Bay of Islands College - April 2022

On 28th April, 22 Bay of Islands College students and teachers joined the good ship Lion NZ at the Opua Marina, in The Bay of Islands. We sailed out around Ninepin Island and into Deep Water Cove. Snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, swimming. Down wind sail to the Cavalli Islands the following day where we fished had games on shore, football, volleyball. Also a raft build and race. We anchored the night in the magnificent Whangaroa Harbour. Next morning we took a breakfast cruise around the Harbour before we battened the hatches and took a big dig out into the easterly wind and swell. Lion was in her absolute element, purring like a little cub. Tacked over and sailed back to join the good ship R Tucker Thompson in Paradise Bay, Urupukapuka Island. The skipper Terry and crew had kindly invited us onboard for a pot luck dinner. After hiking and team bonding exercises on shore we joined the students and crew on R Tucker Thompson for dinner at 18.30. There were 44 POB. What a brilliant night of shared food, guitars, ukulele and singing. After dinner Terry the skipper invited all of us up on deck to see the stars! As I stepped up on deck, tremendously strong voices from my BOI student’s haka hit me!! Holy heck!! Birthday cake, candles, birthday song and the most beautifully stunning Waiata. I was gob smacked! How dumb was I? I never picked up on any of this. I ended up with very leaky eyes! So unexpected, stunning and magnificently beautiful. Thankyou Thankyou. I will never forget this. Ever! The following day we swapped the students from off our around the world race yacht to R. Tucker Thompson, the gaff rig, top sail schooner and went for a such a fun sail alongside each other. What an awesome experience for these students sailing on two very different boats. After a couple of hours of sailing together we anchored at Roberton Island for swimming, kayaking, hiking. Lunch consisting of sashimi, from all the fish caught on board, was served on our return sail to Opua Marina. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with the fun loving, high energy and very tuneful students from the Bay of Islands College.