THE SIMPLE LIFE

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1932, Page 11 (Supplement)

THE SIMPLE LIFE

IN THE BAY OF. BAYS

(By

“Tripper.”)

For a quiet, restful holiday the Bay of Islands must be one of the best resorts in the Dominion. Life there is simple, almost primitive; it is as unsophisticated as it was in the early days of settlement. The Bay is sufficiently far away to be unspoilt by the crowds that throng the more “get-at-able” seaside and holiday resorts. Some day, with the completion of the main highway from Auckland, it will become contaminated in the same way, and it will then be a case for those seeking quietude and rest of going further north to picturesque Whangaroa,. historic Mangonui or far-away Te Reingareinga. Russell still remains the “capital” of the Bay. It has expanded little during the past 20 years. The cows still graze on the streets and keep down the grass. The inhabitants still catch their breakfast off the beach in the morning and the school children still trek down to the beach every morning and evening for swimming exercises. ■ But there are some improvements. The old rickety wharf has given place to a modern, ferro-concrete one, a part of the main street has been metalled, and a footpath curbed. In such a salubrious climate anything in the nature of flowers and vegetables can be grown prolifically all the year round, but few of either flowers or vegetables are bo be seen, most-' of the latter being imported. Russell’s chief industry seems to be fishing. But not catching fish for the Auckland market. That would be too much, of an undertaking and a, tie and altogether too prosaic. But providing launches and men to man them for visiting deep sea fishermen, for the Bay of Islands is the headquarters of what has been described by Zane Grey and others as the finest deep sea fishing in the seven seas. Certainly the Bay has formidable rivals in the adjoining Whangaroa and the southern Mercury Bay and Mayor Island, but year in and year out the Bay, its inhabitants assure you, is the most dependable ' arid prolific fishing ground. In proof they point to the wonderful big marlins and makos that are caught in its waters each season and contrast the ’catch with the unreliability of the fishing elsewhere.

But th© joy of the Bay of Islands to the mere visitor is not only the balmy, invigorating climate, but its wonderful beaches. You may visit a different one every day in the year and then not exhaust their number. . Other places have beaches in plenty, but either they are situated on the mainland or on some island or group of islands, wherdas “The Bay,” besides washing the much-in-dented shores of hundreds of miles of mainland, surrounds nearly a hundred and a-half of islands, equally irregular of coast-line.

The Bay of Islands might justifiably, ■ from the very number of coves within its area, have been named the Bay of Bays. And each of those coves betokens a beach. Every variety is there. The mile-long glistening sandy strand with the ocean-coinbers breaking lazily in, or, in other mood, making mighty thunder at their journey’s end; the shinglestrewn beach piled deep with many hued pebbles increasing in size towards high-water mark; boulder beaches where great masses of scoria or other igneous rock lie jumbled as if they were gome giants’ playthings; more peaceful beaches where a thick carpet .of shining ; shell overlays the sand and where one may seek the prized Murex, a wee pink thing of beauty. Loiig summer days pass all too fast in those enchanted spots. Easily reached by launch, sailing or boat from Russell or Paihia, they call, insistently to the picnicker, the bather or the mere loafer. Arrived at the beach of one’s choice, determined or haphazard, a swim seems a suitable prelude. “The Bay’s” beaches are noted for their safety. In most cases undertow is absent. “What about the sharks ?” Seeing these waters are the home in certain seasons of the mighty marlins and fighting mako sharks, one might suspect an element of danger. Possibly it exists, yet the fact remains there appears to be no record in “The Bay’s” century-long history of an attack on a bather by a shark of, any kind. The billy boiled, some great pohutukawa growing on the water’s edge makes a pleasant sun-break for the meal. The isles lie thickest to the east of the Bay. Their fond charms can only be discovered by landing, when one may feel some of the thrills of an explorer. Many of these islands are . complete terra incognita to the mainland dwellers only a few miles away. Yet each possesses attractions worth the seeking. On one of the large of these, called by some “The Faerie Isle,” lies a fine semi-circular sandy beach. Many are those who pass it by without imagining what lies hid beyond. Land on that beach, climb up the high pa which dominates the island and look down whence you came. There you see not one beach but four, all close together: three encircling varying-sizod oceasl-fed lagoons of pure azure blue, their outer rims backing on and all but meeting the bay of approach. Island after island lies beyond in the middle distance; beyond again are the bush-clad heights of the mainland’s hills. This forms one of those rare views which even the hardened traveller adds, without reservation, to his mental collection of beauty-spots. Descend the hill and enjoy those beaches: bathe in those inviting lagoons whose limpid waters make the weary well and the well more vigorous.

Or again, if historically inclined, cruise further round near where lay, in 1772, the “Castries”. and the “Mascarin,” Marion du Fresne’s two ships. Continue past the heavily-wooded point, along by Oraukawa Bay, which is one of the most beautiful of the beaches, and dotted by several bungalows. Beyond this is a small and sandy beach beside a mangrove-filled creek-mouth. Here took place the massacre of the illfated Frenchman and two boats’ crews, one man alone escaping : to his ship to give the news.

Another beach at Moturua has been the scene of systematic search for buried treasure—a jar wherein were placed documents (before the expedition left after, du Fresne’s murder) proclaiming France’s annexation of this .country. That jar still awaits some future discoverer..

On every beach where there is to be found a creek—and their name is legion—are clear traces of Maori occupation at some period. Old feedinggrounds are proclaimed by the deposits of pipi shell, often banked high, with vestiges of charcoal and oven-stones throughout. Here on the beaches the

Maoris lived their - life, the near-by pa. on a commanding rise being their nightquarters and place of resistance under attack. ■■■Many a curio has .been found in such spots, one beautiful mere haying been kicked against when . protruding a few inches from the sand, and yielding its secret on the unsuspecting one stooping to see against what she had struck her foot'!-

Fishing there is in plenty. The seas teem with fish, probably because of the abundance of shell-fish. Man has supplemented Nature. : On. some of the islands are established’oySter beds that in season furpish-k. southern markets with supplies, of this succulent shellfish. The shell-fish ■■ attract the piper (one of the sweetest of fish), the kahawai, the schnapper, the • gurnet, and other of the smallerfish. These in turn attract' the hapuka and kingfish, and the rapacious sword-fish and ugly mako prey on them. Man the;hunter completes the circle: he preys on ;the marlin and the mako. . , , ~