The R. Tucker Thompson is the perfect vessel to explore historic Northland.
My accommodation was classic dormitory bunk style of 19th century sailing ships – compact, but adequate. I did wonder how I was going to squeeze into such a small space, but with a little practice it wasn’t such a drama.
This was an adventure to learn about sailing and history on a five night cruise from Opua, Bay of Islands.
Captain Russell Harris welcomed us aboard and after a safety briefing we set sail for our first night at sea. Our anchorage was a nearby sheltered bay. Stuart Park, from New Zealand Historic Places Trust was our historian. All meals are included in the fare and chef, Mitch, welcomed a hand to peel vegetables or dry the dishes.
Highlights included seeing Marsden Cross, Rangihoua Pa site, Rainbow Warrior Memorial, Cavalli islands, basalt columns that were over 1 million years old, The Arrows (a rare geological site dating back some 25 million years) and Whangaroa.
One day we had two orcas circle our vessel. A stunning sunrise in Whangaroa was something to treasure. Evenings were spent sitting around the table recounting what we had seen during the day or an impromptu song while sitting on the upper deck.
There were opportunities to learn about navigation, raising and lowering the sails and steering the vessel, under the watchful eye of Russell.
Every day we went on a guided walk and when weather conditions permitted we had all the sails up – a beautiful sight.
The tranquillity of sailing is something that has to be experienced to be believed!
All participants were given a “Historic Northland Cruise Joining Handbook” which contains all things nautical such as “sailorly terms” and “guidelines for life on board” and historic notes and photos.
Historic cruises operate in October and April.
Check out www.tucker.co.nz for futher information
Photos:
- R Tucker Thompson
- Rangihoua Pa site and Marsden Cross in foreground
- Whangaroa
Join the Discussion
Type out your comment here:
You must be logged in to post a comment.