Monday, Day 30 - Feb 5 - 8am to 6pm, Bay of Islands, North Island, New Zealand:

In 2009 we spent almost two weeks doing a driving tour on the southern tip of New Zealand’s North Island and most of the South Island. It was a wonderful time and the beginning of our love affair with the country. In 2015, on the Queen Elizabeth,  we visited Bay of Islands and Auckland on the North Island for the first time. This trip we get to spend eight days visiting New Zealand ports of call both on the North and the South Islands.

 "A Bay of Islands" was how Captain Cook described this area well over two centuries ago and the simplicity of his name masks the diversity of its charms. The Bay of Islands is the finest Maritime Park in the country with 144 islands, secluded bays and an abundance of marine life. It is one of the most popular fishing, sailing and tourist destinations in the country, and has been renowned internationally for its big-game fishing since author Zane Grey publicized it in the 1930s.

The Bay of Islands, the birthplace of the nation, is the northernmost New Zealand cruise ship port. Its 144 islands are a beautiful marine playground, with secluded beaches and abundant wildlife. Dubbed “the angler's El Dorado” by American novelist Zane Grey in the 1920s, it is an area rich in Māori and European history. When we were here on the Queen Elizabeth in 2015, we took the local bus to Paihia and walked around the market. Then we took the ferry over to Russell and strolled around the cute town. We then reversed our trip and visited the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Today we are going over to visit Russell and find some lunch.

After arriving in the Bay of Islands and anchoring in the inner bay, a long tender ride takes us to Waitangi wharf where cruise ship ambassadors are waiting to greet us. They direct us to the free shuttle bus to the main hub of Paihia. Once there Dick heads off looking for an ATM to get some New Zealand cash. He had ordered some in his currency order, but some teller had robbed his stash before he picked it up in Houston. Carolyn waits at the park area by the dock and watches a group of young Maori teenagers perform several native dances.

Money problems solved we head to the tourist center and buy two round trip tickets to Russell and take the next ferry. These run every 20 minutes and cost NZ$12.50 ($9.12US) round trip.

Known until the early 1840s as Kororāreka, Russell was the first permanent European settlement and seaport in New Zealand. The Bay of Islands offered a safe anchorage and by the 1830s Russell had become a lawless trading center where whalers, seafarers and merchants mixed with adventurers, deserters and escaped convicts from Australia. Today the town, once called the “Hell Hole of the Pacific,” is a charming and tranquil spot. Russell is loaded with iconic locations, significant in New Zealand’s early history: Christ Church (the oldest church in New Zealand, famed for the bullet-holes in its walls); historic Pompallier House, home to Bishop Pompallier’s Catholic Mission and the oldest industrial building in New Zealand; and even the country's oldest licensed pub and the world's second oldest game fishing club The Bay of Islands Swordfish Club, made famous by American author Zane Grey.

The Victorian buildings are lovingly cared for as the Old Inn shows. Next door is the 1860 Customs House, later the Police Station and now a private home. Next to the house is a Norton Bay Fig Tree planted in 1870....the trunk is something else.

We have some wonderful fish and chips once in Russell and walk around a little. It is a beautiful day. It is also a big holiday time and the area is packed with tourists. There is a big meeting and ceremony out at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds this afternoon and there are a lot of important government types, plus a couple of naval vessels in the harbor.

We head back to the ship about 2PM and it takes nearly an hour with all the traffic and long tender ride. We have to dodge pleasure boats all the way to the ship. Back on board we stop by the closest bar and Dick gets some drinks while Carolyn walks down to the theater, where the Super Bowl is being shown on the big screen, to grab some snacks for the room.
Believe it or not, we watch the last 10 game minutes on the TV in the room. The ship has been without satellite TV since the loss of power on January 20, but the engineers figured out how to run the game through the internet system so the addicted diehards could watch the game.  But, it cost us all internet services while the game was on.

We sail on time today and head up to Sette Mari for dinner hoping to eat outside, but it had rained during the game and the staff did not open the back deck. We do get a nice window table so have a nice view, but it is really nice to be outside.

The ship is very quite tonight. With about half the passengers leaving in the morning early the bars and halls are empty. Guess everyone is packing.