We take a short trip to Marsden Cove to meet with a friend whom we met in Fiji. Linda and Leigh Hopper own a magnificent power yacht named Moon Shadow and we ran into them many times while in Musket Cove. They actually live in Whitanga which is about 5 hours from Whangarei.
They were kind enough to invite us to their home for the holidays but our boat was in complete disarray with missing windows, a disassembled engine and a broken windlass. So, we had to pass. But we did want to see them so we all decided to meet in Marsden Cove.
Leigh’s company, Hopper Developments, developed the entire property and has intimate knowledge of everything Marsden! We met for a lovely lunch and then he drove us around the marina, yard, and residential property. He showed us the amazing lock they built which happens to be the largest residential lock in the southern hemisphere coming in at a whopping $5 million to build.
His company plans to build a retirement community and several apartment buildings to finish up the area.
Did he say helicopter?
Before we wrapped up the day he asked if we would like to see the grounds from the sky. Let me think about that, “um hell ya!” He arrived by helicopter and took us for a quick 15-minute bird’s eye view of the area.
Leigh is an expert pilot and easily navigated the airways with precision. What a spectacular opportunity to see this beautiful area from the sky!
We flew along the interior where he pointed out new business opportunities for his company.
And then we flew along the stunning coast.
He then took us for a 360 where he actually flew the helicopter upside down! I wish I had my video going, but by the time I realized I was upside down I was too late and giggling because I was upside down!
We ended the tour flying over a few anchorages.
What an unexpected joy! Leigh is a true gem and so very generous with his time and company. We hope to spend more time with he and Linda soon – so stay tuned!
Events from this blog occurred in early December 2022. Our blog posts run 6-8 weeks behind actual events. Did you read about our challenges replacing our windows?