West Coast

1.The ferry across the Hokianga Harbour.

2. The view over looking the bar entrance to Hokianga Harbour.

3. & 4. The Kauri Forest just south of the Hokianga Harbour with Tane Mahuta the largest Kauri tree in New Zealand. The grey headed one is Bill.

Waitangi Treaty Grounds

The stern above and bow below of the huge waka housed on the Treaty grounds.

The bow of the huge waka and outside some smaller waka.

Waitangi Treaty Grounds, House and Whare

1. June walking across the lawn in the Treaty Grounds with the flag pole flying the New Zealand ensign on top and the Northern Tribes flag on the left and the Union Jack on the right.

2. Bill and Al in front of the Treaty House.

3. Maori Whare in the Treaty Grounds.

4. Bill, Al and June inside the Whare.

5. A close up of some of the carved wood panels on the walls.

Ford Model T's

As we came out of the Treaty Grounds we saw the first two Model T Fords, later on the way home to the boat the red one passed us and we found the 1912 dark blue one near Haruru Falls. There was a Ford Model T car rally around the North Island.

Kerikeri Stone Store

Al, June and Bill in the Keirkeri Stone Store the oldest stone building in New Zealand.

Waitangi

Some of the Maori carvings at Waitangi and below the view of the Bay of Islands from the hill above the Treaty House. The first looking towards Russell and the second out of the Bay to the Black Rocks with the Nine Pin Rock, (looks like a shark fin) in the distance .

Al and June arrive in Auckland.

We picked Al and June up at the Auckland Airport on their arrival from Vancouver. Before driving North to the Bay of Islands a brief tour of the city was in order. The first destination was to find the house that Al and Bill shared with Dave and Scotty in 1970, at 87 Mount Smart Road, Onehunga. It certainly has changed over the last 40 years.

A drive to the top of Mount Eden, one of Auckland’s many extinct volcanoes, affords a panoramic view of the city, overlooking the Harbour Bridge, CBD and the Sky Tower, the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere.

In the distance can be seen the Auckland Harbour Bridge and Rangitoto Island, a volcano which last erupted about 600 years ago.

Sheering at Raratu

NOTE: The first three photo's are in reverse order.

When both boxes are lined one on top of the other, a plate is put on the top and through bars and pulleys the wool in the top box is pressed down into the bottom box. Rods are pushed through the top, the plate is taken off and the top of the wool bag is folded over and clipped closed.








One side is being lifted and swung around onto the top of the other box.







The Wool Press boxes are both filled with the fleeces. Carl climbs into the and stamps the wool down.







The boxes side by side again and a new wool bag being inserted.

The Sheerers

The sheep are herded into the sheering shed from outside, sometimes the night before sheering as they have to be dry to be shawn. The shed has stations for four sheerer's but today Carl only is only having about three hundred sheep shawn.










Each sheerer keeps a tally of how many sheep he sheers and as the sheep come out of the shed Carl keeps his own tally as well. The sheerer's are paid by the sheep the do.


The third man is called a 'rousty' short for roust-about, he sorts the fleece, takes the dirty lumps out and puts it in the wool press.

Naked sheep

There are some very happy, cool, naked sheep just longing to have a good back scratch after getting rid of all that very warm fleece.
They are just delighted to get back to the fresh grass,







Mac, the Jack Russel keeping a very sharp eye on the sheep exiting the wool shed.

BOI Classic Yacht Race

The Annual Bay of Islands Classic Yacht Race is held on the first Saturday of the New Year. We have not been able to get an invitation to officially race but with the hundreds of other yachts from around the Bay we sail along with the entrants.

Anchored at Roberton Island to watch the race go by.



Just one of the maxi boats that passed us making us feel very small.






We had Rose, Mum and Carl on the wheel.









Sue, Rose and Mum.

Clasic Yachts

Just a few of the classic yachts that sailed by us while anchored at Roberton Island.

New Years Day 2010

Ardmachree flying her dress flags to celebrate New Years Day 2010