PLEASURES OF NORTHERN CRUISE

Northern Advocate, 4 January 1938, Page 8

PLEASURES OF NORTHERN CRUISE

Flying the commodore’s flag of the Richmond Cruising Club, the 35ft, bridge-decked cruiser, Cyrena, is in the Town Wharf Basin this morning. With a crew of eight aboard, the launch is nearing the completion of her Northern cruise, and leaves Whangarei tomorrow for the continuation of her homeward journey. She is in charge of Mr G. F, Bellve, and included in her crew is Murray Thomson, commodore of the Richmond club.

For the greater part of her Northern cruise, the Cyrena has enjoyed good weather, and her crew is most favourably impressed with the scenery and the yachting facilities of Northland. “It’s a long way up here,” commented one member of the crew, “but it is more than worth while coming.” The party pulled out from their moorings at Herne Bay, Auckland, on Christmas Eve and made Kawau their first port of call, proceeding thence to Leigh. ) i it

Undoubtedly the holidays this year have been ideal for boatmen, and all along the coast the Cyrena found launches and yachts engaged in holiday cruises.

Speaking in glowing terms of Tutukaka, the crew of the Cyrena did so with good reason, for there they found the natural beauties and good anchorages of the harbour, supplemented by a splendid hospitality. Feast at Whangaroa.

Perhaps the highlight of their cruise was Whangaroa. When the Cyrena arrived, a dozen or so keelers were lying in harbour after participating in the race arranged by the local hotelkeeper. By way of marking the occasion and providing entertainment for the visitors, a huge Maori hangi was made. Easily 200 people attended, and Maoris flocked in from the surrounding districts for the feast.

It was a meal to be remembered. Large cray-fish-—of the “packhorse” variety, so large that one leg practically offers a meal for a man—were baked in the stone-lined pit, together with snapper, pipis, potatoes and a generous offering of similar fare. At Russell the eight men from the Cyrena saw the sights of historical interest. This was the only occasion in their 300-mile cruise that bad weather was experienced.

Opposite the Opua Wharf, what will be one of the biggest pleasure craft of the Dominion is in process of building. The vessel is 90ft in length and is being constructed for Mr H. R. Jenkins by the Deeming Brothers. As one time owner of the Shenandoah, Mr Jenkins is well known in yachting circles. There is a big plant specially constructed for the job,” commented a member of the Cyrena’s prew, “and from what we saw, a splendid job will be made of the vessel.

From Opua the party went up the river to Waitangi Falls, taking With them the crew of the Nga-toa, which was also in harbour. Large Small Fislies. at if S ame fishermen have christened Northland the “fishermen’s paradise,” but the crew of the Cyrena endorse it for another reason. At Whangaruru they caught piper bigger than any they have ever landed before. “Like miniature swordfish,” was the way they described them.

Pulling into Russell the pleasure launch passed a small fishing boat positively overflowing with huge hapuka. In Hodgson’s Bay, in an hour, between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., 20 snapper were caught. “And were they big ones, added the skipper, commenting on the fish.

Much can be said against taking advice indiscriminately, but had the navigator of the Cyrena taken heed of two yachtsmen who beckoned the launch back when rounding the Cape in a fog, the crew would have had the opportunity of seeing Whangamumu, well known as the site of the old whaling station. But it would also have lobbed them of a good many laughs and not a little chaffing. As it was, they pulled in at Whangaruru instead.

Whangarei’s Facilities. This morning the log keeper spoke highly of Whangarei as an attraction to yachtsmen. The facilities for mooring were good, and the scenery coming up the harbour was most appealing. Particularly were the crew of the Cyrena impressed with Whangarei Heads, which they passed in early morning sunshine.

This is not the first occasion that the C 5 horse-power Beaver engine has forged the Cyrena up the Katea River, but it is a couple of years since she last made the journey. Altogether, the cruise has been most enjoyable, and if one may judge from comments