Detailed itinerary

Day1
Destination Bowling Alley Bay, Great Barrier Island
Lunch stop Little Barrier Island
Distance 50 nm
Our destination Great Barrier Island is a good days sail from Auckland so it pays to make quite an early start.
Activities Little Barrier Island
Little Barrier Island is a Nature Reserve so there is no landing here but the water is very clear so it's a good stop for a quick kayak and snorkel if time allows.
Activities Bowling Alley Bay, Great Barrier Island
Bowling Alley Bay is a good deep water anchorage ideally placed at the Southern end of the Broken Islands where we will be kayaking tomorrow.

Day 2
Destination Port Fitzroy, Great Barrier Island
Lunch stop Onerua Bay
Distance 9 nm
Today's kayaking takes in the Broken Islands and Port Fitzroy, arguably the best natural harbour in New Zealand. With a population of only about 1,200 the whole of Great Barrier and it's offshore Islands is very unspoilt.
Activities Broken Islands
There are about 15 Islands in this chain, all within a mile or so of Great Barrier. The area is generally well sheltered and provides a fascinating mornings kayaking. Little Mahuki Island has a Gannett colony that can be visited on foot. A good lunch time stop is Onerua Bay, the first of many attractive bays in Port Fitzroy.
Activities Port Fitzroy
Due to the lack of Possums on Great Barrier the bush is in very good condition and in Port Fitzroy it comes right down to the waters edge. Paddling towards our anchorage the bush is alive with birdsong.

Day 3
Destination Tutukaka
Lunch stop Mokohinaus
Distance 60 nm
We like to leave Great Barrier fairly early in the morning as it's a long sail today and the lunch time stop is fascinating. With the prevailing easterly wind though it's usually a good sail.
Activities Mokohinau Islands
The Mokohinaus are a bit off the beaten track so feel quite remote. We will often be the only boat at our lunchtime anchorage. Before the days of automatic lighthouses the island supported 3 families to man the lighthouse but the islands are a nature reserve these days. The water is generally very clear so this is a great spot to do a bit of snorkelling from the kayaks, a good place to catch your dinner too.
Activities Tutukaka
Tutukaka gives us a chance to get back to civilisation if we wish, with a choice of a Marina berth or anchorage for the night. Using a Marina berth gives us a chance to try one of the best Cafe's in Northland the Schnappa Rock Cafe and Bar.

Day 4
Destination Matuhoe Island
Lunch stop Poor Knights Islands
Distance 28 nm
Today we visit New Zealand's best dive site which is also an excellent spot for kayaking and snorkelling too. Generally we try to leave Tutukaka quite early to give ourselves as much time as possible at the Poor Knights
Activities Poor Knights
The poor Knights Islands are the Jewel In New Zealand’s Eco-tourism crown and one of the world’s top ten dive sites, often the highlight of a trip to New Zealand. We usually cruise around the Islands before stopping at Nursery Cove, where the water is quite shallow and the fish are friendly. Here you will be able to see some very colourful fish at very close quarters and bright sponges and seaweeds.
Activities Matuhoe Island
This anchorage is just off a white sand beach and Department of Conservation campsite. There is a small beach on Matuhoe island for those who wish to explore.

Day 5
Destination Whangamumu
Lunch stop Mimiwhangata
Distance 40 nm
Today we kayak from our overnight anchorage to Mimiwhangata, a 5 mile trip along a great bit of kayaking coastline featuring many small islands and beaches for exploring.
Activities Mimiwhangata
Mimiwhangata is another wildlife reserve where fishing restrictions over many years have ensured good snorkelling, especially around Rimariki Island. Your yacht will be waiting for you in Pongaheka Bay, site of an old Whaling Station.
Activities Whangamumu
Whangamumu is a well protected and very quiet anchorage, not a house for miles! There is an old whaling station to explore as well as some excellent walks ashore . It’s a very pretty harbour to explore by kayak and there is good fishing there too.

Day 6
Destination Oke Bay
Lunch stop Deep Water Cove
Distance 15 nm
It’s a fairly short sail today so we can have an easy morning. If conditions are suitable we often anchor for an hour or 2 just outside Whangamumu harbour at Te Toroa Bay for a swim, kayak or snorkel before heading north to Cape Brett. At Cape Brett we can sail around the famous "Hole in the Rock" at Piercy Island before entering the Bay of Islands.
Activities Deep Water Cove
Deep Water Cove is a very attractive anchorage, just one of the hundreds that abound in the Bay of Islands. The anchorage is surrounded by native bush. Our overnight anchorage at Oke Bay is just a few miles away so this is a good opportunity to explore the coastline which features
Activities Oke Bay
A gorgeous anchorage, with a white sand beach and good walking nearby.

Day 7
Destination Opua, Bay of Islands
Lunch stop wherever takes our fancy!
Distance 15 nm
Our last sail of the trips takes us through the fabulous Bay of Islands. We can take our time exploring the many picturesque bays during the morning either by yacht or kayak and find one that suits our fancy for a lunch time stop. Many of the bays allow access to excellent walking tracks ashore. In the afternoon we wend our way up the Veronica Channel to our destination at Opua.