Great Mercury Island – We Could Call It “Home”!
Friday, January 29th- 1030 – Anchor raised, we motor out from behind the mussel farm in Kennedy Bay. With winds at 7 – 8 knots from the SW, we raise the sails turning E to head across to Great Mercury Island.
1150 – Winds die and growing impatient with the mere 2 1/2 knots we are making, we crank on the engine and take down the sails. Under motor, we continue on to Huruhi Bay on Great Mercury Island.
The First Mate happens to look up at the boom. What’s that straw stuff hanging out its end? Birds! These flying bombers are real pests to boats, especially when sitting unused in a marina as poor Avante was for all those months. The critters perch anywhere their little feet can grab and leave nasty deposits when they take flight. The stain of bird poop often requires real scrubbing to remove. Add to their pooping propensity is their nesting instinct which zeroes in on sail folds and hidden holes.
Back in November, The Captain had chosen a calm morning to raise the main sail and hose down all the bird poop, feathers and debris from the sail folds and from inside the boom. When we returned in January, there was minimal bird poop on the deck, giving us no reason to suspect further nesting invasions. We were wrong. With the wind and the motion of the boom, a mess of twigs, leaves and feathers had come loose and was working its way out the boom. The First Mate cautions The Captain to watch out for falling bird poop and maybe even an old egg or two.
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1300 – As we enter Huruhi Bay, a small bay on the right with a pretty beach at the end of it catches our attention. Amazingly, there are no other boats in this bay, though there are several boats anchored directly ahead in the larger part of Huruhi Bay . Without hesitation, we motor in and drop anchor in what our charts call Parapara Bay.
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Sitting on deck for lunch, we take in the view. The white beach at the head of the little bay rises on both sides to steep hillsides across which sheep graze. We know that by the end of the day, we will have neighbors, but for now, it is all ours to enjoy in peace and solitude.
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For lunch, there are crab cakes made from canned crab in tribute to the fish we never seem to catch. Served with grilled tomatoes and avocado slices, it is a great lunch in a setting to be remembered. There is not a day goes by that we are not cognizant of how fortunate we are!
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Lunch completed, we launch the dinghy to go for an island hike, but first a photo shoot is called for in this almost too perfect setting.
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Avante peacefully at anchor in the solitude of Parapara Bay on Great Mercury Island.
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Just up from the beach, a Welcome Sign is posted. Great Mercury Island is private land, but visitors are welcome provided they observe a few rules and courtesies. No problem for us. Owning ranch land ourselves, we understand.
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What a great hike! What a beautiful day! My simple words cannot adequately describe.
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We start our hike down a ranch road before eventually cutting across the pasture land.
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Our goal is to climb Mt. Cook for the view and, well, because it’s the highest point on this island!
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Cresting a ridge, we are able to look across to Coralie Bay on the east coast.
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Sheep may be dumb animals, but they are ingenious at finding their way onto cliffs and into areas they do not belong. The land is divided into many large pastures for grazing, and we are intrigued by the meandering fencing to keep the woolies confined where they belong. Mother Nature’s strategically placed massive boulders become part of the manmade fence.
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We open and close a gate to access a pasture leading us up to the top of Mt. Cook.
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Anxiously, we are watched by the resident sheep grazing this pasture. They are ready to bolt the second they feel we are approaching too near.
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From the top of Mt. Cook, the homes along Huruhi Bay are visible as is the distant coast line of the Coromandel Peninsula.
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Winding our way down Mt. Cook, we are rewarded with a commanding view of the cliffs that run up the east coast.
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As we hike along the ridge overlooking our bay, how could we pass up this shot of Avante and her ever faithful First Mate?
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Saturday, January 30th – Another absolutely gorgeous day! The Captain is of the opinion that New Zealand weather is predominately cloud and rain. The First Mate begs to differ.
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At breakfast this morning, The First Mate is fascinated by the sheep grazing on Matakawau Point overlooking our anchorage, which amazingly only had one other small boat sharing the space with us last night. With the whole wide pasture to graze, why do those sheep choose to munch so close to the cliff? No fencing. One misplaced hoof? She figures the ranchers must know that even sheep aren’t that stupid.
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Today, we plan to hike toward the south end of the island. It is heavily wooded in that direction and looks like it will be delightful to trek. As we hike up toward the forest, there is a commanding view of the north end of the island where we are located.
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It is hot hiking under the bright sun. We are looking forward to the cool shade of the forest ahead. As we approach, we can see a cattle guard cutting across the road leading into the woods.
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What’s this? A sign is off to one side. At first we cannot pick out the lettering, but then we do. Oh, no! There goes any hope for our cool forested walk! Being visitors and good citizens, we co-operate as requested — albeit reluctantly.
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Retracing our steps, we admire the beauty of this forested glade. Obviously, it has seen the touch of caring human hands.
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Skirting the borders of the forest, we head across pasture land towards Coralie Bay on the east coast. What looks like a seasonal stream meanders down from the woods. Reaching a more level area, a stretch of wetland lies ahead of us. There is no reasonable detour. Undaunted, The Captain quick-steps across. It all looks rather innocent and benign. “Step on the grass tuffs. Stay out of the mud,” counsels The Captain.
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The First Mate follows with confidence. One must suppose that The First Mate is not such a quick-stepper, for her second step sucks down into primordial mud. Up to her ankle, it pulls her down. With no firm ground on which to place her other foot, the path of least residence was to fall down on all fours. It was either that or whatever was pulling her foot down was going to pull the rest of her with it. Turned around into a sitting position, she looks for a firm, somewhat dry spot to stand up upon.
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Now, what crossed her mind beside the thought that she might be in quicksand? A Bunyip had her! What’s a Bunyip? It’s an Australian Aboriginal creation, very large, who sulks around swamps and billabongs wreaking havoc on wayward people. Okay, she knows she is not in Australia, but that’s what crossed her mind. Something had her foot and was pulling it down into this morass. Working against the sucking forces, she slowly pulls her foot upward being ever so careful that her slick, slippery, just about worthless hiking sandal comes up with the foot. Freed at last! The Captain thinks this is hilarious. She does not. Standing up, she marches on, but her feet keep sliding around in her muddy shoes. Giving up, she takes her sandals off, preferring to walk barefoot across the grass and flowers, sincerely hoping that no sheep parasites lurk in the dirt. “Can’t be any worse than that mud,” she mutters.
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Reaching more solid ground, we hike across pasture land with the view of ocean-eroded cliffs in the distance. Though we know these islands are volcanic in origin, we do not know what other rocks or sediment make up their landscape. We are amazed at the erosion we see in many places.
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Here out in the middle of a field is an example. How very strange! This rock is huge. Looking like some kind prehistoric dinosaur egg, it stands out like a punctuation mark in the middle of the field.
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A person can easily stand inside it.
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From on high looking down on the eastern coast towards Coralie Bay, the sight is impressive. Could it also be that it is a “Chamber of Commerce Picture-Perfect Day”?
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The view in the other direction towards those massive cliffs is not bad either.
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We scramble down from the highlands to the beach on Coralie Bay. What a pleasure to be walking along the sand and dappling our feet in clean, clear water!
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Back on Avante, a swim is the first order of business. Get rid of all that mud! Then we sit back and enjoy the rest of our day in this idyllic spot. Great Mercury Island will hold a special place in our memories.