March 14, 2013
The wind was light when we made the four-hour trip from the Cavalli Islands to the Bay of Islands, but we knew more wind was coming and by now had come up with a new plan: spend two nights in the Bay of Islands, go back to the Opua Marina during the weather system and get some boat work done, then head back out to cruise, picking up where we left off. This meant we had two nights to spend wherever we wished before heading for the shelter of Opua.
I decided we might as well begin our Bay of Islands cruise with what seemed to be a frequently mentioned “favorite” anchorage: Paradise Bay on Urupukapuka Island. As we entered the bay, we were a little disappointed and confused. The bay, while nice enough, looked rather bland. Rich asked me the dreaded question: “Why are we here?” With as much authority as I could muster, I stated, “Everyone loves it, that’s why!” Inside, I was wondering what it is here that people love: there must be something special, and I intended to find out what it was.
We noticed the more we motored into the bay, the more its beauty began to emerge. The beach became prominent, with smooth white sand and clear blue-green water. Moss draped from the branches of pohutukawa trees lining the beach, while forested hills ringed the bay. By the time we anchored and took our dinghy ashore, we could see why this place is so popular: it’s really beautiful. –Cyndi
