March 8 – March 13, 2013
We had heard a lot about Whangaroa, the large, deep harbor north of Opua. We’d visited the hilly inner region and town in our car, but the spectacular fjord-like outer reaches of the harbor are accessible only by boat. Because the passage into this harbor is quite narrow, we made sure to arrive at slack tide.
We’d been told what this would be like, but we were still stunned by the majestic scenery. This is truly like a fjord, with mountainous cliffs, dramatic pillars, and the points and curves of fantastic rocky outcrops. A cone-shaped island sits in the middle of an inner pass to a second area of bays. It was breathtaking.
This harbor is large and there are many bays and anchorages to choose from once you’ve made your way in. We spent nearly a week here in several different anchorages. The pictures in this gallery were taken over several days, but it’s meant to convey a feeling for what it’s like coming into this harbor. (Click on any photo to enlarge them.) –Cyndi
