Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and grass. The Bay is vast and well-protected from the prevailing winds and has numerous
large and small islands scattered about. It is a wonderful playground for all sailors. The
sailing conditions for the most part are idyllic, with flattish water within and many inlets
and coves to anchor at and explore or to take cover from passing storms. It has a feel of
safety inside, and although I have seen some pretty serious gales blowing through the bay,
the waves never really build up too much. Even in mid-to-late summer, it never got hot in
New Zealand. It was a comfortable summer heat; one could hardly feel any difference in
body temperature. I may well be wrong, but at the time of my arrival I never really experi-
enced a very hot, uncomfortable day.
My six months in New Zealand passed quickly and pleasantly. I will not encumber the dear
reader with facts unrelated to my solo voyage back to Hawaii. I will however recall some
of the memories that instantly come to mind when I think back on this friendly island and
its down to earth people.
My first days of exploration took me jogging up a little farm access road just outside Opua.
I ran through sweet smelling pine forests and green acres of rambling farmlands, complete
with rickety, old, weathered fences, a red roofed farmhouse, and an ever expanding view of
the beautiful Bay of Islands the higher I ran up the hill. I sorely needed my running time,
and this was heaven for me. I would run every two days and on my next run, I took the op-
posite direction. Some days I alternatively went into the farming countryside, where sheep
and cattle milled about on picturesque pastures.
There were acres of kiwi fruit farms, as well as sweet smelling apple orchards, and the
overall impressions I got from this colorful countryside was one of peace, tranquility, and
friendliness from the people I met (as well as artistic land and seascapes wherever I went).
It was an artist's and photographer's paradise. There was old world beauty in the ram-
shackle cottages along the waterfront, the old boats that dotted the waterfront, and the pas-
ture lands in the interior.
I became increasingly interested in art as a result. I was fascinated with boats, and the light
in the later afternoon in the anchorages where I spent a lot of my time was perfect for
painting and drawing. I would sit for hours at my saloon table, the golden yellow sunlight
streaming through the companionway and port holes onto whatever work I had going. I
loved sailing over to the fairytale town of Russell near the old yacht club. I would anchor
in the little Matawi Bay there and spend a week at a time drawing boats in pencil or pas-
tels. I got into the habit of collecting mussels off the wooden pier legs in the low tide and
steaming them on a bed of rice for my evening meal.
The bay where I was anchored was teaming with delicious snapper. I would row ashore,
on the advice of Pop Eye, my one neighbor friend who lived alone on a funny home-made
