In the past few years I have decided to expore a bit of New Zealand and one long Easter Weekend I took off to the Bay of Islands with some friends.

The very first day, I was standing with my back to the window chatting to Mickey as he managed to spit out the words, "camera, sunset, now". Spinning around, this is the view that greeted me. I raced down to the beach and managed to catch this single shot before the light disappeared completely for the day. 

The next day my friends decided that one of the things we should do while on holiday in the Bay of Islands was to go sailing, I was less than excited. I loathe boats. I threw up on the ferry from Papeete to Moorea. And that's a pretty big boat. I also don't swim.

We booked the trip at the Visitor Information Centre, on the wharf down by the Harbour. I left the boat picking up to Alice, who grew up in Beachlands doing all things sailing-like, so I figured she knew what she was doing. She picked incredibly right. We booked with Phantom Yacht Charters. They take a maximum of 10 people out at time on their boat (I googled - technically its a "classic custom-built ocean racing sloop") and it was a truly awesome experience out on the water with them. 

The trip includes a stopover at one of the islands in the bay so while my friends went snorkeling and got some great underwater photos (including one of a turtle!), I was able to go ashore and get some photos of the boat and the bay.

While in the area we also checked out the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, another place I'd never been before. There we explored Treaty House,  the carved meeting house, the ceremonial war canoe and the Flagstaff which marks the spot where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed on 6 February 1840. 

That evening the sunset from our holiday home was impressive and we spent the evening on the beach taking photos and watching the sun disappear over the horizon.