Waiheke Island & Hauraki Gulf Cruise

Itinerary Overview - Minimum 24 hours.

The Hauraki Gulf is one of the most beautiful city harbors in the world.  There are many beautiful bays, historic sites, nature reserves and land based excursions to experience.  Board Te Ngakau A Kupe or Te Okupu at the Viaduct in Auckland Harbor (at the entranceway to the gulf) and let us take you island hopping in this beautiful part of New Zealand.

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Our itineraries are custom designed for our guests. This itinerary is an indication of the adventure you can have island hopping around the Hauraki Gulf. At Gamesail we like to keep things flexible, so your actual itinerary will depend on  the weather, wind and your preferences each day.

Waiheke Island & Hauraki Gulf Cruise

Day to Day Itinerary - Minimum 24 hour cruise.

The Auckland Harbour, or Hauraki Gulf as it is more correctly known, is one of the
most beautiful city harbours in the world.  There are many beautiful bays, historic
sites, nature reserves and land based excursions to experience along the way.

As locals, all of us here at Gamesail know where the dolphins are playing, the fish are biting and the birds are singing.  We can take you to the best spots the wind and weather allow to share this beautiful part of New Zealand. 

What you do each day is your choice!
The following itinerary gives you an idea of some of the magical places you can visit. Your actual itinerary will depend on the duration of your charter, weather and your preferences each day.

SAIL AUCKLAND TO WAIHEKE ISLAND

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            Auckland, City of Sails                                        Guests enjoying the view

Auckland is known as the "City of Sails", and as you depart Gamesail's home in the Viaduct Harbour in the inner city, you will see why.  At any time of the day or night, hundreds or thousands of locals are out on the water doing what Kiwi's do - fishing, sailing or just mucking about in boats.  And for the next few days, you will be too.

Our first stop is just over 12 miles away - Waiheke Island.  Known for its many award winning wineries and olive groves, it is the most populated of the many Hauraki Gulf islands with a permanent population of about 8000.  This means you can enjoy sight-seeing, island shopping, cafes, arts and crafts, walks, beaches, tours and local events, such as wine and food festivals, art displays or jazz festivals.

Discovered and settled by Maori approximately 1000 years ago, Waiheke translates to 'cascading waters'. Some Maori legends relate that one of the pioneering waka (canoes)
to New Zealand came upon the island. The first traces of Europeans arrived with the missionary Samuel Marsden in the early 1800s, several years after Captain Cook passed
by and acknowledged the island in his travels through the Hauraki Gulf.

One of the local hikes we recommend is up to Stony Batter, a historic WWII defence complex that is accessible by walking through countryside with striking views of the   Hauraki Gulf and Coromandel Peninsula. Stony Batter today is open to visitors to walk through the network of underground tunnels and chambers that link to magnificent
gun emplacements. The purpose of the complex was to provide outer harbour protection incase of an invasion.

Tonight we take anchor in one of Waiheke's many calm bays, our favourites are Hooks Bay and Pinemelon Bay. You can explore this area further using the on board kayaks,
or the dinghy and the kids can go water skiing or tubing.  Later, watch the sun set over Auckland City as you relax on the back deck. Following dinner, enjoy a DVD or simply surrender to your comfortable bed. Many guests claim to have had their best sleeps ever on board Kupe, and even diehard early risers are often not seen until mid morning!
Read more about Waiheke Island and the Hauraki Gulf.

          Approaching Waiheke Island

               Waiheke Island beach scene
  
                  Just chilling on board Kupe!

             Cactus Bay, Waiheke Island

   
              Tiritiri Matangi Island                                               The locals are friendly!

Your luxurious adventure begins again when you awake, with a beautiful breakfast
in the sun. It continues at your pace - actively or leisurely, lunch on board or a picnic ashore. Many guests enjoy learning about the running of the boat and taking a hand in steering, raising the sails or anchoring. Others prefer to relax and watch it all happen around them. It's your vacation and your choice! After breakfast, you may want to try a spot of fishing. 

If so, we will school you in our speciality fishing style - deep water stray lining for
snapper. This is very light line fishing which requires a fine touch and technique. In the next few hours you will both perfect the art and catch dinner!

After the excitement of fishing we head to Rakino Island where you have the options of taking a short hike, a guided dinghy ride to explore the unique coastline, or some more fishing.  Then we set sail for our highlight destination for the day (and possibly the trip!) Tiritiri Matangi Island.  Here you will see more of NZ's rare and endangered bird species than anywhere else in NZ.

Tiritiri Matangi Island is one of New Zealand's most important and exciting conservation projects. 120 years of farming saw this 220-hectare island stripped of 94% of its native bush but between 1984 and 1994, volunteers planted between 250,000 and 300,000 trees. The island is now 60% forested. The remaining 40% will be left as grassland for species such as the Takahe.

In conjunction with this planting programme, all predators have been eradicated and a number of species of threatened and endangered birds have been successfully introduced. Nowhere else in New Zealand can you readily walk amongst so many species in such significant quantities.

We arrive at Tiri after 3.30pm to avoid the ferries and the crowds, so we can take you on your own private walking tour of the island.  As one of the many volunteers who has planted thousands of trees to reforest the island, our crew member Dee has been guiding here at Tiri for 20 years.  She can give you a special insight to the flora and fauna of the island as well as the Maori history.  Even for non "bird watchers" amongst you, this becomes a fascinating and enlightening experience.

Returning to the boat, you can enjoy your photos on the big screen with a glass of wine and some nibbles.  After dinner, for those keen for a second look, Dee will return you to the island with red night lights to find the Tuatara and the Little Spotted Kiwi.  In the right season you will also see Little Blue Penguins coming ashore at night to nest.

Tonight we anchor at Tiri, or if weather does not allow, we make sail for Kawau Island to anchor for the evening.

     The lush foliage of Tiritiri Matangi Island 

The lighthouse on Tiritiri Matangi Island 

The fishing is great in this area.   
           

 
   Mansion House, Kawau Island                                         Enjoying the sun onboard Kupe  

After breakfast, and a sail to Kawau Island, the energetic amongst you (or just those wanting to compensate for all the beautiful meals so far) may wish to take a hike on Kawau Island.  Many artifacts and antiques telling the story of Sir George Grey and the natural history of Kawau are on display at the beautiful Mansion House.  A network of
walks link the historic sites, scenic lookouts, sheltered coves and the old coppermine site.  Spend the day kayaking, swimming, diving, snorkelling and relaxing in the beautiful surrounds before finding another quiet bay for the evening.

ISLAND HOPPING HOME

This morning after breakfast we motor a short way to Moturekareka (motu means island
in Maori) to view the exposed wreck of the Rewa.  A few minutes away is Motuora,
an island in the process of being transformed into another "lifeboat" for rare and endangered species. Here Dee can take you ashore to explore the shore platforms, rock pools and unspoilt white sand beaches.

After lunch we set sail back for the hustle and bustle of Auckland - you still have a
couple of hours to savour the comfort and serenity of Kupe before docking around 3pm, and with luck, we will see some dolphins playing on the way.

Back to the top

A crayfish (lobster) catch

            Messing about on Kupe's kayaks 

                   Cruising is so peaceful!

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