Dinner on Ardmachree

While in Whangaroa Harbour, a days sail north of the Bay of Islands, we enjoyed dinner on board with Lance and Christine from 'Kiwi Breeze' and Andy and Irene from a 'Slice of Heaven'.

Japanese Tsunami warning

Shortly after the Tsunami we sent the following email to friends and family....

Hi Everyone,
Just a quick note to let you know that all is well here in N. Z. Bill and I were up at 4am this morning and had Ardmachree out to sea, into the middle of the Bay of Islands, a couple of miles out and over 40 meters on the depth sounder. We motored and sailed back and forth until early afternoon and then went into Roberton Island and anchored. It is a wide open bay protected from the ocean swell. There is a high pressure system over the country at the moment and there was no wind so we were able to see the odd different swell come into shore. While anchored at Roberton Island we noticed the tide dropping quickly and then come in again but there has been no damage done. We did have a 5 knot current against us as we went through Kent Passage back to the Kerikeri Marina a spot where there is not usually any current at all. The quake in Japan is 1000 times worse than the quake here in Christchurch and thank goodness we only lost 166 lives, not the thousands they have lost in Japan.

Calm, in the Bay of Islands

After yesterdays large swells, calm waters and the porpoises, along with good swimming conditions have returned to the 'Bay'.

Heavy swells in the Bay of Islands

One of the joys of sailing in the Bay of Islands is the normally calm waters. With strong winds in the East the swells can build into very rough conditions. On this particular day a calm pass has 3.5 m. swells breaking at the entrance.

Left click to see the true picture of that days activities!

Traveling South

On Saturday Ken took the daylong bus trip to Cape Reanga and on Sunday we drove south to Matamata making as many side visits as time would allow. Overnight was spent in Matamata with Kath's Mum, and the following morning we were off to visit Rotorua with a guided tour of a Maori village situated on the boiling mud pools and geysers that Rotorua is so famous for. The four of us are pictured at the Hamilton Airport just before Ken flies out to Christchurch for his South Island tour.

Bay of Islands and Waitangi

After our 3 relaxing days out on the water where we visited the historic little town of Russell, we spent a day touring around the Bay area by car, visiting Paihia, Opua, and a walking visit of the Waitangi Treaty grounds where history was made in 1840 when the British and Maori signed the Treaty founding New Zealand.




Ken with the town of Russell in the back ground.







Kath met up with some ladies from the local Keirkeri Fibreholics group spinning wool in the courtyard of the Treaty House.




A view across the treaty ground of the flag pole and Treaty House.

Waka at Waitangi

We visited the Treaty Grounds 2 days before the 6th of Feb., which is the day the Treaty is celebrated. A number of beautifully prepared Maori waka/ canoes have been moved to the beach in preparation for the ceremonies. Note the extensive carving on these waka.