Facts and Information

Cruising in New Zealand
The Hauraki Golf

Auckland is gateway to more than 1500 square miles of beaches, protected anchorages and islands waiting to be explored. The inner islands of Rangitoto, Motutapu and Motuihe all provide secluded anchorages, just half and hour's cruise from Auckland. Outside the Gulf, you'll find Great Barrier Island, with some of the best diving and fishing in New Zealand, Kawau Island, the favourite haunt of the dolphins and Pakatoa Island - a holiday resort with good marina facilities and a fine restaurant.

Bay of Islands

The Bay of Islands has attracted sailors from around the world for over a century and our base is in the quaint township of Opua, just half an hour from the nearest airport. From here, the cruising, snorkelling and fishing are excellent, as is the local cuisine. Explore the sleepy bays and sweeping beaches of Roberton Island, the rugged isolation of Cape Brett and Deep Water Cove with its spectacular marine life. Experience magnificent views from Urupukapuka Island and visit historical Russell - the site of the first European settlement in New Zealand.

Marlborough Sounds

The Marlborough Sounds are certainly a cruising paradise. There's a whole network of submerged mountain valleys, numerous islands and tranquil sheltered bays, bush-clad hills and almost 1500 km of deep water coastline to explore.

The two major Sounds in the area are the Queen Charlotte and the Pelorus Sound, and together they form the heart of this cruising area. D'Urville Island is the largest of the islands, and is separated from the mainland by the narrow, tidal channel of French Pass. Scenery is spectacular, ranging from towering forest clad mountains, through tranquil bays and coves to the rugged exposed shoreline of D'Urville Island. West of D'Urville is Tasman Bay. A cruise across this bay will reward you with the sight of golden beaches.

Queen Charlotte Sound

This is one place in New Zealand where there seems to be more boats than people and with good reason. Queen Charlotte Sound with its fascinating maze of bays and inlets, its sheltered anchorages and excellent fishing is a boatie's paradise. And it doesn't end there: when you decide to venture ashore, you can visit welcoming lodges with restaurants serving sumptuous meals and wines, or stroll along the walking tracks through native forest full of the sound of their abundant birdlife.

Fiordland

In the Southwest corner of the South Island, Fiordland encompasses some of the most wild and dramatic scenery in New Zealand. Incorporating one of the largest National Parks in the world Fiordland has been designated part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage area in recognition of its world significance as a natural treasure.
Here the power of nature stuns and enthrals visitors - from its waterfalls tumbling hundreds of meters into virgin, forested valleys and lonely fiords, to endless stretches of shimmering lakes and granite peaks.


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