Devonport and the City of Sails

Sunday, 14 January, 2007
9:28 PM NZST
Auckland

I am sitting in the crowded internet cafe at the hostel, wearing random clothing while laundry gets done, and nursing a fairly spectacular sunburn. I underestimated the New Zealand sun, I think, and the result is fairly impressive. However, it's the fastest way to a tan, and I've learned my lesson.

We began the day with a cruise of Auckland Harbour. We'd been down to the waterfront yesterday and were eager to get out on the water, so we spent an hour and a half in the salt breeze with fun Kiwi commentary and free coffee. I couldn't tell you exactly which direction we went first, as I haven't quite caught up with which way is up. But we stuck close to the coast, saw some of the suburbs, the Domain, and Auckland's tall ship Soren Larsen in full sail, which was really beautiful. We went out through Waitemata Harbour to Bean Rock Light, which is not your typical lighthouse, but a beacon set up on tall white pilings off a rock that sits near the shipping lane. We turned back at Raingetoto Island, which is a dormant volcano and extremely beautiful and green. The bay is full of islands, all of which were at some point volcanos. Or still are. I discovered that the green buttes I wrote about the other day are in fact all volcanos or pieces of volcanos. They just stick up everywhere, they are really pretty but in fact potentially volatile. We crossed Raingetoto Channel, which is the main shipping lane for all goods that come into Auckland by sea, and then passed North Head, on the other side of which is Devonport, a really beautiful and idyllic seaside settlement. North Head has gunnery on it from the second world war, which apparently was never fired after its initial test, which blew out all the windows in Devonport. Mt. Victoria is another volcano hill that rises up right out of Devonport and purportedly provides some spectacular views of the harbour. Next was the Auckland Naval base, then under the Auckland Harbour bridge. The bridge was originally built in 1951 (?) and was only two lanes, but soon there was too much traffic for it to accomadate. So a Japanese firm was commissioned to build additional lanes (2 on each side) that could be attached to the original bridge. Evidently the name of the firm was completely unpronouncable, and as a result the additional lanes were henceforth known as the "Nippon Clip-ons."

We ended the cruise by sailing past the Chelsea Sugarworks, the only sugar refinery in New Zealand, which is a huge pink (why??!?) building and the reason that the Harbour Bridge is so high off the water-- the ships that bring sugar elements to the refinery have to be able to sail under the bridge. We came back via the Westhaven Marina (largest in the southern hemisphere, with 2,000 boats moored there), which gives Auckland the name City of Sails and houses many of the yachts raced by New Zealand and Norway in the Americas Cup.

In the afternoon the weather got fantastically beautiful, but Provo suggested we go see Devonport rather than take in the views from the SkyTower. I was down with this plan. We paid $9 return for the ferry, a 10-minute ride back to Devonport from Auckland. It's a gorgeous town, with loads of fun shops and open-air dining, hip cafes, palm trees everywhere, and beaches. Beaches!. We ate lunch there, looked in the shops, and then walked the promenade to just under North Head and dipped our feet in the bay and then spread out on the grass to write, nap, and stare out at the view. This afternoon the weather became everything i had hoped for. Over 80 degrees in the sun, clear blue sky with fluffy clouds, and the water an incredible blue green that I've never seen in an ocean before. There were sailboats and yachts and ferries all over Waitemata Harbour, birds chirping, pure paradise.

In so many ways, Devonport seems far removed from Auckland, much smaller and a different feel. Thus it was very strange to be able to see Auckland clearly from over there. As we lay in the sun, I could see the victorian buildings close at hand, and over them the SkyTower. Of course, you can see that from pretty much anywhere; I believe I heard it was 338 meters (convert that to feet!!!) high. The Auckland skyline is beautiful from the water, in addition to really attractive skyrises, it has an apartments/shops/Hilton complex on the waterfront called Princes Wharf, which is built to look like a glass cruise ship.

We stayed in and made soup for dinner and watched a movie, our legs being very sore from hiking around so much. And walking up so many hills! i kind of wanted to take in the view from Mt. Victoria, but after walking so much in Auckland (everywhere it's a hill) and up the domain, I didn't really feel like putting my legs through that. It's great though, it's getting us in shape for tramping, as it's called down here. Most people i've talked to are surprised that we're only down here for 2 1/2 weeks. Most people come for at least a month, usually two or three. Oh well, at least we got to come at all.

We head off surfing tomorrow morning, we're going to be heading up the northland peninsula and will probably be staying at Shipwreck Bay, if you're interested in finding it on a map.

Ingenious Kiwi invention: all the cafes and restaurants and coffeeshops have sections of wall or huge banks of windows that open up to give the indoors an open-air feel. Pubs just slide their walls back, and places with glass windows open them sideways or slide them up into the ceiling, and so even if it's raining, patrons get the warm fresh outside air.

I have enjoyed being in Auckland, but I'm not fussed about leaving it: i want to see the country and more of the coast, and we'll be back in Auckland twice more before we leave for the states!