The Gradual Easing of Covid-19 Restrictions
New Zealand’s Covid-19 Alert Level 4 lasted 33 days. It was a strict lockdown whose goal was to cut down on people interaction and virus spread. In sharp contrast to the United States, New Zealand acted quickly and uniformly over the entire country. Both countries had the same daily access to global and medical information, but New Zealand listened to the medical experts and developed a good plan in response to the pandemic. They took effective action and communicated it clearly. Everyone was to stay at home. Other than essential public services, the only businesses allowed to stay open in Level 4 were grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations. Borders were shut, and travel was restricted to a person’s local area. The police were out explaining the rules, and the population generally complied with the restrictions. It worked! In a little more than a month of strict lockdown, the number of new cases for the entire country had been in the single digits for about 10 days.
Tuesday, April 28th – New Zealand moves to Covid-19 Alert Level 3, easing the restrictions somewhat. It is a step toward opening up, but it is a very gradual reduction in restrictions. Basically, it allows many more businesses to open to get the economy moving. Social distancing is still required, and people can expand their bubble slightly. Businesses are not allowed to interact with customers, so restaurants, bars and grooming services must remain closed. Level 3 really does not change much for us onboard Avante. More recreational activities are allowed including swimming and surfing, but the water temperature is getting cold and not remotely tempting us to go in the water. Recreational boating is still forbidden, and that means we must still limit our sailing and stay in the Bay of Islands.
Tuesday, May 6th – Anchored off the Opua Marina, we head ashore to provision for only the second time since Lockdown began in March. People are now allowed to drive a little further, so we borrow a car and drive to Kerikeri where there are bigger stores. Not only do we need food, we need to dump 3 weeks worth of trash, refill a propane bottle and run a few other onshore errands. The dinghy is loaded down when we head to shore. It will be loaded up with far more when we return with several weeks worth of food!
There is still a limit on the number of people allowed inside the grocery stores, so we wait in a queue. Shelves are full, and there are very few limits on quantities. The one we exceeded was one of which we were unaware. For some reason, our store had a limit on wine purchases. We were buying for over 3 weeks and totally violated this local restriction. They tell The Captain not to do it again but do sell us the wine. Our butcher is now open, and we have called in an order for pickup. Again, we wait in line, for only one person is allowed in the store at a time. The Captain needs some boat supplies, and we have called in an order to the local chandlery. He cannot go inside, but he can pickup at the door. We get everything that we need, then return to Avante and head back out into the Bay of Islands.
Thursday, May 14th – New Zealand moves to Covid-19 Alert Level 2. It is wonderful to read that after 49 days of fairly severe restrictions, there are now very few new cases of Covid-19 occurring on a daily basis! The disease is well contained within the country, and borders remain closed to help keep it that way. Level 2 is a significant step in opening up the economy – much larger than Level 3 was. Social distancing is still in place but is relaxed a little. People can interact with friends and relatives but should maintain distance from strangers. Group size limits are raised to 100. Many more businesses, such as restaurants and personal grooming services, are allowed to open but must follow social distancing guidelines regarding spacing and protection. Customers are now allowed to enter non-essential stores. Schools and public venues are back open. The big change for us is that recreational boating is now allowed, so we can now leave the Bay of Islands and sail up and down the coast.
Friday, May 15th – The crew of Avante did not waste much time before venturing further afield. During the past 10 years, we have often been in New Zealand, and we are very familiar with the nearby coastal areas. Two of our favorites are the Cavalli Islands and Whangaroa Harbour, both north of the Bay of Islands.
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Our first destination is Motukawanui Island, the largest of the Cavalli Islands. In settled weather, there are a number of places to anchor here, but with conditions not settled now, our only good option for an anchorage is Waiiti Bay.
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It is too late to head ashore for a hike by the time we are anchored, but ever the hopeful fisherperson, The First Mate sets to the task. She finds, however, that this activity is not as much to her liking these days. It is chilly sitting there waiting for a dumb fish to bite, and her hands are cold! Winter is coming to the Southern Hemisphere. Not only are we dressed in more layers of clothing, but we keep a close watch on the weather. It’s raining more often now, and the winds seem stronger and are changing direction frequently.
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Saturday, May 16th – Weather was okay when we anchored, but during the night, the wind increased and clocked around to SSE. We felt the boat start to roll more and woke up to wind blowing right into the bay. After making cappuccinos, the next thing that The Captain does in the morning is to look at the latest weather forecasts. He had been hoping that we could stay here for the morning and do a hike on the island, but the weather is changing quicker than previously forecast. “Time to go,” he announces. We are off for Whangaroa Harbour, which is a large enclosed bay where we can find good protection from any wind direction.
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Sunday, May 17th – There are 2 hikes that we have done many times up here in Whangaroa Harbour. One is St. Paul’s Knob and the other is The Duke’s Nose. Today, we move around to anchor below St. Paul’s Knob which rises above the tiny settlement of Whangaroa. A pretty marina has been built at this end of the harbor, but though it is too shallow for Avante and doesn’t have room even if we wanted a berth, we can tie the dinghy up to their visitor’s dock.
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As we walk toward the trail head, along the side of the road, we pass the Community Pantry reminding us of Telluride’s Free Box. Here the plan is to “Take what you need, and leave what you don’t need”. Winter is a hard time for many in this area which is based on a tourist economy, and Covid-19 certainly has not helped. We are heartened to see this community effort.
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After a hike through the woods, the trail continues on through a field of green before the last scramble to the top.
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The top is up a steep rocky incline with the aid of a well-placed chain rope. With plenty of toe-holding rocks, this climb is almost fun!
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The knobby top of the Knob with a 360-degree view!
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Sheltered out of an increasing wind and eyeing the grey clouds building, we eat lunch enjoying the view below us.
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The forecast called for rain starting in the afternoon. We had gotten a fairly early start to beat the weather and almost made it. Near the bottom, we sheltered under the branches of a spreading tree to let a heavy shower pass, glad that we were not the group of hikers who had just passed us on their way up. New Zealand does get a lot of rain, especially in the late fall and winter. Most of the time, it comes as intermittent showers on and off throughout the day, unless a big low system moves in bringing with it a deluge for days on end. This time, the shower passes, and we proceed on our way back to the dinghy.
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Over the years with our many visits to Whangaroa, we have watched this boat come to life under the loving hands of its owner. From derelict-looking hull encased in plastic as it was being sanded down, it now is smoothly painted. How wonderful to be able to work on this project right out one’s front door!
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We are impressed with the carved bowsprit. What detail is going into this boat! The First Mate truly hopes she will one day see this beauty finished and floating.
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Avante is safely anchored below St. Paul’s, but with rain and some wind looming for tomorrow, we leave and motor over to East Arm in the harbor for a more sheltered spot to sit it out.
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Wednesday, May 20th – It rained on Monday, but not as hard as forecast. We allowed a day for the trails to dry out a little and now have a chance to do the second hike in Whangaroa, the Duke’s Nose. The trail head starts in Lane Cove just above a hikers’ hut set picturesquely on the shore.
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We have never been able to anchor in Lane Cove, for there have always been several other boats at anchor there, and there was never enough room to allow Avante the swing room she needs. This morning, we luck out. There are no other boats at anchor. Picking a prime middle spot, we drop anchor, and for the next 2 days, we have this pretty little cove all to ourselves.
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The trek up the Duke’s Nose is much longer and more strenuous than that up St Paul’s Knob. For The First Mate, the last vertical stretch up the rock face is challenging. Going up is hard enough, but coming down is worse. Where does one put one’s foot? Where is the next toe hold? The Captain always goes first, and with him guiding her steps, she makes it up and down. “Go, Grandma!” she thinks to herself.
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The view from the top across this section of Whangaroa Harbour out to the opening into the harbor is always impressive. With its several lobes or arms, going off in different directions, Whangaroa Harbour offers shelter in all winds.
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Behind us can be seen the harbor as it extends back and down toward Whangaroa and St. Paul’s.
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Back at the bottom of the trail, we decide to follow the Wairakau Stream Track which starts behind the hiker’s hut. This leads out to a rock-strewn stream crossing where a grassy area offers a great spot for our picnic lunch break.
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The Wairakau Stream trailhead is on the other side of the bay. We haven’t walked this whole trail yet, and though we follow it for a little while, we decide that this is a trek that must await another day. We still have a long way back to Avante to go!
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On our return, we can see down into Lane Cove. Those sheer rock escarpments rising above Avante are impressive.
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Friday, May 22nd – After a day of rest, we take off to hike the Wairakau Stream Track all the way to its trailhead.
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Crossing the stream where we had our picnic, we continue on to another stream crossing. From there, the trail meanders into heavy woods with thick old growth trees.
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Not to be outdone by its old tree neighbors, these palms put on a show of age of their own.
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Arriving at the trailhead, we have lunch and then about face for the return trip. Walking out of the woods and intersecting the stream again, we stop to gaze at the sheer rock walls rising straight up from the stream.
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We have heard people mention a waterfall along this trail, but we have never seen one or even heard one. We thought that maybe as we followed the track further, we would find this waterfall, but if it was there, it had dried up! We heard and saw nothing. We keep looking up at the rock cliffs as we leave our first picnic site on our return to Lane Cove for, we know, if there truly is a waterfall, it must be somewhere up there.
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Finally, we spot a ribbon of silver against the grey stone. The waterfall! We would never have seen it without the sun reflecting off the water and can barely see it now, but with the camera’s telephoto, we get a good picture. The waterfall is real. There it is!
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We spent a week in Whangaroa Harbour, got in some hiking in between rain days stuck on boat and finally were able to anchor in pretty Lane Cove. Not only did we get to anchor there, for 2 days, we were all alone. How very special! One of the rewards of cruising at this chilly time of year is that there are few boats.
Saturday, May 23 – It dawns a lovely day, and with winds backing to NE, it is a perfect time to head back to the Cavalli Islands to get in our hike there. We leave Whangaroa Harbour and in two hours, are anchoring again in Waiiti Bay on Motukawanui Island. Dinghy is launched, and we head ashore. This island is a Scenic Reserve with one trail that cuts across the island and a spur that winds up to a scenic lookout. Like all island hikes in New Zealand, it involves a good deal of up and down.
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The First Mate is entranced by the many white and yellow flowering shrubs that line the path. It almost feels like springtime instead of late fall leading into winter.
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The views out to sea and to the distant islands are shadowed in haze which disappoints her photo attempts, though she is quite pleased with the cheery brightness of her immediate surroundings.
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The Captain, who has quickly walked on ahead, is not as enthralled by the bright shrubs. He’s out for some exercise, not a stroll in an arboretum! Resigned, he sits by the trail to wait.
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The dirt on so many of these hiking trails is clay. Add in some rain, and the trails become slick with gooey mud. Add in the steepness of many trails and the trek becomes dicey with ankle-twisting slips for the unwary. The trail leading up from the beach has been slick, but the steeper path up the spur to the lookout proves even slicker. We are both concerned about the trek back down, but we push that thought aside when we reach the top and stop to enjoy the view while we have lunch.
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With the help of sturdy, dry sticks from the flax plant, we carefully retrace our steps down from the lookout. Both of us slip out a couple of times, but nearby bushes, limbs and those sticks save us from falls. We continue our trek across the spine of the island and down to the northern end.
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Years ago, we anchored in this bay on our first visit to the Cavalli Islands, but with the wind direction today, that would be totally uncomfortable.
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Making our way down the last slippery slope, it is always reassuring to see one’s boat floating peacefully at anchor right where we left her. Realizing that we have not seen the last of winter-wet slippery slopes, we wisely throw our sticks in the dinghy for future use.
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Sunday May 24th – We knew we were in for some nasty weather, but this morning’s look at the forecast was really disheartening. All we see is rain for the next 10 days with some thunderstorms thrown in for good measure. Knowing we are going to want some place secure to shelter for a while, we decide to head back to the Bay of Islands.
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Our favorite spot to shelter there is Opunga Cove which has great holding and protection from winds from north to south. If the wind shifts, we can easily move the very short distance across to Orokawa Bay which offers protection from southwest through north. Internet reception is good, so if it’s cold and rainy, we have more to do inside the boat. The biggest drawback is that there are really no shore activities here, but when we have a nice day, Moturua Island or Urupukapuka Island, which offer good hiking, are just a short sail away. Thus, with options for changing wind direction and for getting off the boat if a fine spell finds us, we pull anchor and head to Opunga Cove.
Our first venture out of the Bay of Islands now that New Zealand has successfully moved to Alert Level 2 has been wonderful. We have been able to get out and freely cruise without feeling any constraints except those imposed by the weather. The essence of Level 2 restrictions is to allow things to move back toward normalcy while still requiring some social distancing. On board Avante, social distancing has been easy to maintain these past 10 days. We were not around a lot of other boats and not with any boat that we knew. As we head back to the Bay of Islands and eventually into the marina, we will experience some evidence of the remaining restrictions, but for the last 10 days, there has been absolutely no impact.
We are so grateful to have found ourselves in a country which took this virus seriously and responded based upon scientific analysis and recommendations . We feel we have been given a reward for our forbearance in following the stringent lockdown requirements of Covid-19 Alert Level 4 and Alert Level 3. The 7 weeks that these fairly severe restrictions lasted may have seemed like a long time, but they were what was needed to stop the spread of Covid-19 and really reduce the numbers of new cases. Compared to the US where lockdowns were not done across the board and where opening up was urged before containment was achieved, these weeks of lockdown now seem short. Here in New Zealand, we now have the freedom to move around safely, provided we still follow reasonable social distancing guidelines. This is truly a gift, and we are thankful.
Comments (3)
Vicki Davis
So glad that you found yourself in a safe place during this pandemic. We were in Scottsdale, but made it back to Idaho safely the end of April. All our Canadian friends left as early as they could get flights back home. Praying that this comes to an end soon. Stay safe.
Georgiann Carroll
Sue and Bill,
You two are absolutely amazing. I so enjoy reading and seeing pictures of your boat and activities in New Zealand!!!!
I’ve hiked in New Zealand, but not as extensively as the two of you.
I’ve been in Telluride since June and will be going back to Tucson just after Labor Day. The T. Film Festival was extended for a day in order to separate people 6 seats apart. I always purchase tickets to TFF for Family and a friend. Fortunately we are able to use our passes next year!!!
Missing you here in Telluride.
Fondly,
Georgiann
Marshall Whiting
Loved catching up on my two favorite world smiling couple!
Gorgeous pictures of your hikes, your climbing and your fishing ( brrr).
I’m so happy that you are sharing this adventure with those of us here who are still in a fog about how miserably trump has botched our hopes of getting through the virus without major losses.
We feel safe here at the ranch, though nothing is certain, especially time with grandchildren who are out and about. Just got a beautiful Golden Retriever puppy which is a BIG adjustment, but one we are so thrilled about.
other than that life is fairly mundane, but there’s more time to reflect on the beauty around us, and on the many things about which we are grateful.
And! Can’t wait ti travel a bit!
Sending love and laughter
Marshall