Given that our stay in Pewhairangi or Bay of Islands, was only going to be for a few days rather than the weeks that would be needed to really do it justice, we had sought-out recommendations for anchorages from various other cruisers. Gail and Dean (Local Talent) and Cheryl and Mark (French Curve) had been particularly helpful, so we arrived with a shortlist of islands to explore as soon as possible...while the weather was still calm and sunny. So, on leaving Whangamumu and motoring north along the coastline on Friday afternoon (January 26th), we were already planning to anchor somewhere around Urupukapuka Island.

Rounding Cape Brett in calm conditions, we took the channel between the headland, with its elevated lighthouse, and Piercy Island (somehow failing to see the "Hole-in-the-Rock" that is such a popular destination for tour-boats). Weaving between small sport-fishing boats, it took us a couple of hours to navigate our way through the rocky islets and hidden rock reefs around the south end of Urupukapuka Island.



Rounding Cape Brett with the elevated lighthouse on the central peak

Several fingers of land projecting from the south and west side of this island, separate five popular anchorages, all of which seemed to be quite busy in this mid-summer season. We aimed for Otaio Bay (a.k.a. Entico Bay) on the northwestern corner, where we would be well-protected from any ocean swells. Our first attempt to set the anchor on the south side of the bay was unsuccessful, perhaps due to vegetation on the bottom, but after moving closer to Te Akeake Point (on the northern boundary of the bay) we were able to set the anchor soundly.



Looking southeast from Urupukapuka Island

We were on the outside edge of the fleet of about 30 boats for the night, which meant that I had quite a long distance to row to the nearest beach the next morning. Still, it was good exercise and it was well worth the effort to explore the Department of Conservation trails, all over the 2.4 km long by 1.3 km wide (1.6 by 0.8 miles), hilly island. With the small, underwater camera in one hand, a water bottle in the other, and wearing my running gear, I proceeded to run and walk around all but the southernmost peninsula of the island.



Looking northwest from Urupukapuka Island

From the hilltops, the views were spectacular, particularly over the islands to the west and across to the Cape Brett Peninsula to the south. With many coves bounded by the island's jagged, cliffy shoreline, including some very steep narrow gullies, the trail has surprises around every corner.



One of many narrow gullies along the coastline of Urupukapuka Island

While the trails were well-used and well-maintained, there were places where it was necessary to exercise caution. Precipitous edges that in the US would have been protected behind railings from careless idiots were simply designated here by small yellow signs that fairly graphically, and rather alarmingly, warned of likely fate of foolishly incautious hikers.



A sign encouraging caution on the Urupukapuka trail

The trails took me from the splendid cliff-top location of a Maori Pa on the north end of the island, to the busy, modern campground at Urupukapuka Bay in the south end. After looping around another Pa site on the Whangapu Point at the south side of our anchorage, where I saw several black-and-white tomtits bounding between tree branches, I quietly trotted inland towards a bird-viewing hide on a small, dammed pond. As I arrived, a young couple holding camera and binoculars were frozen at the bottom of the hide's steps. They quickly whispered that there was a saddleback in the tree very nearby.

I not only got to see the bird before the couple left but after finding the view from within the hide to be a bit limited (some vegetation trimming was in order), the same bird started calling again from near the bottom of the stairs. I was treated to a close view of this entertainer at head-height and just beyond arms' reach. The chestnut brown of the saddles over the back of the bird's glossy black plumage was, of course, distinctive. However, when facing me in full song, I was endowed with a marvelous view of the curious orange wattles at the base of the long, sharp, black bill. It almost looked as though the bird had plucked an orange worm from the ground but had not quite managed to get all of the worm's tail into its mouth.



A saddleback with its orange wattle at the base of the black bill

I know that running for exercise can often feel like a tedious chore, but on this glorious morning, I felt as though I could keep going all day...just as long as there was another wonderful view, historic site, or magical creature around the next corner...