This was a jam-packed weekend from go to whoa. Klaus and Christiane had arrived Thursday evening, spent Friday sightseeing and getting their rental car back to Mangere, and were ready to start their Waiheke experience on Saturday. We got an earlier boat over than usual so we could take in the Ostend Market before noon, buying tamarind chutney and chunky marmelade from our favourite stall to take home to Germany. Had a long and hot walk back to Surfdale, lunched on the deck, then took off for a swim at Little O. At last just as the season winds down, the water is lovely and warm. Home for a quick cup of coffee and peanut brownies before D and I returned to Auckland, as we had our Historic Places Trust cruise to Ponui Island on Sunday.
This necessitated another early start as the boat left from Half Moon Bay. It was great seeing some new scenery and the water features from a different angle. Browns Island, Waiheke, Motuihe , Rotoroa, Paketoa and Ponui were all islands we saw from a completely different angle to what we usually see. We landed at Ponui which is farmed by decendants of the Chaamberlin family and others. There are 11 adults on the island owned by 2 Chamberlins, 2 others and John Spencer, who owns a piece of Waiheke, and another island near Coromandel. Ponui has an early breed of donkey, the Ponui donkey, descended from the first donkeys imported to New Zealand, the Akaroa donkeys. There was an idyllic bay ideal for swimming , which one of our number took advantage of. I stretched out on the beach and enjoyed the sun and tranquillity.
It was interestimg to see Pakatoa with buildings we remember from our youth. There was a beach resort there with motels and place where functions were held. It was a place where people went for a weekend, or had their honeymoons. There was a pool, and a hydrofoil which got people there and back.
This necessitated another early start as the boat left from Half Moon Bay. It was great seeing some new scenery and the water features from a different angle. Browns Island, Waiheke, Motuihe , Rotoroa, Paketoa and Ponui were all islands we saw from a completely different angle to what we usually see. We landed at Ponui which is farmed by decendants of the Chaamberlin family and others. There are 11 adults on the island owned by 2 Chamberlins, 2 others and John Spencer, who owns a piece of Waiheke, and another island near Coromandel. Ponui has an early breed of donkey, the Ponui donkey, descended from the first donkeys imported to New Zealand, the Akaroa donkeys. There was an idyllic bay ideal for swimming , which one of our number took advantage of. I stretched out on the beach and enjoyed the sun and tranquillity.
It was interestimg to see Pakatoa with buildings we remember from our youth. There was a beach resort there with motels and place where functions were held. It was a place where people went for a weekend, or had their honeymoons. There was a pool, and a hydrofoil which got people there and back.
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