Days 1 and 2 The North of the North Island

Headed north from Auckland to Paihia.  This part of New Zealand not only looks like Hawaii, but the names are similar as well.  Kailaia, Haunaki, Waihi.   1000 years ago, the islands were the home of seafaring Polynesians, what we call the Maori today.  Indeed, today, about 14% of the population is Maori.  The indigenous town names are found everywhere.  And, in contrast, Auckland, Queenstown and Christchurch are, uh, British from just a couple of hundred years ago.

We are quickly realizing that fish and chips are everywhere. 
We'll be eating more of these in the next three weeks. 

Spring here.  Everything is green and the fields are full of cows and sheep.  Millions of them.  The stats:  4.6 million people. 10 million cows and 30 million sheep. (from a peak of 70 million in 1982!)

Yesterday was the yearly Aukland to Haihia regata.  This is the winning trimaran. 
It looks like a speed demon.  4 hours, a course record, boats take over 12 hours.

Day 2 takes us to the small town of Paihia to take a boat around the "Bay of Islands", so named by none other then Captian James Cook who counted them in 1769.  A great time.  After our '3-hour tour', we were dropped off at Russell a small town across the bay from Haihia. 

This is the 'Hole in the Rock' on our bay cruise.
Yep, we went through there.  We are in a BIG
boat, but we had room to spare.  During the winter
waves are higher than this hole.

We also visited Russell, the first permanent European settlement in New Zealand. Prior to the 1840's it was Kororareka.  In its heyday, over 3000 whaling ships would come in each year hence the nickname of 'hellhole of the Pacific'.  It was notorious for its bars, gambling halls and whorehouses.  Kinda the southern hemisphere's rendition of the American Wild West.

The Polynesians likened this silhouette to a waiting princess for her seafaring prince.

This is the oldest church in New Zealand.  The Christ Anglican church built in 1835.