Matt was looking at the satellite charts and found what looked like the perfect, pristine anchorage called The Cove at Rakitu island (also called Arid island). This is a relatively small island (329 hectares) and has towering cliffs that rise 180 meters from the sea. It gives this anchorage a fortress-like feeling as you are protected from many directions.
The island used to be a farm privately owned by the Rope Family. They raised cattle and had several houses and outposts here. The Department of Conservation bought it from the Rope family and it has since become a scenic reserve (1994). It is naturally free from many predators (rats, stokes, cats, rabbits) so the birds and their nests can flourish.
The Ngati Rehua people cleared and cultivated the central valley where 3 historic sites remain today. This is a beautiful saying of Rakitu:
You are a guardian, protecting and looking after our land, our family, and our future generations. Behold the breath of life!
The Cove at Rakitu Island
This little piece of Heaven called The Cove is just around some beautiful towering pinnacles. As we enter the anchorage the water changes to a magnificent blue. We pass many caves which are just begging to be explored (more on this later).
We drop the hook and settle in to our new favorite place.
Onshore Rakitu Island
Even though this is an uninhabited island, there are still several buildings left behind from the Rope Family. Evidently government officials use these facilities when they visit the island to check on things.
There is a short path from The Cove anchorage to the other side of the island. You walk through some thick grass and across a few muddy rivers, but otherwise it is pretty easy walk.
When we return to the beach we are rewarded with a beautiful view of our boat at anchor.
The Caves
The next day we decide to go explore some of the many caves. We hop in Sweetie (our dinghy) and head to this stunning arc in the rocks. On our way in to The Cove, we passed by this as we came in on the big boat and I’ve been wanting to go under in the dinghy. We posted a video on sv Sugar Shack’s Instagram which is a lot more fun than the photos.
Then we went around the north side of Rakitu and came across several more caves. Look at the water color!
It was high tide so we could drive in most of them. We found one in particular that was truly stunning. There were so many colors in the rocks that it took my breath away!
Just in case you need a closer look to appreciate the beauty.
Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind actual live events. This blog post occurred at the end of January. In our last blog post we enjoy a 2+ mile beach!