December 27, 2012
People we’d talked to didn’t seem to think Tutukaka was anything special, but I loved it the moment I saw it. It’s like a combination of the pacific northwest and Maine, with that special New Zealand magic thrown in. It’s got the feeling of rugged coastline, and tall pine trees share the hillsides with pohutukawa trees and tree ferns. The well-protected water in the harbor is a beautiful green color.
There’s not really a town here, but there are a few eateries and a hotel that cater to the dive tourists as this is where they get transports to one of the most renowned dive sites in the world: Poor Knights Islands, about 15 miles offshore. These things give the area a somewhat lively feeling in spite of the fact there’s not much here.
We might consider coming and spending some time here in the future, but there are some drawbacks for boaters. The entrance to the harbor is narrow and somewhat shallow, and in our boat we’d need good weather and high tide not only to come in, but to leave. If we visit, we don’t want to have to worry about getting anywhere else for awhile. For now, I’ll hope we get a chance to stop here for a time in the future. Here’s a gallery of pictures; you can click to enlarge and scroll through them. –Cyndi
