Itinerary for a 6 day sailing trip Auckland to Bay of Islands with good walks

Day 1 - Destination Kawau Island

Lunch stop Rangitoto
Distance 32
The morning sail across Auckland harbour to Rangitoto takes less than an hour, just enough time to get a feel for the yacht. We usually drop anchor in Islington Bay and can do a 3-4 hour circular walk via old quarries, kidney fern glen, the rim of the crater and some lava caves. We have a hearty lunch then sail to Kawau Island our anchorage for the night.

Day 2 - Destination Tutukaka

Lunch Vivian Bay
Distance 50
From our anchorage in Bon accord harbour on Kawau we can visit the wallabies on Pah farm, then walk to Mansion House a historic house which is now a museum. This walk will also take in some old copper mines, a good lookout and a swim at Vivian Bay. After lunch we’ll have our first big sail, up the coast to Tutukaka. Here you may want to stretch your legs before dinner with a short walk to a nearby lighthouse. There is a great café/bar here for those who want their last taste of town culture before we head into the remoter far north.

Day 3 - Destination Puriri Bay, Whangaruru

Lunch stop Sheltered Bay
Distance 50
From Tutukaka we enjoy a short sail along this beautiful coastline past the sandy beaches at Matapouri, Whale Bay and Sandy Bay before dropping anchor at Sheltered Bay. From here we’ll take a walk on the Whananaki trail to a private beach “Oruaea” where we can see rare New Zealand Dotterels and Variable Oyster catchers. From Oruaea we walk to the Bouganville monument and then on to the beautiful Whananaki estuary where you re-join the yacht. In the afternoon we’ll sail to Puriri Bay in Whangaruru Harbour.

Day 4 - Destination Whangamumu

Lunch stop Ngaiotonga
Distance 15
In the morning we usually enjoy the circular walk around the “North Head” Department of Conservation reserve which has excellent views. Depending on the weather we usually stop for lunch at either Ngaiotonga or Taupiri Bay, both of which are very attractive and feature good sandy beaches. After lunch we’ll head on north to Whangamumu the site of an old whaling station. Although a deservedly popular stop with yachties Whangamumu is a very quiet, isolated anchorage with no houses for many miles.

Day 5 - Destination Oke Bay

Lunch stop Deep Water Cove
Distance 15
From Whangamumu keen walkers have the option of three walks. A short walk to explore the whaling station and across the northern isthmus to an isolated beach where you can be picked by the yacht, a longer bush walk to rendezvous with the yacht at our lunch time stop at Deep Water Cove or a medium length walk to our night stop at Oke Bay. Deep water Cove is an attractive anchorage surrounded by steep bush clad hills and our night time anchorage will be in the beautiful Oke Bay, an excellent sandy swimming beach.

Day 6 - Destination Opua (Bay of Islands)

Lunch stop Paradise Bay
Distance 15
We enter the Bay of Islands through Albert Channel and will usually anchor at Paradise Bay on Urupukapuka Island for an early lunch. There are many excellent walks on Urupukapuka Island that can be enjoyed, all featuring good views of the surrounding Islands. In the afternoon we wend our way passed Motukiekie, Moturua and Motuarohia Islands, past historic Russell and 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+