The Bay of Islands

We headed to the Bay of Islands with Merv and Clara Jean Weeks after visiting Hobbiton.  It was so fun to be with our dear friends and to see parts of this beautiful Island that we haven't seen as of yet.  Thought you might like a glimpse of the beauty we explored.


Bay of Islands

Arrived in the evening intake to enjoy a meal of fish and chips on the pier

Ready for our boat ride tour through the islands of the bay

We enjoyed a pod of dolphins that followed our yellow boat

This island held a lovely lighthouse where the lighthouse keeper and wife raised 13 children

We headed for the world renowned Hole in the Rock which we were able to go through

Yes, we took the perilous trip right through

The water was such a beautiful hue

The beach on an island where we would disembark for a lovely lunch ashore

view of the island where we had our lunch

the dock back to the boat

Headed back

We next stopped at Russell - a beautiful town that was once known as the Hellhole of the Pacific before the English law regulated the wild ways of the whalers and sealers who docked here

We took a bus tour of the town and enjoyed the quaintness of the old town

There are so many (114?) islands in the Bay of Islands

Merv wanted a picture taken by this magnificent tree that was planted in 1820 the year of the first vision

On the ferry ride back from Russell to Paihia we met the cutest family from Barcelona.  

Next morning we visited the Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Where New Zealand the nation was born

Elder Thatcher was right when he said the name sounded Dutch

We learned about Captain James Cook and other foreign visitors

And how the first peoples came here

The horn (conch shell) and the trumpet - back and forth between the Ship and the War Canoe

Clara Jean, Elder Thatcher and Merv, Enjoying the informative tour

Maori War Canoes

Carvings on Canoe

140 could ride in one canoe

The trees are magnificent- It felt like Middle Earth with these Ents, (or maybe only Entlings).  I'm beginning to think like Tolkien and feel something special for these trees.  You can understand the horror of the Maori when the British first came and cut them down by the millions without asking the Maori people.

Beautiful Treaty Grounds

We entered The Carved Maori Meeting House where we were welcomed and entertained

Beautiful music and song

Maori dancing

sticks

One of the entertainers was a Mormon and excited to see us

They could look fearsome and then immediately friendly and jovial

The traditional Maori greeting, the Hongi is done by pressing ones nose and forehead, at the same time, to another encounter. . .  When Maori greet one  another by pressing noses, - the tradition of sharing the breath of life is considered to have come directly from the gods.

The grounds have beautiful walkways through Bush.  These two enjoyed every moment of their visiting together

The moss covered rocks were beautiful

ferns everywhere - easy to see why one of the symbols of New Zealand is the fern - the silver ferns glowed silver at night and helped the Maori find their way in the moonlight

We also stopped at another little authentic Maori village just to see how they had really lived before the British came

Pretty primitive and pretty apt to stay that way for a pretty long time

Merv and Elder Thatcher solved all the worlds ills and discussed missionary methods for hours on end

We made the 4 hour trip back to Auckland from up north safely.  It is always fun to see Sky Tower and Aucklands harbor

It was a change to do something a little touristy and we are thankful for the opportunity to enjoy this with the Weeks.  Elder Thatcher continually called New Zealand 'a jewel' on this little trip.  I don't think he knew how beautiful it was.