I will try and fill in a diary for the NZtour which is now over so working from memory and photo records.

Looking back out to sea as we arrived
 
We hirerd a car for a couple of days and made 2 trips to the Waitangi treaty grounds. The modern museum is all about the signing of the treaty between the British governor and the Maori chiefs. Much is made of the translation into Maori by a missionary which changed the sense from rule by British to government by consensus.   A film portrayal of the meeting was interesting.
We returned the next evening for a tour involving meetings in the bush with us as the landing Brits being confronted by alarming Maori warriors flashing their long tounges in our face but giving a nose to nose greeting and laying a peace offering on the ground at our feet. That was followed with a dramatic show of dancing and singing and then a Hangi- a meal of meat cooked in an underground oven.

These are the Poi balls which the girls use with great dexterity. Like softer version of the clackers which were banned in U.K. after too many injuries.

Hangi pit.

We also drove down to Whangerai looking for dinghies and found a shop with a knowledgable guy promoting the purhase of quality products rather than cheap chinese imports. Fully welded much better than glued and welded. He didn't have the size we needed otherwise he might have had a sale.
Stopped on route at Kawakawa which has become a  tourist stop on account of a  german artist who named himself Hundertwasser and lived in the area for quite a while. He designed the public toilets which are clad with colourful ceramics. Prints of his pictures fill the nearby souvenier shop and are very colourful and charming.