Tag Archives | trawler

As I write this we’ve been in Level 4lock 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, windyand 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 1,200square miles of the mightyHauraki Gulf and dozens of islands on our doorstep, explainingwhy Auckland is said to have the largest number of boats per capita in the world.                                                                              

One of ourfavourite 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 translatesas “long night” and judging from the number of cruisers who frequent this area we’resure there’s been many anenjoyableand long nightspent 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, wellspread around the island allowing cruisers tofind safe shelter in all wind conditions. The highly informativeRoyal Akarana Yacht Club Coastal Cruising Handbook (a must have on board for cruisers) provides excellentinformation on most of these anchorages, so we’ll focus on just threeof our favourite areas.

By far Ponui’s most popular anchorage is Chamberlains Bay (also called North Harbour) bordering the northern coast’s Ruthe Passage separatingPonui andRotoroa 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 uncomfortablefetch 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.ChamberlainsBay (note spelling of this bay is different to that of the Chamberlin family name) has no particular hazards except for itsmuddy bottom gradually shoalingtowards the southern shoreline. Immediately to the east are two great sandy beaches easily reached by dinghy. If anchoring off these beacheswatch 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 moveless than a mile across to Rotoroa’s South-West Bay to shelter. Thisbay 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! Takea 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 gazeat 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 5324Chart for this area, but it’s the bay to the north ofOranga and Poroaki Bays. Oranga Bay is too shallow for anchoring, but take your dinghy in to see the shipwreck on the shoreline with its impressivepropeller 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 byits several homesteadsand protruding western headland providingprotection 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-easterlywinds, but be aware of an unmarked rock south west of Ponui Head (marked on chart). The only negative for this area iswakes 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 consistsof 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 finesandy 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 PonuiIsland’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 advisedboaties mayland on beaches provided they observe the above limitations.Ponui is home to nearly2,000 brown kiwi, descendants of just 13 released in 1964 anddogs and ferrets are theirmain predators so there’s good reason to ban dogs. While most dog owners are responsible a minorityapparently think leashed dogs are not a problem and that rules don’t apply to them. However even leashed dogscanupset farm animals andwildlife whiletheir 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 hereenjoying 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.

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.