Whether you are looking for the adrenaline extreme or just a bit of excitement, Auckland New Zealand has it all. A country known for pushing to the limit, many of these are once in a lifetime opportunities. Ignore the rumour that says you must head to the South Island for adrenaline rush activities. Check out these fun […]
Oslo in One Day: Ski Jump, Sculptures, Vikings Ships
Attempting to see the highlights of Oslo in one day, we disembarked our cruise ship in the capital of Norway. This is not the optimal way to see this beautiful city. However, for us, it was our only option as it is the final port of our cruise through the majestic Norwegian Fjords before we […]
Polynesian Outrigger Canoes Close Up: Auckland Maritime Museum
It was only 1,000 years ago that New Zealand was discovered by Kupe, according to Maori legend. Kupe sailed to Aotearoa (New Zealand) from Hawaiki, the traditional homeland of the Maori people. While no one today knows the exact location of Hawaiki, it is believed to be somewhere in Polynesia. What we do know is […]
Flying Boats Race at Manly Beach in New Zealand
They call them “flying boats” and the first of these arrived in New Zealand only six months ago. This class of WASZPs are small, single-man sailing vessels each with two foils attached to its underside. These lift the hull out of the water allowing it to “fly” at twice the speed of the wind. This […]
Devonport Wharf: New Zealand takes to the Water
Today is the last official day of summer in New Zealand, and Kiwis are making the most of the great weather. Over the weekend we headed to Devonport, a historic seaside town across the harbour from Auckland city. Standing on the Devonport Wharf, I felt as though we were the only Kiwis not involved in […]
Cruising on the Swan River to Artistic Fremantle, Australia
Black swans dot the banks and give the Swan River her name according to the commentary on board the hour-long Captain Cook cruise from Perth to Fremantle in Western Australia (WA). It was a late spring day with a light breeze. The river sailing was smooth and the commentary identified key sights like the Royal […]
Waka Taua (War Canoes) at Waitangi Treaty Grounds in New Zealand
Walking towards the waka house, we listened as our guide brilliantly narrated New Zealand’s history. While many say it was discovered by Dutchman Abel Tasman in 1642, the reality is that the Maori people had arrived 650 years earlier. With only 1000 years of history, New Zealand is one of the world’s youngest nations. Our guide told a version of the story I […]
Photo Tour: Cruising into Venice Italy
Cruising into Venice Italy is one of those magical travel moments. For us, it was several years ago, and we were on the NCL Spirit. We stood at the bow of the cruise ship, and despite the crowds, looking out it was captivating. I shared my photos of Venice at the time, but for some reason, these remained in my […]
Astoria: Highlights of Oregon’s Northernmost Coastal Community
Astoria sits in the northwest corner of Oregon, at the base of the Columbia River. It is the first permanent settlement on the west coast. It’s an adorable city built around the fishing, lumber and fur industries, yet its main waterway holds many hazards. Astoria was our first overnight stop as we began our adventure driving the […]
Highlights of Chicago in a Day
Chicago is one of my favorite cities to visit, as well as being my city of birth. Loaded with fascinating things to see and do, it is impossible to see all the highlights of Chicago in a day. Unfortunately, that was all we had last month, so we made some hard choices. Dividing the city […]
Chicago Architecture: Best Seen from the River
While Chicago hasn’t been my home for over 30 years, Chicago architecture still fascinates me. Considered the birthplace of the American skyscraper, Chicago’s eclectic architecture can best be enjoyed from the river. We chose a Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady Cruises. Even before we pulled away from the dock, our […]
A Sunken Ship in Okoromai Bay – Postcards of New Zealand
As the tide goes out, this sunken ship becomes visible at the opening of Okoromai Bay into the Hauraki Gulf. Mussels, oysters, and other sea life have made this sunken ship their home. Most days only a small fraction of the bow and the boiler can be seen above the water line. However, twice each […]
Ocean Sailing – #AtoZ Postcards of New Zealand
O is for ocean sailing . . . or offshore fun. Practical Information: This is the Ted Ashby, a ketch-rigged deck scow. It sails nearly everyday from the Auckland Maritime Museum. As an island nation, people arrived here via ocean sailing. It’s only in modern times that there are alternative forms of transportation. The Auckland Maritime Museum […]
Auckland Boat Show: Both on and off the Water
I never thought it would happen. Yesterday I fell in love with a catamaran at the Auckland Boat Show. Sleek, sexy and welcoming, she is large enough to live aboard, yet her rigging is compact enough to allow her to sail single handed. Best of all, I can see 360 degrees from the helm. At […]
Photo: Cliffs at the Golden Hour in Okoromai Bay, Auckland
Golden hour on a cloudy night, the last bit of sunlight sneaking through and lighting up the cliff in a spectacular show of nature: *Just before sunset the colours get softer and redder. Photographers call this the golden hour. To improve your photos check out these 5 Tips for Golden Hour Photography from the […]
Yacht Racing in the City of Sails: Auckland New Zealand #AtoZ
Yacht racing and Auckland seem to go together. New Zealand’s largest city, it is nicknamed the “City of Sails” and looking out to sea on any summer day, it is easy to see why. Of course, my preferred view is from the water, my preferred crew position is operating the main. A few of my […]
Riverhead Tavern, Red Boats, and a Relaxing Afternoon #AtoZ
An afternoon at Riverhead Tavern is about the journey, as much as the destination. My adventure started in Auckland, where I boarded the Red Boats for a 90 minute leisurely cruise on a river system I had yet to explore (see the map below). We traveled on the calm waters of the upper Waitamata Harbour […]
Nautical History at Auckland’s Maritime Museum – #AtoZ
Being an island, New Zealand has a long nautical history. From the arrival of the first Polynesian people through today, much of New Zealand life revolves around the sea, especially here in Auckland where it is said that one in four people have a boat. The New Zealand Maritime Museum is one of my two […]
G is for Gantry – AmaZing Auckland #AtoZ
The huge gantry cranes at the Port of Auckland carefully transported a container with all our belongings from ship to shore nearly 12 years ago when we immigrated to New Zealand. It was one of many, in fact in 2014, Auckland handled 610,822 containers. Very few have personal belongings. New Zealand top exports include: Concentrated Milk […]
Volvo Ocean Race Around the World – New Zealand Stopover
Auckland knows how to throw a party, and I could feel the excitement in the air as I approached. First, there was information about the race, then the live music, but I was too excited to stop and read much. I just wanted to see the boats. A few more steps and there they were, […]
Dangerous Duties: Dangers of the Sea at Auckland Maritime Museum
This past weekend the New Zealand Maritime Museum in Auckland had a special open day dedicated to the most dangerous duties at sea. The highlight for my teen was getting an opportunity to climb up the rigging on the Breeze. There were many different rescue boat and lifeboats present. Thinking about spending any time in one […]
On Board Steinlager 2 – A Bit of New Zealand’s History
We all have our heroes. Sir Peter Blake is one of mine. Maybe that’s why I was so excited to step aboard the Steinlager 2. It’s his boat. Well, technically it’s New Zealand Sailing Trust’s yacht, it is Sir Peter Blake who skippered to an unprecedented victory, winning all six legs of the Whitbread Round […]
Living the Dream at the Auckland on the Water Boat Show
It’s easy to visualize my life as a multi-million dollar super yacht owner whilst I standing on-board a $5 million dollar vessel. It’s not mine, however, the fantasy is made so easy at the Auckland on the Water Boat Show. With nearly 200 exhibitors and over 200 boats, it’s easy to live the dream in […]
Photos: Dragon Boat Races in Gulf Harbour, New Zealand
My generally quiet town of Gulf Harbour hosted dragon boat races last weekend. The last time I saw a dragon boat was at the Summer Palace in Beijing, China, although that one was quite touristy and not human powered. Imagine my surprise to have actual dragon boat races on the next bay over from my […]
Venice or Vegas ~ Does the Venetian Hotel Look Like the Real Thing?
Venice or Vegas – can you tell them apart? Of course you can. Venice is a city in northeastern Italy most noted for its canals which separate and link its 118 small islands. Las Vegas is a city in Nevada, USA famous for its “strip” of gambling casinos, nightlife and resort lifestyle. Neither of the […]
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