1 week Hauraki Gulf Marine Park & Islands Eco-Cruise
At Arcturus Yacht Charters we like to work with you to design a trip that best suits your idea of a dream cruise. The cruises start in November and run until the end of January. Use our Google calendar (below) to see availability).

You could experience this unforgettable sailing adventure for yourself, your family of 4 or 2 couples.

Join us on Arcturus at Auckland's Viaduct Harbour on Friday lunchtime. We may have lunch underway to help us get away in good time for our first destination, Tiritiri Matangi.

With a fair breeze and a favourable tide we can quickly leave Auckland behind, and slip into island time. Leaving Rangitoto to starboard, we can hopefully enjoy a fast reach to Tiri.

Arriving in the evening, you can settle down for dinner, hopefully including fresh green-lipped mussels gathered from the rocks where they live in the crystal clear water.

After a peaceful night at anchor and a hearty (or healthy!) breakfast a shore tender ride will deliver you ashore to discover the birdlife that makes Tiritiri such a great place to visit.

Whilst walking through leafy glades up to the lighthouse you'll see native birds up close, something you rarely encounter on the mainland.

When you get to Tiri lighthouse you have magnificent views of the Hauraki Gulf and its islands, your destination for the week.

Time to weigh achor and head for our next port of call, Kawau Island.

A beautiful harbour, Bon Accord is our stopping off pint, and we might row to the Yacht Club for a cold beer before dinner. In the morning we can explore the island, take a trip to Governor Grey's Mansion House, or just relax on board with a good book.

Leaving Kawau we head for Little Barrier Island. Little Barrier is one of the last remnants of primeval New Zealand; it is the only large forested area left in the country relatively undisturbed by browsing mammals.

A permit is required to land on the island.

Then on to Great Barrier Island. The largest of the islands in the Hauraki Gulf, Great Barrier Island is a remote, tranquil and untouched paradise located at the edge of the Hauraki Gulf. Great Barrier Island is one of the most unspoilt places you’ll ever find.

We have good friends on the island who will help you discover maori culture and history, eat some of the best seafood you've ever had, including the freshest crayfish!

There are lots of things to do on Barrier, including guided or solo walking to challenging tramps. There are a couple of golf courses, wineries and vineyards, museums, surfing, fishing, the list goes on. We'd probably stay a couple of days to fit as much in as possible!

Time to get back to the sailing. Your next passage will take you from Great Barrier across to the Coromandel Peninsula where we're making for Cathedral Cove.

Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve, Te Whanganui-A-Hei, covers 9 square kilometres and is New Zealand's sixth marine reserve. It is administered by the Department of Conservation.

This site was chosen for a marine reserve because of the rich and varied habitats associated with the coastline and outlying islands. Reefs of hard rock, soft sediments, intricate caves and underwater arches provide homes for complex communities of plants, crustacea, molluscs and fish.

After another good night's sleep it's time to head back towards Auckland, but it's not thend of your trip. A good sail around the top of the Coromandel and across the Firth of Thames brings us to the beautiful island of Waiheke. Only 35 minutes by ferry from downtown, this island has its own micro-climate and has developed a huge reputation for its wines and olives. Anchored on the north side of the island, with Auckland hidden from view, you can still enjoy your island escape.

Take a wine tour around the island with Ananda Tours, or simply explore Oneroa, the island's "capital" with excellent restaurants. There are many vineyards open to explore (and taste!) or take a walk to look at the island's defences. There are excellents bars and restaurants on the island, or just enjoy fish and chips straight out of the paper whilst sitting on the beach enjoying a chilled bottle of the local wine. Perfection!

The next day we sail back to our home berth in the Viaduct Harbour, time to download the photos and update the FaceBook page.

This is just what could happen when you choose to join us on Arcturus on our Hauraki Gulf eco-cruise on Arcturus. We may do the trip in reverse, we may choose different destinations and the whole trip is weather dependant so we may not be able to visit all of the destinations. Arcturus is a stable boat even in stronger winds, but it is an adventure experience and passenger comfort and safety is paramount.

Contact us at 0211 445 923 or email: mackem@ihug.co.nz

Arcturus on You Tube
As we capture our great sailing experiences around the Hauraki Gulf, Great Barrier Island, the Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Islands we are adding them to You Tube.