Out and About in the Bay of Islands
Home again in Telluride where the unpredictable, crazy weather pattern the world is experiencing has caught up with us in the mountains. Last year saw extremely low snow fall. This year, the ski resort broke the record for the most snow ever! Fortunately, our timing has us here to enjoy it!
Out on the ranch, we have more snow than we have ever seen. The circular driveway in front of the house becomes narrower and narrower with each snow fall, and piled up by the barn, it reaches as high as the top of the door frame.
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As if to not be outdone by the jaw-dropping amount of snow, the icicles coming off the roof edges put on their own dramatic displays. We had rarely seen any so convoluted.
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It’s a perfect year for 3-year old grandson Henry to try out skiing for the first time. How will he like it? No problem! “Faster” and “Again” are his operative words. Faster down the children’s beginner slope and do it again and again. We all can’t wait until next year.
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While we are home in Telluride, Avante is hauled out of the water in New Zealand to have that insurance survey competed. With the survey completed and no issues found, our various brokers get to work finding an insurance policy for us. It’s a frustrating process. With the boat insurance industry in turmoil, the brokers have a difficult time finding an insurer whose prerequisites are acceptable. One will insure us only if we guarantee three qualified crew members will be onboard for any ocean passage. We have been cruising the oceans for over 10 years with just the two of us without a fault. That is the way many cruising couples sail. Why change that now? Another company will insure us as long as we don’t go further than 200 miles from New Zealand. We learn that recent expensive claims from boats cruising in “exotic tropical islands” was the cause of this restriction. This insurer knew that Avante is not a New Zealand boat and was aware of our plans. Why did he even bother submitting a quote? In the end, it was the insurance broker from the small company right there in the Opua Marina who was the first to come up with what The Captain called “a policy from a respectable company with normal terms and conditions.” Money was wired, and another hurdle cleared.
Saturday, March 30th – Before we know it, our 6 weeks back in the States have flown by, and we are back on Avante who is happily in the water in the marina and patiently waiting for us to complete a few maintenance actions so we all can go sailing. Earlier this year we discovered that a component of our AIS system had failed. The First Mate loves this system as it warns us about other nearby boats and helps prevent collisions, especially at night when it’s impossible to tell where a tiny light on a distant vessel is heading. The Captain had tried to replace that component, but as so often happens, the new versions of that component are not built to be compatible with our older system. Thus, he had to buy and bring back an entirely new AIS system. The system he purchased is made by a New Zealand company. Why not then purchase it in New Zealand? Ironically, it was several hundred dollars cheaper in the States! We have no idea how or why, but we certainly took advantage of the difference.
A maintenance item we discovered upon our return was that the 220v battery charger that we use to connect Avante with 220v shore power had failed while we were back in the States. In fairness, we knew that it would fail eventually, for in providing all the power for Avante, this unit is worked at the upper end of its design parameters. The old unit had been purchased in New Zealand 8 years ago, and fortunately, we are able to quickly get an exact replacement. “Exact replacement” are key words here, for that means that no redesigning of mounting brackets or re-wiring will be needed. Easy out, easy in – perfect, but with a boat, that is seldom the case.
Of course, a final item is to complete installing the dinghy davits. There had only been time to install one brace before we left for the States. The second brace needs to be mounted. The rope and pulleys need to be connected, and some attachments on the dinghy must be modified. Grumbling, The Captain sets to work, but turning a deaf ear and with nary a doubt, The First Mate knows he will figure it all out and have it working magnificently.
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Friday, May 5th – That he does. Dinghy davits are done. (Look at them shine!) Dinghy raised and in place. (Isn’t she a beauty?)
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Fueled and well provisioned, we drop lines and take off into the bay. We plan to sail around the Bay of Islands visiting several favorite anchorages and getting out on the many trails that crisscross some of these islands. Our first stop is Paradise Bay on Urupukapuka Island, the largest of the 140 islands that make up the Bay of Islands. It is a Recreational Reserve with glorious beaches, vigorous hikes and fantastic views. We have been here several times over the years, but one just can’t get enough of this special place. Look at all the trails on this map!
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Hiking directly up from Paradise Bay, we trek across the flatter top of the island where vistas of nearby islands and the mainland open up before us.
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The many long peninsulas jutting out into the bay make for dramatic vistas.
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We choose a trail running along the northeast coast which will take us out to a Pa, one of the ancient Maori fortresses that were built on high points of land which gave them defendable approaches and prominent views of any attackers. Skirting this side of the island with its steep drop offs, it is apparent why they chose this spot for their Pa. It cannot be approached from the sea.
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As we close in on the area around the Pa, the land becomes steeper and more rugged. Stairs have been built to get the modern-day hiker over the steeper spots where attackers would have been having a rough time. This Pa site cannot easily be approached from land either.
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A sign for Akeake Bay points out toward a northwest peninsula. We decide to detour there on our way back to Paradise Bay. Though the hike up and out to the point overlooking the bay is not as interesting as we had hoped, the sight of a huge, spreading Pohutukawa tree on the ridge is well worth the excursion. We wonder at its age. These trees often have gnarled and misshapen trunks out of which grotesquely twisted branches are disgorged. Spotting this huge one standing so alone and so straight is inspiring.
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Saturday, May 6th – Leaving Urupukapuka in the morning, we next drop anchor in Omakiwi Cove where we meet Margy and Monty on s/vWhistler. We met them in Fiji last year, and since then, our cruising paths have been crossing. “Do we play King’s Cribbage?” we are asked. We have learned that many cruisers do play a variety of games on their boats in the evenings. It is not one of our activities. Not only does The Captain not like games in particular, since the beginning of our marriage when we lived in the Mediterranean countries of Spain and Italy, we have adopted the habit of eating dinners late, much later than most of our friends. It is not uncommon for us to sit down to dinner at 7:30, 8:00 or even later. Most evenings we will spend an hour talking over dinner or sitting back enjoying the last of our wine. 9:00 rolls around. Dishes still have to be done. Who has time for a game? It’s time for bed!
“No. We do not know what King’s Cribbage is,” we respond. “Good,” they say. “Come over after dinner at 6:00 and we will introduce you to the game.” 6:00? After dinner? We compromise at 6:30, and The First Mate decides that lunch will be nil or little so we’ll be hungry by 6:00 for dinner. King’s Cribbage turns out to be a challenging game involving a lot of strategic thought. Even The Captain is intrigued and so much so that we invite them over to Avante the next evening for another round.
What a night that turned out to be! Going up on deck at the end of the evening, Monty exclaims that their dinghy is gone. Where is it? Somehow it had slipped its knot and taken off into the night. We are in a bay. Could it have drifted off toward the shore? Which way was the wind blowing and the tide running? Our dinghy is launched, armed with high beam flashlights, the men go in search. There is no moon making for a very dark night. No luck. Could it have drifted out of the bay? If so, there’s nothing we can do about it now. It is decided that at first light, the men will go out searching in our dinghy. Monty cannot figure out how his tie up of the dinghy had failed, but runaway dinghies, even those of experienced cruisers like Monty, are not uncommon.
The men go off in the morning searching a number of bays and shorelines around the nearby islands, but no dinghy is found. Margy and Monty despondently take off on Whistler to search further out in the channel. Who knows how far or where that dinghy got to last night? After they leave and over our breakfast, The Captain mulls the disappearance. The whole time we were together last night, the tide was rising. The wind was light, but generally blowing across the bay. There is no way that dinghy should have drifted out of the bay. That dinghy has to be tucked somewhere along the convoluted northern shoreline of this bay. The men had searched the bay but could not see a lot in last night’s darkness, and when they looked early this morning, visibility was still not that good.
He takes off for another search. In less than 15 minutes, he is back with the wayward dinghy in tow. It had drifted into a tiny niche between rocks along the shore at high tide, and the engine had gotten caught on rocks when the tide receded. Faded grey and tan in color, partially covered by an overhanging tree, with only part of its stern exposed, it was so well hidden that The Captain initially thought it was another boulder, but something did not look quite right. He motored in closer to inspect, and as he did so, the wayward dinghy was revealed. It was an effort to free it from the rocks, but finally, triumphantly, he was able to haul it back to Avante. Whistler is called and most delighted with the news.
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Monday, April 8th – Friends Jan and Kevin are meeting us in Opunga Cove today. Believe it or not, another game night is scheduled. Only dinner is being served to all aboard Avante first. Then, the game will begin. Mexican Train, a dominoes game, is on for the evening. Not quite as mentally challenging as King’s Cribbage, we share our laughs especially when The Captain gloats and shows off his prowess upon winning a round.
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Tuesday, April 9th – We all decide to go to Army Bay, a pretty anchorage located on Moturua Island. Another Scenic Reserve in the Bay of Islands, it has a great trail that encircles the island. Hiking up the trail, we stop to admire the view over the bay where Avante is anchored.
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Hiking down to Army Bay at the end of our hike, the sight of Avante anchored in the bay with the rocky shoreline catches our eyes. It’s another gorgeous, blue-sky fall day in New Zealand!
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Tomorrow, we are leaving the Bay of Islands to head out to Great Barrier Island. This very large island off the coast serves to shelter the Hauraki Gulf from the worst of weather and seas coming in from across the ocean. It is one of the reasons the Hauraki Gulf is the blessed boating and water playground that it is, but that aside, Great Barrier Island on its own is a fantastic place to explore with huge sheltered bays to cozy into and a variety of strenuous hikes to keep the body in shape.