Thursday, 5 February 2015

Bay of Islands

Climbing aboard our tour vessel, we piled our bags in a corner and took our seats on this, our next adventure. This day was promised to be filled with dolphins and grandiose rock formations, and we would not be disappointed. Our highly comical and knowledgeable Captain filled us in on the history of every stray rock, and this area is rich in history.




One particular rock formation was the black rocks, where the volcanic basalt formed the columnar joints like the ones from bridal veil falls. Atop these rocks, birds nested and stunted shrubs and grasses clung to the thin soil. This crown gave way to lichens and transitioned to the wet black rock before eventually transitioning to algae and crashing waves of white spray.





The dolphins were one of the major attraction for most of the family. We were fortunate to see two groups, the first being a large playful group. Unfortunately, there were calves in the pod so we were unable to get in the water with them. Despite the minor setback, the show the dolphins put on was spectacular. These enormous creatures were dancing in the wake and bow waves of the boat, launching their entire body out of water. Their acrobatics around the boat had everyone leaning over the rails with cameras and binoculars. The family found themselves scattered around the boat trying to get the best vantage point to view the spectacle.






Much of the historic sites revolved around interactions between the Maori locals and the first European explorers and settlers, the development of camps and churches, and some tragic miss-communications.



At one such site we were fortunate with our second sighting of dolphins. A smaller pod, but with no calves and no feeding going on, they invited us into the water to try and swim with them. Rain and runoff had clouded the water reducing visibility to at most a meter in this area, but the chance to swim with these fantastic creatures was to good a chance to pass up. The first group was filled with people who clearly were not snorkelers and swam around with their heads out of the water missing the dolphins swimming around them. When the family had their turn, jumping into the warm water in the starboard net and swimming out, the dolphins were now swimming wider of the gang of people in the water.





Dad did get to see one dolphin in the murk, but the visibility was so poor that even the best swimmer would be hard pressed to keep up and see much more. Wet, but happy to have tried, we settled back in for more swell and seabirds. The mildly overcast day made for great picture of this journey. The sun however did come out for us at lunch. On an island known as Urupukapuka, we stopped at Otehei Bay, a little slice of paradise. The long wharf leading to a grassy picnic area was the site for yet another sandwich lunch beneath the red blooms of a pohutukawa tree.



I did not want to pass up the opportunity to get a unique perspective of the Islands. Up the very steep hill of grassy paddock, among the sheep, I was fortunate to get almost an aerial view. Unimpeded by any other hills or trees, I was presented with a breathtaking 360 degree view of the rugged coastline of the entire island, the surrounding islands and headland leading out to the pacific. Great currents running between the islands were made visible at this height and numerous boats dotted these waterways. Close to New Years, the beaches of most coves were crowded with campers pitching their tents in any space available.



Wanting to join Geoff in the water for a quick snorkel, I breathed in the view one last time and hurried down the hillside. In the water, we paddled around enjoying sandy bottom, and were treated to a visit of an eagle ray resting in the shallows. We watched him for a few minutes before he gracefully flapped his winglike pectoral fins and disappeared slowly into the depths.


Our trip had one last big site to see, called the hole in the rock. We followed along the headland I had seen earlier with petrels rolling with the swell and the familiar gannets diving with a tremendous thud into the clearing blue waters.



At the end of the headland was the old lighthouse, a sentinel standing guard over the great rock that was our destination. The monolithic greywacke and surrounding shoreline would have been treacherous to sailing ships.



The great rock, much like the limestone Rocher Perce in Gaspe, had seen several holes bored through it, some which now stand with the arch collapsed after centuries of erosion. The captain focused on the rock and swell maneuvered the ship up close to the. Jurassic rock giving us a close up view of the power of the ocean as water rushed into the carved rock, thundering and echoing around us. Then he guided the boat directly through the hole in the rock. The crystal blue waters streamed through the cave with us and along the rock wall edge, great schools of fish could be easily seen from the surface, two of which made a nice diner for the crew.




There is always a great sense of awe and a humbling feeling when you are in the presence of such ancient and enormous structures. Thoroughly fascinated at the sights we had experienced, the captain headed back. Tired, we traded back through a few more islands, a few very rich properties, and finally back to port. More than satisfied, we reminisced or day and prepared for our next day's journey where we would see some more ancients.


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