New Zealand - sailing opportunities

[srevir]

About to spend a month in NZ and would welcome views on / experiences of good places to sail and decent charterers

We are two up, sail our own boat and would want a day or two somewhere like bay of islands. Visiting North and South so open to other locations (SWMBO prefers warm to cold !)

Many thanks for all suggestions in advance

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[swanny]

Hi, I have chartered in the Bay of Islands and also sailed on friends boats in the Hauraki Gulf off Auckland. Both are excellent places to sail. Little or no tide, lots of anchoring possibilities - in fact, in either area, marina's are scarce and anchoring is by far the most popular option. I chartered with Fairwinds Charters http://www.fairwind.co.nz/ and took their smallest boat a Davidson 28. A fair amount of space for a 28 footer although the battery and charging system was a tad inadequate. It sailed ok but not sooo exciting. The Bay of Islands is very nice although not as large an area as you are led to believe. However, a little further up the coast offers wilder scenery and still fairly tame sailing and pilotage. The place to sail to is Great Barrier Island if your charter company allow it. Dunno. The island is wild but inhabited so supplies can be bought at a small supermarket but the scenery is stunning with ample anchorages and great, but GREAT fishing! You should not go hungry sailing in New Zealand. Just watch for the birds amassing above the water in the distance and motor by them with a couple of lures out. No problem! Avoid the Marlborough Sounds for sailing, the katabatic winds will have you reaching for the mainsheet more times than for a beer! Wellington suffers from too much wind most of the time and the straits between the two Islands are challenging. but then you might like that. I go almost every year and have done for the past fourteen years. I love the place. I have to say though that a month is a very short time to do the North and South Island with a charter thrown in. I would recommend a month now in one Island and another trip another time for the other Island. It is tiring to travel in NZ if you have a hard itinery. It takes a long time to drive anywhere due to the 'B' roads that span the country. The motorway system only extends about an hour south of Auckland and half an hour North although as we speak this may have changed but not much! If I chartered again I would go the Hauraki Gulf way, lots of snug places to anchor, some marinas and also the bright lights of the city of Auckland to sample. Not forgetting the Coromandel area not too far from there which also stunning. Email if ya want more info. Cheers

 

[Rob_Webb]

Agree that Bay of Islands or Haruaki Gulf are the prime spots. Personally would recommend chartering in Auckland (good selection of typical modern charter boats) and gives you world class cruising in the form of Hauraki Gulf on your doorstep. And yes Great Barrier is superb, about 50nm NE of Auckland. But plenty of other lovely spots in between.

If you are only going to be afloat for a few days then stay closer and enjoy Waiheke (go ashore to visit the vinyards), Rakino and Kawau (lovely beaches and scenic walks) and a thousand other anchorages and little gems. Yes, the BoI is always slightly warmer but we are having a stunning summer across the whole country and here in Auckland daytime temps are in the mid to high 20s and the water temperature is typically 20-22C on the open sea and even warmer on the beaches.

If you want a mainstream AWB charter boat package suggest you contact Moorings in Auckland (at Westhavne Marina, Pier Z):

Mooring: +64 9 378 7900

Enjoy!

Kawau

Scallop diving

Cray diving

Near Kawau

Half way between Barrier and Auckland

Gulf Harbour Marina (12nm north of Auckland, home to me and Aily's Comet)

Aily's Comet (at Mansion House Bay, Kawau)

 

[Amari]

We had a wonderful week of gentle sailing (SHMBO new to sailing) in Bay of Islands 6 years ago. Chartered from Sunsail but I think they have closed since.
Try oysters and white wine at quayside restaurant in Russel

 

[KREW2]

Hi! is the last picture Schoolhouse bay.

 

[Rob_Webb]

Nearly but not quite. It's just opposite Schoolhouse Bay, known as Shag Point (for more than one reason). Next to Lidgard Bay.

 

[srevir]

Thanks guys

Great picyures Robb

Now the problem is how to explain to SWMBO that we are going to drive straight from Christchurch to Aukland and go sailing !

Have fun

 

[Rob_Webb]

Fly.