Tag Archives: waiheke

East Coast of NZ’s Northland

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This season we had the pleasure of traveling up and down the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, Northland.

We sailed over 700nm down to Tauranga (south) and as far North as Matai Bay.

And the amazing thing is we did not even begin to touch all of the beautiful places Northland has to offer!

We started at Whangarei (red arrow) and went south.  Then we left Tauranga and headed north to Matai before returning to Whangarei.

Along the way, we saw some absolutely stunning coastline. 

The coastline close to Tauranga (south) had a rocky terrain with specs of greenery.  It also had beautiful towering cliff faces.

Around the Auckland / Waiheke Area things were a lot greener with hillsides and mountains covered in lush vegetation.

You’d see mountains, hillsides, and then you will see lower lands but all covered in green!

North on the North Island

As we continued North toward Whangaroa we encountered more beautiful scenery. 

I love the mohawk on the bottom photo. Poor mountain does not know that mohawks are so yesterday!

Continuing North to Matai Bay

The landscape became more rugged the further north we went.  

From Whangaroa to Maitai Bay we saw beautiful mountains with green tops and dramatic cliffs plunging into the sea.

We had a very short sailing season in New Zealand this year.  We were only able to explore the east coast of the north island from February through April.

We had really hoped to explore more nooks and crannies along the coast. However, our extended stay in the boatyard cut our cruising season really short.

However, we certainly made the most out of the time we had!

Our blog posts run 6 weeks behind actual events. We sailed the east coast from mid-February through mid-April in 2026.

Pinqueque Rose All Day

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We move the boat from Hooks Bay to Man-O-War Bay which is famous for its delicious wine.  We discovered their Pinque Rose the last time we were here and  devoured it!  We aptly named it “pinqueque” because it made us giggle.

When we arrived to Man-O-War bay we were the only boat.  We quickly snagged the best spot protected from most winds.

The conditions were perfect, the sun was out, the sky was blue and the water was glassy.  It lasted until night fall when a few boats started to arrive.

We decided to go for a walk on the very long pebbly beach and then grab some lunch at the winery.  

Man-O-War Winery

The winery has groves and groves of vineyards which are beautiful to see as you explore the island.

We spent a lovely leisurely lunch on the expanse of a lawn under a shady tree.  We enjoyed a chilled bottle of pinqueque rose, margarita pizza and steamed broccoli (it is Friday during lent).  

Lots of children and folks enjoyed the beautiful day on the grassy area with lawn games.

Man-O-War’s t-shirts say “Make Wine Not War” which was so appropriate at this particular time (March 2026).

The Maritimo Boats Descend on the Anchorage

However, by mid-day we had over 30 boats anchored in our peaceful harbor.  

Evidently, there was a Maritimo event being held at the event hall.  That would explain why over 30 Maritimo power yachts converged in our bay!  What a sight to behold.

Maritimo partnered with Sea Legs to transport all of its guests from their private yachts to shore.  Talk about class!  These amazing amphibius dinghies are fascinating to watch.  They seamlessly convert from water dinghies to land yachts with the push of a button!

They are a little too big and too heavy for Sugar Shack – but one could dream 🙂

There is no better way to spend the day then at Man-O-War winery on Waiheke drinking Pinque Rose.

Stony Battery at Waiheke Island

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We had a lovely motor sail from Mercury Island to Waiheke Island.  It was pretty chilly despite it being a beautiful sunny day.

We landed in Hooks Bay to hide out from the southerly winds forecasted for the next few days.  We hope to move to Man-O-War Bay for some wine tasting soon.

Hooks Bay

We start our Waiheke experience at Hooks Bay which is on the eastern side of the island.  Hooks Bay is a large bay suitable for loads of boats.  Lucky for us there were only a few when we visited.

We anchored here with our friends Ian and Anne on Torterelle.  Super pretty spot with access to a long beach and a few hiking trails.

The beach was really long and you could walk from one side of the bay to the other at low tide. 

You do have to climb over some rocks but they were not challenging at all.

The sandy beaches nestle up next to rolling, green hillsides full of sheep and cows. 

We also encountered a flock of geese and ducks which was fun.

There are lots of little caves and nooks along the beach. 

And the really interesting thing is the hillsides were made of clay or dirt not rock.

These two trees really appealed to me.  The bottom of the one tree was barely holding onto the ground yet it was thriving.

The trunk of the other tree surprised me as it was between two hillsides with barely any room for a tree of this size.

Stony Batter

We walked from Hooks Bay to Stony battery which is about a 30 minute walk straight up hill.  Fairly easy walk on a small goat’s trail and through the farmland.

This Heritage 1 Listed WWII Coastal Defense Fortress is located at the eastern side of Waiheke Island.  This location was chosen for its strategic advantage and uninterrupted views of the Hauraki Gulf.

The Stony Batter fortress was designed to take direct enemy bombardment and is in a very high state of preservation.

There are 1.2km of subterranean passages, chambers, and stairwells all tunneled by hand. 

It is said that this is a true architectural, engineering and construction marvel.

Here are a few signs around Stony Batter.

We walk from Hooks Bay which is about 2.5km (30 minutes). 

This is a fairly easy walk up several hillsides and across several pastures.

I love how New Zealand builds stairs for hikers to go up and over fences!

The locals have clearly marked the entrance with a NZ flag and signage.

As soon as you walk onto the grounds you are greeted with several WWII structures and/or foundations.

We found Exhaust Vent buildings, diesel tank storage, carpenter’s store, and the public works building.

There are three gun placements on Stony Batter.  However only the first two were ever complete with weapons.

Underworld Tour

We went on this tour a few years ago so we did not go again on this visit. 

But please visit our blog post on the underground tour which includes: Art, history, heritage, gun store, magazine chamber, engine room, and command bunker.

The full heritage tour takes you down seven stories underground to the #3 passage which is 500 meters long.

The large boulders are actually remnants from a volcano explosion.  They are everywhere and are super cool to explore.

Monster Eating Rock

Directly across from the entrance to Stony Batter on Waiheke Island is a collection of very large boulders. 

Matt went to go see and to my surprise was eaten in one big CHOMP!

But don’t worry, I was able to save him with just a few injuries.

Of course in the process of saving Matt I was half eaten myself.

Find Stony Batter on No Foreign Land.

We were on Waiheke Island at Hooks Bay around the middle of March in 2026.

Our blog posts run 4-6 weeks behind actual live events.