Wednesday, 8 February, 2017.  Gulf Harbour Marina is a very sheltered, very convenient, modern Marina, huge with over 1000 boats of all descriptions.  The staff are very friendly and helpful and the surroundings are attractive and peaceful.  We have been here a week now for a variety of reasons, including meeting Christian and being taken shopping by him, such a boon when one has no wheels, meeting Kate and then waiting for her suitcase, plus getting an electrician called Bruce to see if the keel problem is due to electrolysis (Christian’s suggestion).  Bruce did find a current going to the keel originating from the engine, heaven knows how, so further investigation needed, although he is not convinced it accounts for the rust spots on the keel.

 

 

Gulf Harbour Marina, Alcedo just visible on the nearest pontoon.

 

We also visited Tiritiri Matangi by ferry, as the anchorages there are more suitable for motorboats and small yachts than Alcedo size vessels.  It has been replanted from a barren grazing area to a well forested nature reserve, giving habitat to some of New Zealand’s rarest birds.  It was well worth the ferry trip.

 

 

View from Tiritiri across the gulf with ferry pier and one of anchorages on the island.

 

 

The very endangered Takahe, hand reared and introduced to Tiritiri and now breeding in the wild

 

 

Very cute New Zealand North Island Robin

 

We have been walking in Shakespeare Park, getting a lift there and back from the Marina Security Staff, how good is that! The Kate and the Skipper’s wife did some retail therapy by bus to the Plaza while Bruce and David had the boat in pieces.  The weather has been tip top until today, when we were going to leave Gulf Harbour and find a pleasant anchorage off either Motutapu or Rangitoto, but there are gale force winds from the S/E, with rain and poor visibility forecast for tonight, so we have been recommended to stay put and have a brisk beat tomorrow after the wind and seas have died down a bit.  So we have done more bird watching and achieved very little other than study weather forecasts and plan anchorages that might or might not be sheltered from the prevailing winds!

 

 

Kate relaxing after our walk in Shakespeare Park

 

 

The very common but very striking Rosella Parakeet, an import from Australia

 

Alcedo