Friday 1 April Oneroa Bay, Waiheke Island

Approaching Waiheke

Blue penguins

The guide books tell Waiheke means falling water in Maori, wai water and heke falling and it was originally applied to one place on the island but European incomers thought they meant all the island. Durr.


Oneroa is a wonderful wide open bay backed by the main village of the island and a clean sandy beach. We landed the dinghy on the beach and strolled up to the village – a collection of cute artist shops, wine shops, real estate and cafes – and trundled back with a bag of veggies, maps and bus routes for a DIY winery tour tomorrow and the obligatory bottle of local wine. Nice. Here's a very nice thing for visitors and freebie hunting cruisers. Visit the local library next to the cinema and Indian restaurant and there's 30 minutes free internet for everyone.

It's Friday night and the anchorage is filling up with visiting boats here for the weekend.