2020 New Zealand & Tahiti

6-7-8 - it’s become our mantra for busy mornings. Wakeup call at 6:00 a.m. Breakfast at 7:00 a.m. On the bus at 8:00 a.m.

It was a warm but overcast morning, which actually turned out to be a bit of a blessing. We travelled down to the pier and got on a big catamaran to go out to the furthest island of the 144 islands of the Bay of Islands. We sat up top - yes, Doug was along - he chanced this boat ride which was included in our package. The sun would have been unbearable up there, so the clouds were quite welcome.

We made a quick stop in Russell to pick up a few passengers and then headed out. There was no wind so that made the waters very calm. The boat captain kept up a steady commentary - he had a wonderful sense of humour. Once he picked up speed, he told us to hang onto our favourite things - hats, wigs, toupees and spouses!!

We passed Motuarohia (sometimes called Robertson Island) and Moturua, two of the seven islands in the ambitious Project Island Song project. Some of the lands here are privately-owned with fabulous vacation homes on them. One of them has its own helicopter pad. Captain James Cook anchored his ship the Endeavour off Motuarohia when he explored the Bay of Islands in 1769. It’s a beautiful island with twin lagoons.

Before man came to the Bay of Islands, the islands were home to millions of birds; most nested on the ground; and many of them flightless because they didn’t have to forage for food on the verdant land. The islands were loud with song of birds. The birds had no natural predators. The Maori unfortunately introduced rats (unintentionally) and dogs both of which were bird-hunters. The Maori cleared land for farming sweet potatoes. Europeans cut down the kauri tree for ship masts and spars and cleared the land for sheep and dairy farming. More pests arrived - two more types of rats, the stoat and the house mouse. The bird population was decimated by all of these factors.

In 2005, Project Island Song was established - it is a cross-functional effort dedicated to bringing the song of birds back to the islands - one sweet note at a time. The seven main islands in the eastern Bay of Islands have been pest mammal (rats, stoat, mice) free since 2009, and the natural eco-systems are being restored. The birds are thriving. On-going pest control is taking place - there is a 1-800-I-SAW-A-RAT hot line which will bring out rat sniffer dogs. Thousands of trees have been planted, and five rare and endangered species have been reintroduced. Many more species are planned. This wildlife sanctuary is now home to some of the world’s most fascinating and rare wildlife. A massive education program is helping to promote the importance of biosecurity to all those visiting the islands.

From Moturua, we headed out in the open Pacific - next stop if we had kept on going would have been South America. The waters got rougher and Doug got green and then greener. The waves were just too much for the Gravol to handle. He “fed the fish” a couple of times. Travel has its good, bad and ugly moments.

Our destination was Motukokako - better know to tourists as the Hole in the Rock. The island is of great cultural significance to the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe), and was historically associated with a range of sacred customary activities. The 60-foot hole at sea level was created over centuries by wind and waves making it one of the most naturally beautiful sites in New Zealand. It is probably the most important island in the Bay of Islands in conservation terms, being in near pristine condition, with no evidence of introduced animals.

The tides cooperated and we passed successfully through the hole - it’s a tight fit. On the other side, were were treated to one of those marvellous moments of travel serendipity. A pod of dolphins came our way and treated us to one of their ballet shows of diving and jumping and swimming in tandem. What a great memory!

Just past there we passed the tip of the Cape Brett Peninsula where a lighthouse stands. In no longer is working, but is a reminder of how things used to be. In its heyday, it supported three lighthouse keepers, their wives and a total of 15 children - all on a scruffy outcrop of land with supplies arriving only every three months.

From there we travelled along the edge of the Cape Brett Peninsula to the island of Urupukapuka into Otehei Bay. It was here that Zane Grey built his fishing lodge that drew thousands to the area. We docked and had a change to stretch our legs. Doug sat and hoped for the day to be over. I climbed to the top of one of the hills to burn off some of the twitchiness that hits me when Doug is feeling rotten. I was rewarded with glorious 360°views of the bay.

The return trip was in the protected bay so the waters were quite calm. But the damage was done - Doug was feeling miserable. Just a few minutes from Paihai, the clouds opened up and we had 5 minutes of rain. We had seen the darkening skies and scuttled down below just in time to escape the deluge. We got back to the bus about 12:30 to begin the ~4 hour drive to Auckland. The drive turned out to be a bit longer because we had to stop for Doug a couple of times. Blessedly, everyone was very considerate. We were in the front seats on Monday. Today we had to rotate seats which put us halfway back. Doug opted for the jump seat in the very front beside Linda. Marianne graciously traded places with me so that I could hop out and help Doug.

We’re now back in Auckland at the same hotel and in the same room. Doug is down for the count. I’ll be dining with my fellow travellers downstairs in the hotel restaurant. Doug is going to need his complimentary drink tickets. I’ll be giving those away.

Tomorrow we are off to Rotorua.Read more