7 day keen sailors itinerary, Auckland to the Bay of Islands or vice versa.

Day1 - Destination Kawau

Lunch stop Tiritiri Matangi
Distance ~32 miles

Not too long a day to get accustomed to your yacht. We usually get up to Kawau in about 5 hours sailing, gradually leaving the city to disappear below the horizon.

Activities Tiritiri Matangi
Several good walks on the island, especially up to the lighthouse, with opportunities to see the endangered flightless Takahe and other NZ native birds. A sandy beach at the anchorage.

Activities Kawau
Visit the elegant Mansion House and its beautiful grounds, the home of Governor Grey in the late 1800’s. Several good tracks lead from Mansion House Bay and the alternative anchorages at Kawau so it’s a great place for walkers.

Day 2 - Destination Great Mercury Island

Lunch stop Port Jackson, Coromandel Peninsular
Distance ~50 miles

Day 2 is usually a great sail, especially in the afternoon when the sea breeze kicks as we beam reach along the Coromandel coast, headed for Great Mercury Island.

Activities Port Jackson
Good walking on the large beach or for the energetic a climb to the top of the Northern headland gives great views across the Colville Channel to Great Barrier island.

Activities Great Mercury Island
Great Mercury is a very attractive Island, featuring gorgeous white sand beaches. An especially enjoyable short walk takes one over a narrow isthmus to Coralie Bay.

Day 3 - Destination Port Fitzroy, Great Barrier Island

Lunch stop Rangiahua Island
Distance ~35 miles

We like to leave for Great Barrier fairly early in the morning as there is so much to see and do there, arriving by early afternoon gives us plenty of time to explore.

Activities Rangiahua Island
The area around Rangiahua Island is very attractive with several other Islands nearby and picturesque narrow passages separating them from each other and the main Island. On Little Mahuki Island is a large Gannett colony that can be reached on foot.

Activities Port Fitzroy
Port Fitzroy is a fantastic natural harbour with a huge choice of unspoilt anchorages. Really it deserves several days to itself. Given time we will have a good explore, either on the Yacht, in our Inflatable or by Kayak.

Day 4 - Destination Tutukaka

Lunch stop Mokohinaus
Distance ~60

This trip is usually a beam reach given the prevailing sea breezes. Hopefully we can use a spinnaker for a fast, exciting sail.

Activities Mokohinaus
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. There is good diving, fishing and one can explore ashore.

Activities Tutukaka
Tutukaka is a very attractive harbour with a good anchorage and a marina. There is an excellent café/bar ashore and a pleasant walk to the lighthouse for those who wish to stretch their legs. For clients interested in hearing the rare nocturnal Kiwi, Chris and Julia can take you to their nearby 160 acre Eco-Village where the Kiwi can usually be heard at night.

Day 5 - Destination Whangamumu

Lunch stop Poor Knights Islands
Distance ~40

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 start early to allow plenty of time for a dive and a sail to the unspoilt Whangamumu harbour.

Activities Poor Knights
We carry full snorkelling gear and know the best snorkelling sites at the Knights. For divers we can arrange full hire gear from Tutukaka. The Poor Knights have been a reserve for many years so there is a tremendous range of marine life to observe. Due to the lack of rivers or beaches the water is exceptionally clear.

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

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 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 and there is a rather rugged walk for the energetic towards Cape Brett.

Activities Oke Bay
A gorgeous anchorage, with a white sand beach and good walking nearby.

Day 7 - Destination Opua

Lunch stop Wherever takes our fancy!
Distance ~15

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 and find one that suits our fancy for a lunch time stop. Many of the bays allow access to walking tracks ashore and there is excellent kayaking too. In the afternoon we wend our way up the Veronica Channel to our destination at Opua.

Package includes:

• Skipper and Chef/deckhand
• All food, good quality meals using mainly organic ingredients. Soft drinks and wine extra.
• Yacht with all bedding & towels, fuel and marina fees included.

Departures: on request

Group size: 4+