Bay of Islands, North Island, New Zealand
Well, we have been in the South Pacific for about a week now. We are now at the last large habitable island to be settled not only by Europeans but humans in general. New Zealand consists of two large landmasses. North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) and South Island (Te Waipounamu) are the two largest islands but there are over 700 smaller islands. The Bay of Islands is appropriately named as just looking out the window you can see quite a few of them.
It lies east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, south of the islands of New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga. It boasts to have every type of topography except desert. New Zealand became an independent state in 1947 but retains the English monarch as its head of state, although it is just a figure head. There are about 5.25 million New Zealanders. Those of European descent being the majority, then the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders.
We were supposed to weigh anchor at eight, but has gone past eight by the time it was dropped. This seemed to delay everything. The excursions were start leaving at 8; but the first excursion was called much closer to 10 than 8. Now you have to add to that we are tendered, meaning the ship the parked some distance from the shore. The tender ride in will probably be ten to twenty minutes.
Our excursion, Kerikeri and Waitangi Highlights, was schedule to depart the ship at 9:05. Due to the late arrival and clearing the ship 10 and come and gone. We actually boarded the bus just before it had gone 11. The tender pier really isn’t near too much. Paihia is the nearest town about a mile from the pier. Yes, there is a shuttle bus to town.
The first thing out of the drivers mouth as that we ere late and thus he was going to have to rush through the program because he had another tour a 1:05. Not a good start, though the day started out nice, it was in the upper 60’s and would go up to the low 70’s. No rain forecast, and just a slight overcast sky. At least the weather was cooperating.
Kerikeri was about a good half hour or maybe forty-five minutes from the tender dock. It is on the northwest arm of the Bay of Islands, the tender dock is on the northeast arm of the island. So, over the middle we went. Now that was very interesting. There is lots of farm land, citrus trees, kiwi orchards (?), and pasture land. Probably more land than we have seen in a month?
There were forest lands. Apparently there is a pine tree here which is good for making paper. It only takes 20 years between planting and harvesting. According to the driver they plant a section of trees, wait twenty years, and then cut the all down, turn it into wood chips and send the wood chips to Japan. That does explain the large piles of wood chips we saw.
On the drive we passed Makana chocolates. The driver had the nerve to say he was sorry, but we wouldn’t have time to stop because we were late. This is apparently one of two chocolate shops they have. They, it is rumored they made some really fine high-quality confections. I offered to raise a $100 bribe if he would reconsider stopping. Unfortunately, his price was higher than people were willing to commit to. Maybe next time.
Just outside of Kerikeri proper, where the fresh water of the Kerikeri Rivers enters the Pacific Ocean, is the site of the first permanent Christian mission station in New Zealand. In 1814 Samuel Marsden acquired the land at Kerikeri, which they called Gloucester Town, for the Church Missionary Society in exchange for forty-eight axes.
Kerikeri was the first place in New Zealand where grape vines were planted; undoubtedly for use in the production of holy wine for the use in church services. Sam did plant some 100 vines in 1819 and noted in his journal that New Zealand promised to be very favorable to the vine. The women were more practical because in that same year Charlotte Kemp planted the first citrus. Passionfruit was introduced commercially in New Zealand 1927, and around 1932 the country's first avocados were planted. The plough was first used in 1820 at Kerikeri, by Rev. J. G. Butler.
Honestly there isn’t much here. The inlet, the river washing down to the sea over what appeared to be a natural rock formation, the original mission house and stone store house are all quite beautiful and impressive. The house and store house could be out of New England. The mission house, also called the Kemp House, is the oldest wooden structure in New Zealand. The Stone Store house is the oldest stone building, it was built in 1832. They seemed a little misplaced for the tropics. The stone store house has a very nice history museum upstairs. A good history of the missionary family that lived here, and a good audiovisual history of New Zealand.
We left there about an hour after getting there. We drove to the Rainbow Falls, Māori name Waianiwaniwa, (Waters of the Rainbow), this is a single-drop waterfall located on the Kerikei River about ten minutes from the mission house. The driver likened it to Niagara Falls. Well, he’s never been there so how would he know. It is an impressive broad or wide waterfall, dropping some 27 meters, it even had an “island” breaking it into two waterfalls. He did say it was their dry season, so it wasn’t as spectacular as it is during the rainy season. Clearly it is a popular tourist sight, as well has a camping park for the locals on holiday.
The actual town of Kerikeri looked very nice. They did have a McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut, I am tired of apologizing to the local people for what we did to their culinary habits. There were a large number of retirement communities. It really did look like a very nice place to live. A walkable city.
The bus then took us back towards the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, which was now obviously on the bluff just above the tender pier. The grounds is the site where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed between the Māori and the British Crown in 1840. It is now used as the site for subsequent annual commemorations of the signing.
The Waitangi National Trust Estate sits on 1,250 acres on a bluff, lying between the lower tidal reaches of the Waitangi River and the coastline running north to Wairoa Bay. The Estate was gifted to the people of New Zealand by the then Governor-General Lord Bledisloe and Lady Bledisloe in 1932. It is administered by the Waitangi National Trust Board whose members represent various sections of New Zealand people.
The Waitangi Treaty Grounds historical precinct itself occupies approximately 12 acres within the eastern end of the estate, and includes the Treaty House, the Whare Runanga and the historic naval flagstaff. The Maori waka, Ngatoki Matawhaorua is situated close by. There are extensive park-like grounds containing native birdlife, trees and heritage gardens.
The Treaty House: The original British Residency was erected in 1833-34 for Resident James Busby and his family. It was the scene of meetings to set up an independent Maori government, resulting in a Declaration of Independence in 1835. In 1840 the grounds in front of the house were the scene of discussions leading to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Most of the Residency was pre-cut in Sydney of Australian hardwood, and then shipped to the Bay of Islands. It is New Zealand's very earliest pre-cut building. The house underwent various additions and alterations over time, including a major restoration in 1933 and more recent conservation work in 1989/90.
Te Whare Runanga: The Whare Runanga was built in 1939 and opened during the Treaty of Waitangi Centennial Celebrations in 1940.
Waitangi flagstaff: The flagstaff marks the approximate spot where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed on 6 February 1840.
Ngatoki Matawhaorua: This 35-m Maori waka (canoe), built for the New Zealand centennial in 1940, bears the name of the voyaging waka in which the legendary explorer Kupe visited Aotearoa. Aotearoa is the Māori word for New Zealand. This canoe is really big. The guide, CC, told us that it was powered by 80 men rowing in synchronized harmony and that they could reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.
When the tour was over we headed back to the ship. We waited awhile for the shuttle bus, but finally decided that walking down hill to the ship would be ok. It was a lovely day.
Buonanotte e ciao, Enrico
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