We're going to NEW ZEALAND

[dunedin]

We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

As of last night we are due to be going to Auckland at Christmas. Sadly not sailing to get there - our son's little racing dinghy is going in a container.

However, any recommondations as to where we could charter a yacht at reasonable expense and or where to visit around Auckland area

 

[Seven Spades]

Re: We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

Try Tauranga Yacht Club http://www.yacht.org.nz/ if you phone in advance they can uaually put you in touch with owners who will charter their yachts. You can sail to Mayor Island, but there is only one safe anchorage so check with locals first.

How can I possibly recommend anywhere in New Zealand there is so much to do there, but SWIMBO who is an escapee would disagree, says NZ to too far from anything...

Mosts people will go to Rotorua which is rather dissapointing with one exception Mount Tarawera http://www.mt-tarawera.co.nz/ which is fantastic.

 

[David_Jersey]

Re: We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

I was going to say what a great place NZ is, but then seeing your Name, I guess you are a local??

Been a good few years since I was down there (always meant to go back, but it is not exactly enroute anywhere!), I don't remember much about Auckland, but I recall hiring a small sailing boat (around 20 foot) for the day on Lake Taupo (In the centre of the North Island, in case you are not a local!), I had never been lake sailing before, a great time was had by all. And cheap as well!

 

[Jobs_a_ good_ un]

Re: We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

Theres the bay of islands about a 2 hour drive away stunning
also the giant kouri tree forest thats an hour away
I spent 6 weeks there a few years back and went to both islands theres a lot to see
Around rotorua theres a lake where you can go on a large yacht cant remember the name of it thou
I loved picton on the sth island superb place and the ferry crossing is absolutly stunning as is mount cook and milford sound
Hardley any cars there youll struggle to find a traffic jam
whale and dolphin spotting as well
Have a good trip

 

[BrendanS]

Re: We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

I've driven an RV around North Island. Fantastic. No traffic as you say, and hoping to go back and do South Island soon.

 

[truscott]

Re: We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

Auckland has some of the finest cruising grounds right on its doorstep. The Hauraki gulf is dotted with islands, most of which have secluded bays and a few with shops and the trappings of civilization (this is definetly not the Med though!).

These guys have some decent boats available; Charterlink (although I have never used them).

If you are pushed for time, Waiheke offers a great two/three day escape, and if you have more time on your hands, you can then head over to the Coramandel then up to Great Barrier and/or Kawau.

It's not called the City of Sails for nothing.

Cheers, PT.

 

[Clive_Rigden]

Re: We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

Been to NZ twice and it's the first place I've been to where, other than dear 'ol Blighty, I could happily leave my bones!

I've sailed around Aukland, which is fantastic, especially out to Waiheke Island, but sadly I missed a trip to Great Barrier Island which I'm told is worth a visit. I've also sailed in the Bay of Islands which is another splendid spot - don't forget to take snorkelling equipment! Other than a brief trip out in a sailing dayboat on the lake at Queenstown (name escapes me) and an overnight trip in Doubtful Sound on a huge mobo with sham sails, I've not sailed in South Island. I do intend on my next visit though, to sail on a 72 ft ketch from Doubtful Sound round to Stewart Island, which I'm told is a wonderful and relitively cheap excusion. There's also a more comfortable (and expensive) way of doing it with : http://www.realjourneys.co.nz/Main/fiordland/
The north coast of south Island, around the Milford sounds, looks to be a truly magnificent cruising area too. Ah, one day!

Whatever you do, have a great time - and enjoy! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[dunedin]

Re: We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

Thanks for the advice and keep it coming

Incidentally, the DUNEDIN sign-on is a pure coincidence (think of another place with a name of the same origin). We had no inkling of going anywhere near NZ until son qualified last weekend for a sailing event on there after Christmas.
From no plans to flights and container booked in 48 hours

 

[GMac]

Re: We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

Has been a while for a few of you /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif jugding by the no traffic comments. Auckland is a bit of a shacker at the moment and will be for another year or so. Massive motorway road works going on. Got a real big Rugby tournament on soon (world cup) and we do like our rugby.

That obviously is all the more reason to go for a yacht somewhere. There is many palces to get one from. Big, little, day trip, overnighting, fast, slow, real boat with sails or a pretender with a motor. I'd get one fueled and watered up but would not bother going the whole food thing, that's easy to get real close to all the boat places anyway. Would not forget fishing and snorkling gear minimum. Easy to hire dive gear and the like.

From centre of Auckland there is many nice spots with good fishing, diving in marine reserves and other palces (scollop season right now...yummy), Island (ex volcanos some) walking, a couple of great wineries on Waiheke now and so on. All of that within 30 miles by sea. You could very very easily spend a week or 2 maybe more within this area cruising.

Cruising here means you anchor all the time by the way but there is many many safe places within a few miles of each other all the time. Provisons are easy to get but if you're only 1/2 decent with a rod there is plenty of fish. There is still a few 'Spot X's' around the Hauraki Gulf (a rectangle shaped area of about 50W-E x 30N-S miles using Auckland Harbour as the Sth West corner and Gt Barrier Island at the Nth East corner) where you can easily freedive for scollops (in season), crayfish and even spearfish big things. You'll have to sweet talk a local to find the real good ones. We'll tell short term visitors but not each other /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Next to no bitey things to worry about, the odd mad fizz boater, more than a few quirky island locals. You can be on a recently deceased volcanic island with 0 inhabitants which is basically attached to an other island run as a farm and conservation place with a massive dozen or so inhabitants within 12 miles of the centre of Auckland city. When there you would not know Auckland existed, unless you like climbing volcanos (safe to do, quite dead for the moment they tell us).

Around that time of the year there will be many boaties out and about. A friendly bunch who can easily be approched especially with gifts of beers, rums, excess fish. Highly likely the oppersite could happen as well. Watch for small raft ups of smaller yachts inhabited by usually younger, but not exclusivly, crews, have been known to party hard and give great entertainment to onlookers. Highly likey to row past offering gifts in the form of beer and rum. Watch this cunning trick they are really checking for daughters /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif (was a 'rower' now dad to 2 daughers and polisher of shotgun) Jetskis are fair game and a direct hit attracts triple points also prizes of beer, rum or excess fish from other real boaties.

Weather will be nice. Warm to hot, wind will be up and down but generally nice sailing stuff (12-18knts with maybe 25 in late afternoon seabrezze fading away about 6-7pm), Sunset around 8.30pm.

On land you have a massive choice of ways to attempt to kill yourself. Bungy off just about anything just about anywhere, planes attached to wires so you don't fly off somewhere, heli-sking, pick anyway to come down a mountian at serious speed on or in anything and it's here somewhere, whitewater rafting, blackhole rafting, caving, rent a 200mph race car for a few hours, stinky pools of bubbling mud, get your bra off and hang it on the fence with the other few 1000 of them, indoor snow sking in Auckland, sail a Americas cup yacht, anything most people would think was quite dangerous and stupid can usually be found here somewhere and the list goes on. You'd almost get the impression we all want to kill ourselves judging by some of the mad s**t an awful lot do but then are also quite hopeless as we very very rearly do /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Musems, libaries, art galleries, shopping, blaa blaa blaa

I'd pick the crusing, so many real nice places which are real easy to get too at a nice time fo the year.

I'd get in quick, it's a busy time I'm guessing.

some sites:
http://www.charterguide.co.nz/
http://www.greatescape.co.nz/
http://www.dreamboats.com/
http://www.moorings.com/
http://www.charterlink.co.nz/
The bottom 3 are based in Auckland. The 2nd down the Bay of Island and the top is a mix.

I might see you out there, I'll be there somewhere. North this time I think.

 

[dunedin]

Re: We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

superb, thanks

 

[graham]

Re: We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

i sailed a few times about 30 yeatrs back from Auckland to Kawau island (about a day to the north.)_his involved passing between a penninsular(name forgotten and a small I sland)

Then shaping up across a large bay and finally anchoring in a sheltered bay where wallabies (unusuall for NZ)hopped around the field between the beach and the pub.

its a yachties paradise.

 

[GMac]

Re: We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

The Tiri Passage which is between Whangaparoa Penninsular and Tiri Matangi Island, 15mls north from Auckland then across Whangaparoa Bay to Kawau Islands, another 15 mls odd.

'Whangapaora' = The bay of Whales. You see the odd big one now and again. Lots of Orcas on the odd occasion. Dolphins are common. No trouble though they are all well feed.

Strange as it may seem those Wallabies are native to NZ and we export them to Australia, the land of the spring loaded rat /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif or the West Island as we call it.

Closed the pub, upsetting the Wallabies according to the Dept of Conservation. The same crowd who now shoots a pile every now and again as the breed better than rabbits /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif What a great pub it was though. Was called the Elephant House due to so many being seen at closing time. Strangly no one has ever seen the slightest sign of one prior to closing time or the morning after /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Another pub has opened in the Yachty (yacht club) on the other side of the harbour, an easily swimmable distance if your thirst is up /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Not that far from the dope growing lesbian run knock shop (seasonal) that no-one knows exists /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

There is another nice spot further up the harbour with a great bar whos moto is 'If ya thirsty we're open'. Party hard with no one to annoy bar the odd Weka. A native bird a bit like a rooster on steroids, has a bit of an attitude and been known to run off with cans of beer which they drink and fall over just like the rest of us /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Fish breeding farm there as well you can wonder around. Breed em by the gazzillions and them release them into the Gulf.

 

[Rob_Webb]

Re: We\'re going to NEW ZEALAND

Lots of good advice here. Another 'must do' if you're in Auckland is to go down to the viaduct basin and do a trip on one of the two ex-America's Cup boats. You can do a 'harbour cruise' or matchracing (NZL 40 & 41) and you get a stint on the wheel if you like. Nothing like experiencing the performance for yourself, power, acceleration, pointing ability etc. Not expensive either.