Island Time

Our retirement on Island Time as liveaboards.

Island Time crew moves on to New Zealand
Part 7

New Zealand

New Zealand was originally settled by the Maori people who came to New Zealand in large catamaran like boats. They originated in Polynesia and sailed to many islands until one band settled in New Zealand. Consequently many of the local names are Maori names and in some instances sound like names one finds in Hawaii. The names here are clearly different than the aboriginal names in Australia where there are a lot of o’s in the names such as Toowoomba, kangaroo and my personal favorite Woomooloo.

Days 1 -2, Auckland We stayed in downtown Auckland right on the water front with great views of the harbor from our window.

The first order of business was a trip by ferry to Devonport just across the harbor Devonport was settled by Europeans in the mid 1800’s. The Maori settlements go back to the mid- 14^th century. The original name for the area was Flagstaff due to the flagstaff at one of the prominent peaks in the village. As supply ships approached the harbor they would signal with flags what the ships name was and what it was carrying. The local merchants if they had merchandise on the ship would then go over to Auckland Harbor to meet the ship and claim their goods. If they did not meet the ship their goods might disappear. Gradually the name changed to Devonport named after the English naval base Devonport. The town was also a framing and shipbuilding town.

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Auckland Harbor with the maritime museum in the foreground

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Auckland Harbor with the ferry dock in the foreground

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The signal station in Devonport

Views of Devonport from the top of Mt. Victoria follow. The place where were standing is a reservoir for the town water supply. The underground storage area is actually an old volcanic crater that they lined with concrete.

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Devonport Beach

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The harbor

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Devonport

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Auckland from Devonport

We also went on a harbor cruise and pictures of the coastline follow.

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The second day in town we took a tourist bus around the city where we could hop off at various locations and then get back on. Our first stop was Kelly Tarton’s Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World. The site is in the old Auckland sewer where snow fields were created and a flock? of penguin live. The Aquarian had very large stingray, sharks and fish where we walk thru it in a Plexiglas tunnel. There were also small Aquarian tanks with coral fish and seahorses. Sorry no pictures – too dark.

Our next stop was the City Museum where there were relics of early European settlement and relics of the Maori people, all their items have intricate carvings.

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Maori storage structure

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Maori war canoe – holds 40 people

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Figure head on front of canoe

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Maori shields

After the museum we stopped at the Maritime museum. It contained a very nice display of the history of shipping and boating in New Zealand. There was one room where they recreated the interior of ship that brought immigrants to New Zealand. The room actually rocked back and forth like you were on ship (a calm day on the ship).

Visitors

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2011
Grenadines New

2010
Martinique
St. Lucia
Trinidad

2009
New Zealand P.16
New Zealand P.15
New Zealand P.14
New Zealand P.13
New Zealand P.12
New Zealand P.11
New Zealand P.10
New Zealand P.9
New Zealand P.8
New Zealand P.7
Australia Part 6
Australia Part 5
Australia Part 4
Australia Part 3
Australia Part 2.5
Australia Part 2
Australia Part 1

Tyrell Bay

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2008 Winter
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Visitors Part 1
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Inland Tour
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Young Island
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2007 Spring
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Trinidad, Grenadines