Apart from a good old wander around Kerikeri and a visit to the local market, our day was taken up with a ferry ride from Paihia to Russell and a cruise around the Bay of Islands culminating in a visit to the Hole-in-the-Rock.
Russell is across the water, 10 minutes by boat, from Paihia and is reputed to have been the original 'hell-hole' of the early 19th century, being a magnet for all the pirates, ne'er do wells and scurvy blackguards of the world. Today it is a refined quiet little village of nice little white painted timber cottages and of course the obligatory cafes.
The cruise turned out to be a 3 hour boat ride, out of Russell and past a few of the inlying islands, all with the occasional commentary. We even stopped to eyeball some bottle-nose dolphins, a bit of a rarity in these waters apparently.
Right out at the end, a surprise. A well looked after lighthouse stuck out on the end of the rocky point, still operation, even if it is a new solar powered light from a small box below the lighthouse.
Right next to the point is the Hole-in-the-Rock, a natural arch carved out of the rock of an island. When the conditions are just right, they drive the boat through for a little thrill. Today was not that day. A slight bit to the left of the hole is another crack / opening they call the 'cathedral'. Well, everyone has to have something to show the tourists!
Here's a few snaps:
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| Russell NZ |
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| Russell NZ |
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| Bay of Islands island |
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| Bay of Islands island |
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| Cape Brett lighthouse NZ |
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| Cape Brett lighthouse NZ |
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| Hole in the Rock. Bay of Islands NZ |
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| Hole in the Rock. Bay of Islands NZ |
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| Cathedral. Bay of Islands NZ |
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| Bottle-nose dolphin. Bay of Islands NZ |
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