February 5, 2013 - The first Maori settlers sailed to NZ and landed here. In 1769 Captain Cook named it the Bay of Plenty. There are beaches and the world's first kiwi fruit orchards. We got on our tour bus and went out along the coast for about an hour.
We arrived in Okawa Bay on Lake Rotoiti and found ourselves on deck of a 1.6 million dollar catamaran "Tiua" that holds up to 40 people. The captain had purchased this unmaintained (for 9 years) catamaran in the Carribean, got proper papers to take it through the Panama Canal to NZ and then transported it over land to this destination and refurbished the vessel. It looks great now. We were served coffee, tea, fresh muffins and cookies. We then sailed to Lake Manupirua Lake Edge hot springs are only accessible by boat and is one best kept local secrets.
We stopped here to bathe in the natural geothermal pools - there are 6 different pools and all vary in temperature by flowing one into the other. The hottest one was highest and really hot my guess is 105 deg.
Dale, Marty and Cynthia in one of the not so hot pools. The water was fine and the scenery wonderful.
Cynthia, Marty and Dale getting a quick dip in the lake to "close our pores".
This was our view as we soaked in the pools.
A black swan went swimming by.
We drove by kiwi orchards and lots of cattle. There are 7 1/2 million dairy cows, 4 1/2 million people and 40 - 60 million sheep - depending on who you talk to. The country produces over 5 billion liters of milk a year and is a large exporter of milk which makes their milk prices higher per liter than petro.
Some of the cattle.
We got back to the ship and could do a 15 minute walk to do some shopping. Our time was limited, but Cynthia and Marty gave it their best shot. As the stores were closing, like 4:30 in the afternoon, the skies opened up and high winds. By the time we got back to the ship, we were soaked to the skin and felt like we had been in a cyclone. Good thing we are all washable. We had fun with our waiters and enjoyed prawns and steak. After dinner we went outside and it was a God thing with the sky.
We saw a triple rainbow for the first time in our lives. The bright one is on the left and another full on the right. Between them you can see a third one that comes about a third of the way down. It was breath taking.
Cynthia and Marty enjoying the sky.
Then the sky turned red and so many colors.
We watched the pilot boat and tug boats head us back to sea. They do get close. Tomorrow promises sunshine - we will see.
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