Cruising New Zealand

Apr 25th, 2026 Jayne Destinations, Sailing

Welcome back to “Season Four” of Scout Sailing!

After a much-needed rest on dry (!) land in New Zealand, Scout was back in the water and we were onboard, ready to start sailing again. It felt good!

Scout goes back in the water.
Scout goes back in the water.

Our first stop after splashing Scout was the beautiful, rugged, and uninhabited chain of the Mokohinau Islands. The previous week’s storms had cleared, and we were enjoying the famous New Zealand blue skies and bright sunlight again.

The rugged, uninhabited Mokohinau Islands.
The rugged, uninhabited Mokohinau Islands.
A lighthouse keeps watch over the islands.
A lighthouse keeps watch over the islands.
Clear blue water below the cliffs.
Clear blue water below the cliffs.
A shady trail through the trees.
A shady trail through the trees.
The lighthouse against a perfect blue sky.
The lighthouse against a perfect blue sky.
Wildflowers clinging to the clifftop.
Wildflowers clinging to the clifftop.
Looking out to the neighbouring islands.
Looking out to the neighbouring islands.

From the Mokohinaus we sailed to Great Barrier Island, and loved its beautiful tranquil bays. One anchorage gave us a stunning moonrise.

A stunning anchorage moonrise on Great Barrier Island.
A stunning anchorage moonrise on Great Barrier Island.

Great Barrier is an off-the-grid nirvana of walks, views, and protected coves. We really loved the sailing around here too!

Sailing to Great Barrier Island.
Sailing to Great Barrier Island.
Ready for a day ashore at Port Fitzroy.
Ready for a day ashore at Port Fitzroy.
Meeting the woolly locals.
Meeting the woolly locals.
Bush-covered hills and big skies.
Bush-covered hills and big skies.
Bright sunshine over a calm anchorage.
Bright sunshine over a calm anchorage.
The view from the top of the mast.
The view from the top of the mast.
Boat jobs, all the way up the mast.
Boat jobs, all the way up the mast.
Plenty of trails to choose from.
Plenty of trails to choose from.
Fern shadows on a quiet island road.
Fern shadows on a quiet island road.
Worth the climb up to Mt Heale for this view.
Worth the climb up to Mt Heale for this view.
Crossing a swing bridge high above the bush.
Crossing a swing bridge high above the bush.
A pink and gold sunset from Scout's deck.
A pink and gold sunset from Scout's deck.
Jagged peaks rising above the bay.
Jagged peaks rising above the bay.

Next was Waiheke Island, where there was no shortage of wine tasting opportunities. As Scout hopped around the island dodging the ever-changing wind direction, the large tidal range was a further reminder of an island of such diversity. The finale was a Valentine’s night out with DJ legend Carl Cox. Fun times in Waiheke!

Waiheke wine tasting at Man O' War.
Waiheke wine tasting at Man O' War.
Fresh oysters for lunch.
Fresh oysters for lunch.
Exploring an old gun emplacement.
Exploring an old gun emplacement.
A stroll down a grassy hillside.
A stroll down a grassy hillside.
The dinghy on a wide sandy beach.
The dinghy on a wide sandy beach.
Low tide, with the boats anchored beyond.
Low tide, with the boats anchored beyond.
The sun sinks between the headlands.
The sun sinks between the headlands.
Carl Cox on the decks.
Carl Cox on the decks.
Front and centre in the crowd for our Valentine's night out with Carl Cox.
Front and centre in the crowd for our Valentine's night out with Carl Cox.

We then had a few lazy days exploring Great Mercury Island, Ahuahu. Our hideout was a cute little anchorage on the west side with great protection.

The island is privately owned by two New Zealand billionaires, and mostly uninhabited - but there’s easy public access to the trails and beaches. Otherwise, it’s just sheep, cattle, starfish, and endless blue skies!

Lazy days on Great Mercury Island, Ahuahu.
Lazy days on Great Mercury Island, Ahuahu.
Sheep, sheep and more sheep.
Sheep, sheep and more sheep.
Moody skies over a sheltered bay.
Moody skies over a sheltered bay.
Sunbeams bursting from behind the hill on Great Mercury Island.
Sunbeams bursting from behind the hill on Great Mercury Island.
A cheeky warning about Argentine ants on Great Mercury.
A cheeky warning about Argentine ants on Great Mercury.
A starfish and its print in the sand.
A starfish and its print in the sand.
Paddleboarding on glassy water.
Paddleboarding on glassy water.
The sun dipping behind the hills.
The sun dipping behind the hills.

In Auckland, we were treated to a sunset that needed no filter.

Auckland sunset with no filter.
Auckland sunset with no filter.

We spent a few more lazy weeks exploring the coastlines of the Coromandel and the Hauraki Gulf.

Exploring the Coromandel and the Hauraki Gulf.
Exploring the Coromandel and the Hauraki Gulf.
An old wreck left high and dry.
An old wreck left high and dry.
A grand old tree above the beach.
A grand old tree above the beach.
Blue skies over a shallow little bay.
Blue skies over a shallow little bay.
Clouds gathering over the gulf.
Clouds gathering over the gulf.
Turquoise water around a rocky islet.
Turquoise water around a rocky islet.
A glass of red at a vineyard tasting.
A glass of red at a vineyard tasting.
Waves washing through a sea arch.
Waves washing through a sea arch.
Looking down on a sheltered turquoise cove.
Looking down on a sheltered turquoise cove.
The day ends in orange and gold.
The day ends in orange and gold.

Then Scout’s grandparents came onboard for a few days! Despite some foul weather from a subtropical cyclone, the city of Auckland put on a good show on the final morning, and we sailed out to Rangitoto under flawless blue skies.

Scout's grandparents came onboard for a few days.
Scout's grandparents came onboard for a few days.

With conditions like that getting rarer and rarer going into April, it was time to start heading back north. But first, I spent three weeks in beautiful Lake Taupo on a transformative 200-hour yoga teacher training course with Asia Pacific Yoga.

Yoga teacher training at Lake Taupo.
Yoga teacher training at Lake Taupo.

Back on the boat, we woke up to a sublime early morning at Scout’s anchorage. The beauty in obscurity before the emergence of clarity.

Early morning at Scout's anchorage in Opua, Bay of Islands.
Early morning at Scout's anchorage in Opua, Bay of Islands.

We made our way north to the Bay of Islands. We were counting down the days as our wonderful time in New Zealand came to an end, and enjoying the beautiful autumnal vibes - well, in between cyclones and rainstorms!

Like many other sailors here, we were preparing ourselves and our boat for the weeks ahead. Weather permitting, it would be back out into the ocean, and back up into the tropics.

Autumn in the Bay of Islands.
Autumn in the Bay of Islands.
A rainbow arcs over the bay.
A rainbow arcs over the bay.
A peek at the ocean through the trees.
A peek at the ocean through the trees.
Silver light breaking through the clouds.
Silver light breaking through the clouds.

No-one tells you how much life on a sail boat is not actually about sailing, but about troubleshooting and problem-solving every other aspect of these highly complex machines.

Our latest adventure was fixing a highly-corroded throttle handle. For some reason, the original part had a chrome finish that did not seem to be marine-grade. And the manufacturer does not sell single parts without replacing the entire electronic unit - a four-figure sum to replace just a small piece of metal.

Calipers and some 3D modeling software to the rescue! We measured up and built a virtual facsimile as an STL file, which we then sent off to a local 3D-print shop in Auckland to produce a low-res prototype. It was a little rough around the edges but fitted perfectly! So we ordered up a high-res nylon powder print, and the quality and texture turned out to be amazing.

Honestly, we think the matte black handle looks as good as - if not better than - a new chrome one would have. We will soon find out if it is any more marine-grade than the original, let alone UV-resistant, so this project is to be continued! A huge thanks to our new friends at Makeshop NZ for doing all the hard work.

Our new 3D-printed throttle handle.
Our new 3D-printed throttle handle.
The corroded original and two 3D-printed versions.
The corroded original and two 3D-printed versions.
The new handle fitted and ready to go.
The new handle fitted and ready to go.

And so it ended. Our time in New Zealand came to a close as we lifted our anchor on a spectacular autumn morning.

We absolutely loved our time here - the landscape, the wildlife, and the people! But as the seasons change, it was our turn to migrate north towards another tropical chapter. We’ll see you out there!

Lifting our anchor on a spectacular autumn morning.
Lifting our anchor on a spectacular autumn morning.

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