihia is being made for 2 reasons. One is to reconnect with friends, Lyn and John Martin, who run Island Cruising Association, and the other is to talk in person to Opua Marina about a berth in March prior to our leaving for Fiji. We meet Lyn and John for dinner. What fun to catch up on all our doings! The last time we saw them was a luncheon on the quay below the Opera House in Sydney. We learn that they are taking a rally to Fiji this year probably in early May. We plan to sail to Fiji as soon in April as a weather window permits. We’ll meet up again in Fiji somewhere.
.
Thursday, November 12th – We get on a waiting list at the marina. They think they will have a berth for Avante but cannot guarantee anything this far out. That afternoon, The Captain plays a round of golf with John while The First Mate spends a quiet afternoon on that wonderful porch overlooking the river working on this blog. Both of us had a fine solo afternoon — something we do not often get on a sailboat!
.
Twent years ago, on a driving tour through New Zealand, we stayed mostly at small B & B’s where we enjoyed the opportunity to meet and talk to the Kiwi owners. Often, dinner with the hosts could be purchased, and we enjoyed several evenings of great conversation and excellent dinners. That custom is dying out, but we were delighted to see that Barb and Paul still follow it.
.
That night we sit down to dinner with them. Interesting conversation and a fine dinner follow highlighted by an entrée of New Zealand Green Lipped Mussels in a savory creamy broth. Yum! We could not want for more!
.
Friday, November 13th – To Auckland to see the sites we go but also to visit Sailors Corner, a marine store, to garner information about fixing our Lectrasan unit in the aft head. In Auckland, we stay in another B & B in an area called Parnell which proves to be well-placed for our ventures. It is walking distance to the Auckland Museum and grounds and a short tramp down hill to the waterfront; yet far enough away from the tourist hub to be quiet and relatively uncrowded. It also features a range of very good restaurants frequented more by locals than by tourists.
.
At The Parnell Restaurant, we order a New Zealand delicacy: Whitebait. These seasonal items are very small, skinny fish. Last year was a poor season, but this year’s crop is plentiful. Plentiful or not, 1/2 cup of the little runts runs about $100.00. We sample our Whitebait Fritter, which looks more like an egg omelet. Doesn’t taste fishy. Doesn’t taste like much of anything but egg. The First Mate decides that for the price, she’ll take caviar!
.
Mt. Eden is the highest volcano cone in Auckland of which there are several scattered throughout the city and beyond. We take the short hike to the top where a grand view over the now grass covered crater and across the city gives us reason to pause.
.
Auckland is a nice city, but as cities really aren’t our thing, we see and check off what we feel we should see and soon head down to the harbor and to the marine store.
.
The Captain is headed to Sailors Corner, because they are a dealer for Lectrasan. We have one in the aft head, and it is not working properly. This device works with salt water and electricity to “fry” the contents of the head. Supposedly, the water thus leaving the boat is free of microbes and other unsavories making it certifiably drinkable. You try it! The First Mate would not trust her life on this, but it is good enough to allow us to flush the toilet using this system when at anchor in a pristine lagoon. Since there is no waste storage tank for this head, without a working “fry” unit, the only option is to flush right out of the boat. That is fine at sea, but certainly not in a marina or pristine lagoon. It’s got to be fixed before we head out to Fiji where we expect company on board.
A very helpful attendant explains the internal workings of the frying unit to The Captain. The problem for The Captain is that our unit is hidden behind a wall with limited access, so most of the work will need to be done by braille. We learn that the one person in the whole area who services these units happens to work out of Gulf Harbour. How great is that? A phone call to him, unfortunately, reveals that he is swamped with work, but he will come down to our boat when we return to Gulf Harbour to at least look at it and give The Captain advice. Well, that’s better than nothing.
.
Sunday, November 15th – Under grey skies and occasional weeping rain, we drive west out of Auckland into the Waitakere Range, an area of rain forests and dramatic coastlines. Stopping at the Visitors’ Center, we admire a Maori statue of Himiona Heketarere, a protecting god of these forests.
.
Trails abound with waterfalls abundant and views fantastic. The coast is famous for its black sand beaches and the waves that surge in from the west. Surfers love the place.
.
Lone
Kauri Lodge is our destination. It’s located well off the beaten path,
down a narrow gravel road, and perched on a ridge of land skimming the
tops of the rain forest.
Monday, November 16th – It’s a good thing Lone Kauri Lodge is a comfortable, welcoming place, for our one full day dedicated to tramping the trails dawns with heavy rain and fog. No breathtaking views to be seen, and trails are slick with mud. Add in a constant cold drizzle, and, well, who wants to risk pneumonia? After breakfast, we roost for the time in the cozy living room. Wrapped in a faux mink throw, The First Mate is a happy camper. Rain abates somewhat in the afternoon encouraging us to venture forth. We have to figure out where to go for dinner anyway. Restaurants around here are few and very far between. Plus, this being Monday, most are closed or closing at 5:00. That may be the dinner hour somewhere, but not for us.
.
We drive out to Wai Karekare, which translates to the “bay of the boisterous sea” in the Maori language. From on high, we look down on the tiny enclave of Piha, a surfers and artists colony.
.
Stopping at a pullout, we walk a short distance to view an easily accessible Kauri tree. These serene giants live to vast ages. The one we are viewing is thought to be over 1,000 years old. The stories it could tell. Good? Bad? What slant would it take on the impact mankind has had?
.
With the dense foliage and growth of the surrounding rain forest, it is impossible to stand far enough back from the tree to compose a picture showing its immense size. Bromeliads grow securely off its branches. Birds shelter amongst its leaves sending out a medley of fluted songs. The yellow running down its bark is gum which the tree oozes out to protect itself when injured. Polished, it becomes beautiful amber which is much prized for jewelry and decorative arts. Even today, the forest service has to watch out for poachers.
.
The wood of the Kauri tree once was used for ship masts, building material and furniture. The New Zealand logging industry shipped its product all over the world. So valued was the wood and so successful was the industry, that a mere 2% of the ancient kauri forests remains. Logging of Kauri has ceased, and the remaining trees are protected. Unfortunately, a disease that enters through their roots threatens them. Once again, man is the culprit as are his dogs and the varmints that came in with him. Raised walks are built to keep us from stepping on the roots, viewing platforms keep our distance, dogs are not allowed and traps and poison are being used to get rid of the varmints.
.
Told that the Auckland Track is well-maintained with an improved bed and little mud, we head there for the hour-long hike. Not 10 minutes into it, and The First Mate feels her foot flopping. What’s this? She looks down. It’s not her foot. It’s her shoe! The front sole has come unstuck.
.
The Captain shakes his head in disgusted resignation. He knows after all these years that, in his opinion, The First Mate never has the right shoes at the right time. Mainly, from his opinion she thinks, that means that she never has hiking shoes at the unexpected times he finds a hike. Maybe she should just wear combat boots!
.
Assuring him that all will be fine, she re-routes the shoelace around the flapping edge and with determination, proceeds on her way. It is not the end of the world, and it sure isn’t the end of this hike!
.
Tuesday, November 17th – Today we are heading back to Gulf Harbour, but with clearing weather, we decide to do the 4-hour Montana Heritage Hike. With her shoe laced together and a spare tie just in case, The First Mate is ready.
.
The road to the trail head takes us through the Waitakere Golf Course which is touted as one of the most scenic in New Zealand. It’s a remarkable course where, by our reckoning, not a flat lie can be found! We are amazed that somebody had the fortitude and vision to create this sweeping acreage of green out of …….
.
……. this! An impenetrable mass of vegetation!
.
Then, when we read that the land was originally cleared by one man and his growing sons in order to establish grazing land for cattle, we are even more impressed. What back-breaking work! They were not the only family to attempt to settle and tame this land. Many did over the years. None succeeded for long. The rain forest bided its time and eventually reclaimed its own.
.
The Montana Heritage Trail is well maintained as it cuts through the dense rain forest. Streams run through the area, and it is not surprising that we end up at the Waitakere Reservoir.
.
Whenever we are in an area with Kauri trees, wooden walkways have been built to keep hikers from tramping on the root area of the Kauris, for that is how the dreaded Kauri disease has been found to spread.
.
Trek completed, and adding to The Captain’s pleasure was the fact that The First Mate had no issue with The Shoe or The Hip. The shoe will be replaced, and the hip is better than new.
.
We continue on to Gulf Harbour so we can show up at the Marina first thing in the morning to make sure all the work is done prior to Avante’s splash down at 3:15 the next afternoon. We arrive in Gulf Harbour after 4:00 and decide to check on the boat even though we know everyone has clocked out for the day. Avante’s sides have been polished. She looks radiant, but though her bottom has been prepped, it has not been painted. Maybe they can work wonders, but it doesn’t look like she will see the water tomorrow.
Wednesday, November 18th – 8:00am: The Captain is at the Marina. 9:00am: He is back at the hotel with bad news. Our good luck run of successfully completed tasks has hit a wall. Avante is not ready and is now rescheduled to go back in the water early Friday afternoon. Why? We are told rain on Monday pushed back their schedule, though The Captain feels a lack of coordination between all working parties is the main culprit. Well, nothing can be done about it. It’s a boat after all, and delays like this are more common than not. Our problem now is what to do with ourselves. Where do we go? What to do when we feel we’ve done all the touring we want in the area. Even The First Mate is tired of land cruising, and she thought she would never say that!
We
decide to head back to the Matakana Coast which we had driven through at
the beginning of this trip. We liked the coastal communities, and we
figure that we might as well take the time this time to visit a few of
the many vineyards in the area. In Warkworth, we walk into a Tourist
Center for information on the various vineyards and accommodations in
the area. The First Mate has in mind something like a cottage for the
next 2 days. A home rather than a hotel room, and that is exactly what
the knowledgeable attendants get for her. We drive off to Daniel’s Bay
Lodge in the coastal town of Leigh. A sleek, new contemporary 3-room
cottage with views overlooking the bay and a continental breakfast each
morning awaits us. It’s perfect, and we immediately settle in.
.
Reading
.
Wine tastings and gourmet lunches at nearby vineyards.
.
Hikes along the precipitous coastline.
.
It’s spring time here down under, and the flowers are out in all their glory. Roses abound, and The First Mate can’t stop from going over to smell leaving The Captain, who has no nose for such things, to wait impatiently. Several plants are unfamiliar to her, but the one that catches her camera’s eye has a bright orange-red mop spiking up on a tall stalk. She learns that they are informally called “Red Hot Pokers”. Perfectly descriptive!
.
We
finish off our days with Take Away dinners of fish and chips or calamari
and chips, carting our greasy containers back to our cottage to enjoy
with a cold beer or two. How decadent! We couldn’t and wouldn’t live
like this forever, but two days of this laid back life of reading,
eating, drinking and lazing with nothing to do or needing to do is a
unique treat.
Back to reality: A call to the marina Thursday afternoon confirms that Avante will splash tomorrow. Back we go to life on the boat, work on the boat, fun on the boat and what we really came to New Zealand to do — sail!