As
I write this we’ve been in Level 4
lock down for nearly
five weeks
now and hopefully we’ll
be going down to Level 3 next week and 2 the week after. So
let’s hang on in there.
From
a boating perspective we haven’t
missed out on
too much as
until the
last few days the
weather has mostly been miserably
wet, windy
and chilly.
Roll on Level 2, warmer weather and the resumption of boating – we
can’t wait!
Here’s
an edited version of an article to appear shortly in Pacific
PowerBoat re
cruising around the Ponui Island area.
In
Auckland
we’re
spoiled for choice of great
cruising
destinations with
about 1,200
square miles of the mighty
Hauraki Gulf and
dozens of islands on
our doorstep, explaining
why Auckland is said to have the largest number of boats per capita
in the world.
One
of our
favourite inner Gulf islands
is Ponui. Maori
were the
island’s first inhabitants during
the 1400s and
evidence still remains of 23 separate pa sites. The
island was purchased in
1853 by the
Chamberlin family, who remained
through the generations and still
farm the island to this day. Ponui
translates
as “long
night” and
judging
from the number of cruisers who frequent this area we’re
sure there’s been many an
enjoyable
and long
night
spent here.
Ponui
is about
four miles
long in a
north to
south direction,
one to two miles wide and
indented
with numerous bays and coves offering
at least 20
good anchorages,
well
spread around the
island allowing
cruisers to
find safe
shelter in
all wind conditions. The
highly informative
Royal Akarana Yacht Club Coastal Cruising Handbook (a
must have on board for cruisers) provides
excellent
information on most of these anchorages,
so we’ll
focus on just
three
of our
favourite
areas.
By
far Ponui’s
most popular anchorage is Chamberlains
Bay (also called North Harbour) bordering the northern coast’s
Ruthe Passage separating
Ponui and
Rotoroa Islands.
This large bay offers great shelter in westerlies through to
southerlies and for light north-westerlies and south-easterlies,
although in stronger south-easterlies an
uncomfortable
fetch comes into the bay from
the Firth of Thames.
You’ll
notice that Coastguard have a mooring for their rescue vessels in the
bay’s north-west corner.
Chamberlains
Bay
(note
spelling of this bay is different to that of the Chamberlin family
name) has
no particular hazards except
for its
muddy bottom gradually
shoaling
towards the
southern shoreline. Immediately
to the east are two great sandy beaches easily
reached by dinghy. If anchoring off
these beaches
watch out for the
rocky outcrop between the two beaches and
monitor your depth. Part
of Chamberlains
Bay’s appeal
is that if the wind shifts to the north or east boats can easily
move
less than a
mile across
to
Rotoroa’s South-West
Bay to
shelter.
This
bay also has three
moorings available to rent by prior arrangement at $25 per night. The
Salvation Army ran an alcohol addiction treatment centre here from
1911 until 2005 and
during that
time no
landing was allowed. It’s
reputed that sometimes desperate alcoholics swam out to boats moored
here trying to score a drink. Nowadays
visitors are
encouraged,
but no dogs are allowed as Rotoroa is a wildlife sanctuary with kiwi
and weka abounding. It’s well worth visiting their interesting
Exhibition Centre and your
kids will certainly
love the
nearby brick jail house. You’ll
have to avoid the temptation to leave them there! Take
a walk over the island for spectacular views of the Firth of
Thames and
visit Men’s
Bay and Ladies’ Bay on
Rotoroa’s east
coast – great
anchorages in settled westerly conditions. Formerly
cruisers could only gaze
at these near-perfect beaches from afar, but can now enjoy their
white sand,
crystal
clear
waters and
gnarly
shade-providing
pohutukawa
trees.
Shark
Bay on the island’s western side bordering the Waiheke Channel
isn’t
mentioned on the NZ
5324
Chart for
this area,
but
it’s
the bay to the north of
Oranga
and
Poroaki
Bays.
Oranga Bay is too shallow for anchoring, but take your dinghy in to
see the
shipwreck
on the shoreline with its impressive
propeller and the nearby remains of two boilers. You’ll
also see plenty of rays gliding across the seabed searching
for kai.
Shipwreck in Oranga Bay on a great early July day
Close up showing the wreck’s huge propeller
Poroaki
Bay can be recognised by
its
several
homesteads
and
protruding western headland providing
protection from the prevailing south-westerly wind. Very
often there’s also a large powered barge moored close to shore.
Between
Shark Bay and Ponui Head to the north are two unnamed
bays with
excellent sandy beaches and shelter from southerly through to
north-easterly
winds, but
be
aware of an unmarked rock south
west of Ponui Head (marked on chart).
The only negative for
this
area is
wakes produced by large motor vessels travelling at speed through the
Waiheke Channel.
Stunning unnamed bay south of Ponui Head
Barge at Poroaki Bay
Bryants
Bay on
Ponui’s
north-east
coast is a
settled weather anchorage suitable for northerly through to
south-westerly winds. It’s
well protected
by Scully Reef and
consists
of three small bays, two of which are really
stunning,
together with a large anchoring area outside these bays. This
is an area where we’re often happy to anchor
for several
days and
holding is
good, but be aware of close to shore rocks. About
half a mile south is another well sheltered bay with a fine
sandy beach.
Fishing
is generally good around Ponui, particularly on the eastern side in
the Firth of Thames and
we’re always able to feed ourselves,
however on
the north-western side be aware of the Te Matuki Marine Reserve
extending across to Awaawaroa Bay on Waiheke Island’s south coast.
There
are large signs on Ponui
Island’s
foreshores advising the island is private property and that no dogs,
fires or camping are allowed. I spoke to one of the island’s
three farm
owners who advised
boaties may
land on beaches provided
they observe the above limitations.
Ponui is
home to nearly
2,000
brown kiwi,
descendants
of just 13
released in 1964 and
dogs
and ferrets are their
main predators
so there’s
good reason to ban dogs.
While most
dog owners are responsible a minority
apparently think leashed dogs are not a problem and
that rules
don’t apply to them. However even leashed dogs
can
upset farm
animals and
wildlife
while
their scent
is an issue in bird breeding areas sometimes
causing birds to abandon their nests.
There
is no fuel, water or supplies available in this area, except for wine
at the very
pleasant Man
O’War Vineyard.
On a fine
summer’s day you’ll find dozens of inflatables ashore here
enjoying
the sandy beach and the selection of winery beverages and snacks.
Closest
groceries are at Rocky Bay while for fuel and water you’ll have to
make the eleven mile trip to Pine Harbour marina.
We
really enjoy anchoring in these areas around
Ponui and
hope you will too, but
remember if going ashore to
act
responsibly by taking no dogs, lighting no fires and taking your
rubbish away
with you.
Next
Post will be about cruising at low rpm without compromising your
engines’ performance and longevity.
