Rehab, contesting Bay of Islands Sailing Week 2024. She was placed 10th overall. Photo/Lissa Photography
Bay of Islands Sailing Week gearing up
Planning is under way for the Bay of Islands Sailing Week which is managed from the Opua Cruising Club from January 20-24 2025.
It’s one of the largest sailing events in the Southern Hemisphere and organisers are keen to get sponsors on board. Well-known sailing commentator Peter Montgomery said the event is “the best big-boat regatta in New Zealand”.
Sponsorship manager, Rob White, said the committee is happy to look at ways to promote a business while supporting the event.
“We work with sponsors to give maximum exposure through stories to online platforms.
“We realise it’s a tough economic world right now and more than ever there’s huge value for businesses to align with this event.”
Last year the Bay of Islands Sailing Week moved to Opua for the first time and the committee introduced two new trophies - The SheSails NZ Top Female Helm trophy for Open Racing and the Island Racing trophy.
The Open Racing trophy was won by former world match racer Claudia Pierce and her all-female crew on Spider Pig. In the Island Racing division Melissa Logan on Aeolian claimed the inaugural trophy for her division.
Mayhem, skippered by Harry Dodson and Tony Bosnyak, won the premier A division.
The regatta has grown from 39 boats in 2003 to more than 100 in 2024. The 100th entry last year was Explore Group head William Goodfellow’s classic yacht Teal.
“Whether you’re a newly put together sports boat team, or a TP52 crew who’ve been together for a while, or you just want to cruise around the islands, you will be catered for,” said White.
For more information: https://bayofislandssailingweek.org.nz/
A smarty pants guide to everything
An oddity of Victorian publishing that celebrates the trivial has surfaced during routine cataloguing of collection items associated with the Te Waimate Mission Station.
The curiously named Child’s Guide is a miscellany of bits and pieces and is causing amusement among Collections staff at Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
“The first 20 pages of this book are missing, which means the context of the book was hard to understand and we weren’t sure whether it’s a book of information for children or whether it was designed for the improvement of older minds,” says Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Collections Advisor, Belinda Maingay.
A brief search online revealed the complete title – The Child’s Guide to Knowledge. The name of the author is given, rather coyly, as “A Lady” with no further information offered. However, she was subsequently identified as Fanny Umphelby and the book first appeared in 1825.
The leather-bound tome presents an almost never-ending series of questions on a bewildering array of topics, followed by an answer addressing each query. Socratic dialogue between student and teacher was likely to have been the model and the result redefines the concept of information overload.
Q: This is a name given to small strings for violins and other instruments, formerly made from the skins of the intestines of cats.
But what is now chiefly used?
A: The intestines of either sheep or lambs, dried and twisted, either singly or several together.
Q: What places are famous for making it?
A: Lyons in France; Italy and Germany.
Who knew? (No need to answer that).
“There really isn’t any equivalent book like it in terms of modern publishing but the closest might be the Guinness Book of Records with its presentation of information-rich content,” says Belinda.
Incredibly – given that the main novelty value would appear to be relentless interrogation – the book racked up at least 58 editions over the years. The author’s motivation for writing the book was explained in the introduction:
“The most commonplace subjects, and those which occur most frequently in almost every conversation, are, by youth, either totally disregarded, or but imperfectly understood.”
Te Waimate Mission Station is open to the public and is a Tohu Whenua.
Rāhui in place in Bay of Islands
For the past five years a voluntary fishing rāhui has been in place from September to December around the waters of the inner bays near Russell/Kororāreka.
The bays in question are Tahapuke Bay, Matauwhi Bay, Pomare Bay, Uruti Bay and Orongo Bay.
The rāhui is to preserve the legacy of small harbour fishing and has proven to be successful. It is well supported and will be continued again this year.
It started on September 1 and runs through until December 31 this year.
Kororāreka Marae published the rāhui notification and said it is consistent with traditional fishing practices. They ask that everyone respectfully adheres to the edict and does not gather any shellfish or other fish during the spawning period.
Deb Rawiri, one of the marae managers, said she encourages everyone to be proactive in ensuring “we all take responsibility for the kaitiakitanga and thereby encourage future generations”.
She acknowledged the Mana Whenua/Moana of Ngāti Manu to enable the rāhui to be implemented.
Savour Northland challenges and tastes
The Savour Northland Experience kicks off on October 4 and runs through until September 28.
On offer is a variety of culinary events from around the region with competitive categories. The beneficiaries are the paying public.
There is the Plated Produce category where competitors present a dish with a Northland key ingredient as the hero of the menu.
Perfect Pairings is similar to that but with an added Northland beverage, alcoholic or non-alcoholic.
Sweet Savours showcases the pie and pastry gurus. Competitors present a sweet or savoury dish and describe all the local ingredients.
Street Savours is where Northland food trucks present a dish street style with local ingredients as the main event.
Northland in a Glass - competitors use locally distilled spirits or liqueurs, mixers, fruits or vegetables to present cocktails, mocktails or smoothies to showcase Northland in a liquid form.
There are “Trip to Sip” events at a variety of establishments. Hone’s Garden in Russell is pairing with PhatHouse Brewing from Haruru and McLeod’s Brewery from Waipu several times over the month.
There is wine tasting called “144 Islands” at Gables Restaurant in Russell which also has “Sip and Savour”.
Orongo Bay Oysters are hosting what’s called a “Shellabration” where you can meet the oyster farmer, the brewer and the winemaker at the one spot.
Kai Mata restaurant in Kerikeri is hosting what they call “Devour Northland”, spread out over the four Sundays of the month.
There is a “Shaken Not Stirred” event at Charlotte’s Kitchen in Paihia which is a black-tie “dress to impress” night.
Waitangi Treaty Grounds is hosting a hāngī dinner and say visitors will experience “fierce challenges by Māori warriors” on the night.
Establishments in Kaitaia, Taipa, Whangarei and Waipu are also hosting various events.
'At what point do we say enough is enough?'