This blog is specific to cruising aboard our Nordhavn 46 passagemaker, Envoy, and we have so far chosen not to deviate from that format or include coverage of our activities while away from Envoy.
During the northern hemisphere’s winter we’ve been back in New Zealand (NZ) for their summer (yes we’re fortunate to get the best of both worlds), and spent six weeks coastal cruising around Auckland’s stunning Hauraki Gulf, mostly at Great Barrier Island aboard a 12 metre (40ft), twin sterndrive-powered, planing cruiser called Consort. As the bulk of our Blog readership being North American and European may enjoy reading about Great Barrier, we’ve decided to post details and images of this cruise onto our Blog in three parts.
This Salthouse Corsair - Consort, was our home for 6 weeks
GREAT BARRIER ISLAND – A CHARACTER-FILLED SUB-TROPICAL PARADISE
Firstly imagine a sub-tropical island paradise, described by Sir Peter Blake as his favourite island in the world, with a population of only 500, no electrical power, no traffic lights, abundant sheltered anchorages, some of the world’s finest surfing beaches, pristine waters for swimming and diving, and where every day you’re virtually guaranteed to catch your own dinner from the sea. This is Great Barrier Island (locally known as “the Barrier”), about 50 miles north-east of Auckland, and so-named by Captain James Cook in 1769 because the island protects the mainland coastline from the rollers of the mighty Pacific Ocean.
Then imagine you have a long-standing friend who rarely uses his magnificent boat, and happily loans her to you for six sunny mid-summer weeks exploring this paradise.
Well that’s exactly what happened to us, and I was thinking this was too good to be true as we cruised to the Barrier aboard Consort, a 12 metre Salthouse Corsair motor vessel capable of well over 20 knots, and quite different to our passagemaker we live on most of the year. Consort is owned by Auckland Coastguard-legend Graham Reiher, who spent several days with us last year aboard Consort around some of the Greek Ionian Islands. Although we’ve spent many happy times at the Barrier previously, it had been several years since our last visit, and we looked forward with great anticipation to visiting some of our favourite spots.
Consort anchored at the Barrier's stunning Broken Islands
FROM ANCIENT MAORI WARRIORS TO THE PRESENT
The Barrier has a rich history ranging from original Maori occupation over 700 years ago, to the arrival of Europeans in the 1840s who commenced whaling, kauri timber milling, gold mining and shipbuilding. World War 11 fortifications abound, and there have been numerous shipwrecks including that of the Wairarapa claiming 121 lives in 1894. The world’s first regular airmail service started here in 1897 using pigeons to carry messages to the mainland until a telephone service commenced.
Nowadays the Barrier is home to many alternative lifestylers, artists and potters, and even has its own “Barrier time” system, meaning nothing happens on-time or in a hurry.
THE BARRIER’S ATTRACTIONS
Sea life around the Barrier is prolific and we regularly see whales, orcas, small sharks, dolphins, stingrays and penguins as well as being able to fish for several delicious edible species, and dive for lobsters and shellfish such as mussels and scallops.
Sharron and Doug with a large John Dory
Carol holding a kahawai caught trolling
Diane with two good-sized NZ rock lobsters caught scuba diving
Alice and John enjoy delicious mussels fresh from the sea
With spectacular beaches, native forests, and a rugged interior ranging up to Mt Hobson’s 621 metres, the Barrier is a mecca for outdoors enthusiasts enjoying hiking, mountain biking, sailing, fishing, diving, surfing, kayaking, camping, and horse-riding, while less adventurous folks can spoil themselves in boutique lodges, enjoy spectacular scenic drives by rental car and visit some of the island’s few but rustic and quirky restaurants, bars and cafes ... more about the Barrier to follow.
During the northern hemisphere’s winter we’ve been back in New Zealand (NZ) for their summer (yes we’re fortunate to get the best of both worlds), and spent six weeks coastal cruising around Auckland’s stunning Hauraki Gulf, mostly at Great Barrier Island aboard a 12 metre (40ft), twin sterndrive-powered, planing cruiser called Consort. As the bulk of our Blog readership being North American and European may enjoy reading about Great Barrier, we’ve decided to post details and images of this cruise onto our Blog in three parts.
This Salthouse Corsair - Consort, was our home for 6 weeks
GREAT BARRIER ISLAND – A CHARACTER-FILLED SUB-TROPICAL PARADISE
Firstly imagine a sub-tropical island paradise, described by Sir Peter Blake as his favourite island in the world, with a population of only 500, no electrical power, no traffic lights, abundant sheltered anchorages, some of the world’s finest surfing beaches, pristine waters for swimming and diving, and where every day you’re virtually guaranteed to catch your own dinner from the sea. This is Great Barrier Island (locally known as “the Barrier”), about 50 miles north-east of Auckland, and so-named by Captain James Cook in 1769 because the island protects the mainland coastline from the rollers of the mighty Pacific Ocean.
Then imagine you have a long-standing friend who rarely uses his magnificent boat, and happily loans her to you for six sunny mid-summer weeks exploring this paradise.
Well that’s exactly what happened to us, and I was thinking this was too good to be true as we cruised to the Barrier aboard Consort, a 12 metre Salthouse Corsair motor vessel capable of well over 20 knots, and quite different to our passagemaker we live on most of the year. Consort is owned by Auckland Coastguard-legend Graham Reiher, who spent several days with us last year aboard Consort around some of the Greek Ionian Islands. Although we’ve spent many happy times at the Barrier previously, it had been several years since our last visit, and we looked forward with great anticipation to visiting some of our favourite spots.
Consort anchored at the Barrier's stunning Broken Islands
FROM ANCIENT MAORI WARRIORS TO THE PRESENT
The Barrier has a rich history ranging from original Maori occupation over 700 years ago, to the arrival of Europeans in the 1840s who commenced whaling, kauri timber milling, gold mining and shipbuilding. World War 11 fortifications abound, and there have been numerous shipwrecks including that of the Wairarapa claiming 121 lives in 1894. The world’s first regular airmail service started here in 1897 using pigeons to carry messages to the mainland until a telephone service commenced.
Nowadays the Barrier is home to many alternative lifestylers, artists and potters, and even has its own “Barrier time” system, meaning nothing happens on-time or in a hurry.
THE BARRIER’S ATTRACTIONS
Sea life around the Barrier is prolific and we regularly see whales, orcas, small sharks, dolphins, stingrays and penguins as well as being able to fish for several delicious edible species, and dive for lobsters and shellfish such as mussels and scallops.
Sharron and Doug with a large John Dory
Carol holding a kahawai caught trolling
Diane with two good-sized NZ rock lobsters caught scuba diving
Alice and John enjoy delicious mussels fresh from the sea
Diane holding two snapper - the most common species caught and delicious eating
With spectacular beaches, native forests, and a rugged interior ranging up to Mt Hobson’s 621 metres, the Barrier is a mecca for outdoors enthusiasts enjoying hiking, mountain biking, sailing, fishing, diving, surfing, kayaking, camping, and horse-riding, while less adventurous folks can spoil themselves in boutique lodges, enjoy spectacular scenic drives by rental car and visit some of the island’s few but rustic and quirky restaurants, bars and cafes ... more about the Barrier to follow.
No comments:
Post a Comment