Otehei Bay revisited

Urupukapuka Island

Up bright and early after a quiet night - couldn't believe there were only seven other boats in Opunga cove.  Where were all the "Jaffas" (Just Another Flippin Aucklander!). We were expecting to find crowds of boaties, but it was all very quiet... maybe they saw the forecast of impending rain, or were just taking their time travelling north?

Launched the inflatable (carried on deck under cover) and mounted the outboard to give it a run.  Medium-fella jumped in and we went exploring around the point to a small island we had seen on the way in last night that looked interesting...  the small island is part of  Project Island song with DOC providing nesting boxes to bring  
back the birds to Ipipiri (Bay of Islands).


Back to the boat for morning stove-top coffee and then the instructions were given - "Find a nice sandy beach!"



So, a short journey north and we snuck through the shallow (1.4m under the keel) entrance into Otehei bay, a place with a long history and which played an important role in establishing Ipipiri as a boating and fishing paradise. I reckoned I was last there in 1976!

Urupukapuka was described by du Fresne, in 1772, as containing villages fortified by palisades. It was occupied by Ngare Raumati before and after European settlement and was taken over by Ngapuhi in the early 19th century. Several kaainga were located on the island at this time. Late in the 19th century the island was developed for grazing. In 1927 the author Zane Grey began to use it as a base for game fishing and it subsequently became a world-famous fishing resort. The Crown acquired the island in 1970

Notwithstanding its history, the lady of the boat required a "lilo-swim" - so we anchored in warm, shallow water (0.4m under the keel...), pumped up the lilo (jury-rigging the nozzle with gaffa tape), and swim we did! (see photo below!)

A leisurely lunch followed, and then as the tide ebbed we set sail back west t find shelter for the night. As it happened a beautiful N W breeze meant that the skipper whipped up both main and head sail in quick time and we were smoking along - even passing with ease a similar length yacht which was also towing a dinghy.

However, pride cometh before... as the bridle parted company on the formally mentioned towed inflatable and we ignomoniously spen the next fifteen minutes retrieving the lost dinghy! You can see the squiggles on the chart!!!

Motoring into Orakawa bay we found more than thirty craft already there, but still plenty of room.

A quiet night again and the much forecast rain still refused to fall!