We wanted to spend some time in the Bay of Islands however following our previous sailing experiences in Australia, I was a little reluctant to get back on a sailing boat so when we saw a new overnight cruise with an amazing introductory offer, we jumped at it. Turns out that this time our instincts were on the money as the cruise turned out to be fabulous! We met a lovely Irish couple as we boarded and ended up hanging out with them throughout the cruise. First up, we cruised through the islands....
Then we did some activities...
Ate, drank, watched the stars...
The next morning, some of us saw some penguins, and we saw loads and loads of dolphins...
Waitangi Treaty GroundsI really enjoyed visiting the Waitangi cultural centre as it offered a far more involved and cultural experience than the cultural centre in Uluru in Australia. The Waitangi centre is located at the spot where the peaceful treaty was signed between the Maori people and the arrived Europeans which forms the basis of relations between the two people groups today. We took a guided tour of the grounds led by a lady of European heritage who is married to a gentleman of Maori heritage and learnt about the arrival of the Maori and the Europeans to the New Zealand shores.
We saw our first kauri stump and the beautiful traditional Maori war canoe which was built from the wood of the tree. We saw the house that the English governor lived in and the Maori meeting place built nearby. Of most significance was the tri-mast flagpole which, to this day, flies the flags of the British, Maori and New Zealand nations.
We also enjoyed some Maori songs and the famous Haka, which Johan even got the opportunity to participate in!
