Blog Catch Up - Hauraki Gulf, Part 2

A late update of our NZ cruising.  As per usual, life got in the way of Blog updates.

After our NZ friends departed we sailed with Blue Summit to Great Barrier Island via Rotoroa Island, where we explored the many walking tracks, the bird life and the restored New Zealand fauna, a tribute the new lease holders.  

On Great Barrier Island we enjoyed a fabulous 10 days in perfect weather exploring anchorages, hiking coastal trails to lookouts and waterfalls, swimming, fishing and trying to catch those elusive lobsters.  

We drove the length of GBI visiting Medlands Community Church which had been relocated to the island by barge and taken ashore over the sandhills. 

Walked long sandy beaches then headed north via the Museum 

to Windy Canyon where we walked along the ridge towards Mr Hobson to enjoy spectacular views of the island and eastern shore line.  Those stairs at Windy Canyon probably contributed to Cran's knee injury, but that's another story.

A late lunch at the Port Fitzroy Boat Club was very welcome after the morning's activities and swimming in the Kaitoke Hotpools at the end of the day was an added bonus. 

We met up with Distant Sun, friends from Australia who sailed to NZ late December and have been cruising north from Nelson after visiting family in Wellington and enjoyed a few days cruising the western coast of GBI together.

Fresh Snapper was a welcome dinner treat along with mussels. 

Smokehouse Bay is an institution on GBI and a visit is a must for cruising sailors.  It has a range of communal facilities including as the name suggests a smokehouse for smoking your fish, washing tubs & clotheslines and a bath.  Plus swings for the kids of all ages.

Forestry Bay walk following Warrens’s track to the waterfall then the Bridle Track to Port Fitzroy shops for an ice cream.

At Port Fitzroy there are a number of walks that start from there.  We climbed the Old Lady Track to Lookout Rock above Fitzroy Harbour 

then we visited Glenfern Sanctuary, a predator free sanctuary where we climbed up through stands of ferns and Nikau Palms, Kauri and Puriri trees where Wetas live, then Manuka and Kanuka trees.  At Sunset Rock we enjoyed views across GBI to the mountains on the Coromandel Peninsula. 

A visit to the Mokohinau’s was an added bonus as we departed GBI.  Anchoring in Landing Bay we went ashore and climbed to the lighthouse for even more amazing views.  Crayfish pots were deployed however one disappeared overnight probably swept out in the tide and swell which developed overnight.  We did get a crayfish as a trade from a local boat that was out of olive oil, a good deal for us. 

With commitments looming we departed with Blue Summit for a 2 day run back up to the Bay of Islands and thanked the weather gods for a fantastic cruising weather window.

Many thanks to our NZ sailing buddies for all your wonderful advice and information which made our experiences all the more meaningful.