Great Barrier Island: Off the beaten track
For those looking for a taste of New Zealand bush life, head out to Great Barrier Island. Only 60 miles from Auckland, its an easy day cruise on most boats. There are also flights and ferries offering transport to this not-so-little hideaway. Less than 1000 people live on the island year round and most of the land is protected by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC).
Arrive in November for a taste of island life outside the busy Dec-Feb summer season. Hike the Windy Canyon track up to the top of Mount Hobson, the island’s highest point, and you’ll be rewarded with 360 degree views of the island’s sun-lit beaches, rolling hills, and dense forest. Listen for the unique sounds of the island’s many protected birds and test your lungs on the trail’s 1000 steps.
A stay in Mount Heale Hut in November will likely let you have one of the island’s best views all to yourself. Hugh brought out our hammock at the end of the hike and surprised me with one of my new favorite lounging spots on the trip thus far.
Breakfast or lunch at The Fat Puku is a must. The chicken sandwich was delicious, and for an afternoon pick-me-up try the iced-coffee that comes with an ice-cream twist. Also, if you can make it, check out the Boat Club at Port Fitzroy where you can shoot some darts while chatting with some of the many friendly island residents. The soup and lamb dishes are worth the trip on their own.
Our two favorite beaches were at Awana Bay and the beach right across from Tryphena. Wait a couple hours and watch the beaches disappear beneath the island’s massive tides. While hitchhiking is a common ritual for visitors, a rental car will make exploring the island a lot easier. We picked one up in Claris from Nicki. She’s the awesome new owner of GBI rentals and their fleet of 1990 Mazdas. Pick out your nationality and get rolling. We couldn’t resist embracing the obnoxious American stereotype with this gem.
The highlight of our visit came anchored a couple bays from Port Fitzroy. It was Sunday, and the weekend cruisers had cleared out. We had the entire bay to ourselves. Or so we thought. Around 10 AM we heard some splashing and realized we were sharing the bay with a pod of 12 bottlenose dolphins. Our new neighbors swam, hunted, and played around the bay for over an hour. We quickly jumped on our paddleboards to get in on the fun and after they inspected us closely (even bumping into Hugh’s board a couple times) they let us travel along for a bit. An extra special experience in an extra special place.