Bay of Islands, New Zealand – Feb 9
This is our second time here and it is truly a stunningly
beautiful place to visit. Last time we did 2 of what we consider “must do”
things here. We did the Hole in the Rock Bay Cruise and the Waitangi Treaty
Grounds. 2017 trip: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CT4irndVtyiQnbkB9
This time we had booked a tour with a company called Rogue
Pony and it was canceled due to the pandemic and they refunded immediately. We
kept in touch with each canceled world cruise and finally got booked for 2023.
Then, I get an email saying they were trying to get up and running, but weren’t
there yet, so they referred us to their friends with Total Tours. So, we had a
slightly different tour, but saw many of the same things.
sunrise
This morning after breakfast we went out on the balcony and
there were just tons of dolphins along side of the ship leaping out of the
water and playing. Great way to start a day! Not great photos but fun to watch.
We got the first tender, and they were again earlier than predicted. Our tour wasn’t until 9:00, but we generally aim to be off asap as you don’t want to get caught up in tender traffic and have to wait.
Unfortunately, our tour guide was not there. Our time came and went, and we got
their phone number and finally got through to them. We have had many
conversations, so I was surprised that they didn’t have us on the schedule. (we
also made a down payment.) One of the owner’s names is Annette, so we found it
interesting to have the same name which isn’t all that common. Not sure how
they did it, but they said they’d have someone there in a couple of minutes and
they did. The guide of course wasn’t expecting a tour and was glad I had a copy
of the itinerary, and he did that and more. His name was Allan and was just laid
back and informative and interesting. He raises (or farms as they say in NZ)
cattle and to supplement in the slow times he guides or drives taxis. He said
that we would see the same things, but some of the operators would change as
some went out of business or weren’t open today. We wouldn’t have known the
difference and all of the stops were interesting.
Our first stop was Bay Bush Action - Honey Paihia for tasting local honey &
heard about the kiwi conservation & environment program in the area. They sell eco-friendly products & local
upcycled wares. Their products were modestly priced (we compared at other
stores) and you know the money goes to their cause of saving the kiwi. Very
tasty honeys!
Next up was Haruru Falls which kind of looked like a
miniature Niagara Falls. Just a peaceful spot. We then drove to the top to see
it from that angle and got a group photo. It’s a horseshoe shaped waterfall where the Waitangi River meets the tidal
estuary.
Next up was a short walk on a very nice boardwalk in a Puketi Kauri Forest where we took in the smells and the sounds of nature. The ancient Kauri Trees are amazing and HUGE. Unfortunately, there was a Princess tour there and the guide was on a loudspeaker. Kinda takes the peaceful out of nature….
After our walk we had some time to kill before our reservation for lunch at the winery, so Allan took us to Rainbow Falls which was very nice. Glad we got to see it.
We got to Marsden Estate, our stop for lunch after some wine tasting. We found a few of the wines to be quite nice. We bought a bottle of one of my favorites to bring home. I’m not a wine drinker, but I did find at least 2 that were very nice. After we were seated, Andy & Sherrie came in and were surprised to see us there. They had a someone they knew giving them a tour and didn’t expect to see anyone else from the ship. (a huge Princess bus had already arrived and were whisked away to a separate area so we had the patio with just a few tables on it) The food was amazing.
Marsden Estate Winery for tasting & lunch
Sparkling Rose 2022 - A light effervescence made from Chambourcin grapes. Delicious raspberry notes, a brilliant blush pink colour with a nice fresh crisp finish perfect for celebrating with.
Pinot Gris 2021 - A medium-dry style which proves to be popular, the Pinot Gris is consistently our top selling lunch time wine in the restaurant. It displays delicate floral & apple aromatics, has a slightly oily texture, very good depth and harmony complemented with a slightly spicy finish.
Chambourcin 2020 - A French hybrid. Deep ink and Crimson in colour, medium bodied in style. The palate is youthful & fresh. 16 months oak maturation has added complexity complemented by firm tannin along berry and spice characters so typical of this variety. Cellar 2-8 years (really liked this one)
Vigot Syrah 2019 - Oak aged for 15 months, this wine displays a spicy vanilla bouquet with a warm, smooth palate, coupled with integrated cedar oak, finely balanced tannin.
Cellar 2 – 5 years - Marsden Port - A tawny port that has aged in oak barrels for 5 years & has an intense, sweet palate, coupled with an impressive depth of flavours.
Not listed is a dessert wine that I really liked and that is the one we bought.
Our next stop was the Romeyn Woodcrafts factory shop a family business showcasing handcrafted products made from native NZ timber including Kauri & Rimu. I picked up a small wooden puzzle of a kiwi bird. (as did Cathy)
We wished we had bought more chocolates here as they were really good.
Then we were off to Kerikeri township where we had our ATM stop. Then we went down to the Stone Store Mission Station: NZ’s oldest buildings & heritage gardens by the Kerikeri River.
Built in 1832, the Georgian-style Stone Store was originally
a Missionary Society warehouse but assumed various roles including a trading
post, library, barracks and boys’ school. It also served as a general store, a
tradition that continues today in the atmospheric ground-floor gift shop.
Set behind the Stone Store is New Zealand’s oldest building, Kemp House. Completed in 1821–22 by missionary carpenters and Māori sawyers, Kemp House is a family home of simple, Georgian design.
We had time to wander and take in the beautiful river with lots of birdlife and the gardens were lovely.
We then went to find the pedestrian bridge over the river which was definitely worth the little walk. We had such a warm lovely day so that always helps.
We had dinner at the buffet and the themed area was Mexican which was good. We went to the show which was a second performance by The Mighty Quinn. Honestly, this show was even better. He is talented at what he does (juggling and balance acts) but is hilarious. The crowd really enjoyed him. He has a great backstory of being a drug-addicted teen and living on the streets to living his dream now.
We came back to the room to upload photos and get a few things out of suitcases under the bed. No early start tomorrow as we are just wandering on our own in Auckland. We plan on taking the ferry to Devonport doing some walks and having lunch.
For larger photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Junqyyo3AkSv1rsk8
love your blog entries-thanks
ReplyDelete