36 50.2S 175 10.7E

Around the world with the Aqualunies
Jonathan & Gabrielle Lyne
Sat 9 Mar 2013 09:55
SUNDAY 3RD  -   SATURDAY 9TH MARCH, 2013
GREAT BARRIER ISLAND EAST SIDE AND THEN SAILING BACK TO AUCKLAND.

Below are more photo's of our walk on the east side of Great Barrier Island and Aqualuna at anchor in the little bay just north of  Harataonga Beach.
We heard the weather forecast so decided it was a good idea to head back across the the Gulf before the strong head winds of 35 knots forecast blew up.  We sailed around the south side of Great Barrier Island and then across the Gulf to Waiheke Island.  The wind started to blow up in the afternoon and it became quite choppy compared to the very smooth water we had on the east side of GBI.  As we came to  Oneroa Bay in Waiheke Island we notice a very familiar yacht called 'Takroa' so sailed near her and to say 'Hello' to Jane and Trevor Coleman.  On board their yacht for drinks then back to ours for supper and an early night.  It was not the most sheltered bay, the night was spent being bounced around by quite a large swell coming into the bay, although we were sheltered from the wind.

Up early the next morning and into Viaduct Marina in Auckland by midday.   We were VERY central which was great fun as we could just walk off the yacht to good restaurants and shopping etc. BUT we did feel very small among the massive super yachts (190ft) moored on the pontoons near us, and felt very much on display as people leaned over the rails to look at our yachts.

We managed to get the Desalinator engineer to come down that day to start investigating the cause of our problems, he discovered some melted wires, which he replaced and got the whole thing up and running again.  Jonathan spent a day with his head down in the bilges sorting out the Generator which had also decided to stop, he serviced it and replaced it's impeller etc.  and got that up and running again.  We met up with Mike and Debbie Gray and Mike's cousin Fiona Emmott (who was my dentist for awhile in HK back in the early 80s)  we all went out for dinner to a new, very trendy Italian restaurant which was lovely, very good food and delicious tapas which we shared to start with.  Louise Lawson phoned us and she came onboard for drinks the following evening then we all went off to see 'The Breath of the Volcano'  a fire and light show put on by a French company 'Group F'.  It was the beginning of the Arts Festival in Auckland.  The show, held in the grounds of the Auckland Memorial Museum, was spectacular.  The arena by the museum is a very old volcano so it formed a natural amphitheatre.  The fire and light show was based on the beginning of New Zealand and leading up to modern times and even included the blowing up of the Rainbow Warrior by the French.  It was all very well done and just gasp making. Sadly I only had my little camera so I wasn't able to capture the display very well at all.

Being in the Viaduct Marina we had a front seat to watch the contender for the America's Cup come and go for it's pre trial racing. It is so wide it has to be shunted side ways out of the marina.  It's sail is not a sail but a wing attached to the mast.  The crew are all dressed in black with black helmets, just the most amazing site.

We left Auckland this afternoon and are now at anchor in Te Kawau bay off Ponui Island for the night.  We had a lovely sunset on a very warm, day with light winds.  Below are photos of the bay I took just a few hours ago.

It is now official that the north island of New Zealand is in drought having had no real rain for several months, lovely for us but not much fun for the farmers.


View looking north on the East Coast of Great Barrier Island

 



One of the sandy coves on the east coast

 


On our walk

 



Aqualuna down in the cove

 



Close up of the America's Cup NZ contender

 



Showing the 'foil sail; and the ribs shunting her

 



Jonathan and Lousie Lawson

 



Fire and light show

 



Humans lit up by computer operated lights. 

 



Catherine wheels attached to lit up humans dancing

 



Fireworks from the Auckland Museum

 



More fireworks

 



More fireworks

 



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Auckland Museum lit up

 



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Leaving Auckland on a perfect day

 



No rain for months hence the colour of the grass

 



Evening sky and Corremandel penisular in the distance

 



Te Kawau Bay

 



Sunset from Te Kawau Bay

 



Sunset from Te Kawau Bay