Video of the view of Bay of Islands, from the terrace of our hosts
Grant and Iris Bartlett, in Paihia. We've sailed often with them
in Hong Kong, Thailand and the Philippines
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| Iris, Grant and Jing, on the last day with them, Orua Beach, north of Paihia |
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| Iris, Grant and Jing, at their "batch" at Orua Beach, north of Bay of Islands |
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| First stop (19 March) after Orua was to Waipu and its museum. Fiona and Donna were there to greet and help us. Donna gave us a "Pedigree Chart" of the McKenzies, going back to early 19th century. It shows clearly that -- via Mutti -- we're direct descendants of Duncan McKenzie, builder and Captain of the "Highland Lass". I'll post the Chart to all relevant, in due course..... (promise!) Waipu and especially Waipu Cove are pretty spots. All accommodation full when we were there so we had to stay in Maungturoto, 20km out of town, in a really horrible hotel... |
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| Above top is our progenitor, Captain Duncan McKenzie, known as "The Prince". Handsome devil, isn't he? (or not?...). Born "c. 1808" on Prince Edward Island, Canada He married (not sure who to) "Abt 1839". His daughter Margaret McKenzie was born "Abt 1842" in Baddeck, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. He set sail for Waipu* in 1852, with his mother and daughter on the ship he'd designed and build: the "Highland Lass". Duncan died on 29 June 1893 in Waipu.
* (Duncan and his flock first sailed to Adelaide, but thought it a bit "racy", so they continued on to NZ.
There, they landed in Russell, in the Bay of Islands, then known as the "Hell-hole of the Pacific",
bawdy wenches and so on. Sounds fun to me, but clearly not to dear Great-Great Grand-daddy Duncan.
He took the "Lass" on Waipu. Clearly they were a rather prudish lot).
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- Great-great-great grandfather to: Jane, Anna, Meredith, Alex and John
- Great-great grandfather to: Peter (me!) and Anne (and our cousins Mark and Richard)
- Great-grandfather to: Mutti (Margaret, née Anderson) and her three sisters, Betty, Ruth and Kitty.
- Grandfather to: Bruce Anderson (Mutti's Dad. Son of Margaret and James Anderson)
- Father to: Margaret McKenzie (married to James Anderson)
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| A little bit more on the ship "Highland Lass" on which "The Prince" McKenzie came out to Waipu. There's a book still in print, with the story of these original 900 Highlanders to arrive in Waipu: "The Gael Fares Forth". Another book, "The Highlanders of Waipu" is said, by Donna (above) to be "not too reliable".... |
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| Our cottage at Bethells Beach Cottages. It's west of Auckland and what we got to in the first day from NZ's "Northlands". Distances in NZ are not really that great! |
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| From our back patio at the Bethells Beach Cottages |
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| Our cottage at Bethells Beach cottages |
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| Trude, John and Jing at the front of their own cottage |
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| This is the "Big Tree", in the Kauri forest. It's said to be over 3,000 years old. In real life, it's amazingly impressive. |
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| Getting out of the "glowworm caves". You can't take any pictures inside. They're really teriffic and worth all the time to get there. Behind are the boats, they pull along with ropes, as you keep silent and watch the glowworms on the cave roofs, like lime-green stars |
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| From our motel room in Taupo, looking west over the lake. There's plenty to so around the lake: sailing, fishing, thermal walks,.... |
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| And the glassblowing place, with it's "statue garden" nearby Taupo |
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| In Cambridge, on the way to Auckland, we stopped by Cambridge, where Mutti spent her childhood. Her house was near the primary school. 100 years later and the school's still going, and the house might be this one above, or... |
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| ... this one.... |
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| ... or this one. Mutti? |
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| In Cambridege: an honesty system book exchange. Our motel in Taupo had the same for beer and wine: an honesty system bar. How wonderful! |
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| The old Post Office in Cambridge, over 100 years old, now an Italian Restaurant, but still with its charming aspect |
From Auckland's One Tree Hill looking over the whole city
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| Jing and ex NZ America's Cup yachts, by the central wharves and the Marine Museum |
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| At St Helier's lookout: there's a twilight race happening on the harbour |
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| At "modern Italian", Bazurro, by the wharves in Auckland |
