Vibing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
We had a five-day wait for the new boat propeller to be installed. So, we left O2 behind and propelled ourselves inland to explore enchanting places with equally enchanting names: Whangārei, Kerikeri, Kaikohe, Ōkaihau, Hōreke, Matakohe…. It was quite the experience.
“Whenever I turn on the TV these days, the bs spewed by the authorities drives me crazy” said our rental e-bike guy as he got us all sorted out for the 42-kilometer ride from Kaikohe to Hōreke. “The solution is simple—just shoot them all,” he remarked casually.“Well, that’s a bit drastic, isn’t it?” I replied. “No, it isn’t. Eating them, THAT would be drastic. Oh yes, my grandmother was one of the last Māori who knew what human flesh tasted like. She had a thing for the hands. You eat what you want to incorporate. Want to run as fast as the enemy you’ve captured? Eat his legs. But let me tell you, some of those guys tasted awful. Sometimes, my ancestors had to marinate them to make them more edible.”
“Right…” I said, unsure whether this charming Māori man was spinning tales for gullible tourists. Surely, he was pulling our legs? But when we checked with the friendly Rastafarian Māori man, he confirmed the story. “Oh no, it’s for real. My grandmother was a cannibal, too. They all were in that generation.” “ But we’ve stopped eating junk food now,” he added with a wide grin.
The “bs” the e-bike guy was referring to, is a proposal that wants to take away separate Māori seats in Parliament for instance, as well as their hard-fought right for self-determination, involving land, language and culture. A huge peaceful protest march or hīkoi descended on the capital of Wellington and the video of the 22- year old female Māori Member of Parliament – a real “mana wahine” or “strong woman with authority” – went viral. She is seen ripping the paper copy of the proposal apart while bursting into a deafening haka song with all the other Māori MP’s joining in. Yes indeed, things have been heating up lately. But so far, no cooking pots are involved.
And then, Wednesday D-day arrived. Maneuvering O2 out of her dock and onto the haul-out trailer on just one engine was a nerve-wracking experience. With My Captain in full focus, and with many helping hands, O2 was carefully guided along. If I hadn’t been too busy getting caught up in the lines first, before jumping in our dinghy to help push O2 in position, I would have bitten my fingernails to the bone. But everything went smoothly and the next day we went sailing.
Our 11-hour sail to Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf was a classic “washing machine” experience. A howling southwesterly wind propelled O2 through the waves with gusts exceeding 40 knots and spray all over the deck and up against the windows. It left our brother with a newfound appreciation for the true meaning of a “rough ride”. But once at anchor in Oneroa Bay, Waiheke, a smooth e-bike ride to the famous vineyards would be our reward. Smooth, it was not. Before long, the rolling hills of Waiheke had exhausted both our bike’s battery and our legs. But the wine and the views kept us going.
Although we are not so much into sweet dessert wines, we couldn’t resist the one offered to us at The Batch Vineyard. It tasted rich, exotic, and spicy. Its flavours had us completely intrigued. Sure enough, there was a whole story to be told which the Canadian sommelier delivered with verve. (Nearly everyone who serves in Waiheke’s restaurants, wine bars, and cafés has an accent from somewhere else in the world. French, German, Italian, Dutch, Canadian, Argentinian, Brazilian. ) We were actually savouring a “cyclone wine”. The vintage of the “Thomas Legacy 2022 Late Harvest Pinot Gris” was nearly ruined by Cyclone Dovi and the “noble rot” it brought along, what with all the rain and humidity. However, this rot also concentrated the sugars and flavors in the grapes. And the master winemaker did his magic turning a bad wine year into a unique product. Being sailors, we not only appreciated the wine, we also loved the story. So we bought a bottle for a special occasion.
We have now just dropped off our brother at the Kennedy Point Ferry Terminal , Waiheke to catch a ride to Half Moon Bay, Auckland. We are very proud of him. Not only did he deliver the propeller, but he also endured the “washing machine” conditions without so much as a peep. With determination, he helped us pull our stranded, flat-tyred dinghy back into the water. The next day, when we decided in our infinite wisdom that keeping the dinghy afloat at anchor would be the better option, he waded through the icy, knee-deep waters of Oneroa bay – still smiling. Tomorrow, he has a flight to catch. We, on the other hand, plan to stick around a bit.
