Auckland's Hauraki Gulf
Sailing veteran Tony Rae could claim to know the Hauraki Gulf like the back of his hand - but he doesn’t. Even though 45-year-old Trae, as his Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) team-mates call him, has been sailing the waters of Auckland’s gulf since he was a boy, there are still sheltered bays and hidden coves that surprise him.
On the weekends that he is in Auckland, the ETNZ trimmer, his wife Lynda and their two daughters will head off into the Hauraki Gulf in their 50-year-old wooden launch.
‘There are always new places to discover, I still find bays I never knew existed. You could go around the gulf for two months and not see it all. It’s never-ending,’ he says.
The Gulf, with its 100 islands, is not only the source of fantastic cruising adventures. Rae has raced the myriad courses that criss-cross the Gulf, that use islands, rocks and lighthouses as marks to sail around.
‘The racing is cool because of the islands - it’s not just out around the markers and back,’ he says.
The geography of Auckland, with is narrow isthmus, makes the waters of the Gulf an interesting place to sail. The steady sea breezes compete with southwesterly winds, and in mid-afternoon, there’s the heat off the land to contend with.
‘Because of that, it makes it an unpredictable place to sail, and that’s part of the fun,’ says Rae. ‘The changes happen so quickly. A forecast of 5-25 knots is not unusual.’
The Hauraki Gulf is protected from the Pacific Ocean by the Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island to the east. Great Barrier and Waiheke are the largest islands, with Waiheke the most populated (roughly 1,000 permanent residents).
Waiheke is a 30 minute ride from the city, a trip many business commuters make daily. The island is famous for its white-sand beaches, vineyards and olive groves, and its thriving art scene.
Rangitoto Island dominates Auckland’s seascape. One of Auckland’s most iconic symbols, it is the largest and youngest of the city’s volcanic peaks, erupting from the sea 600 years ago. Stepping on to Rangitoto is like a walk on another planet, with its red rocks and unusual hybrid plants.
If you’re sailing for fun, Rae reckons the Hauraki Gulf is pretty hard to beat, anywhere in the world.
‘It doesn’t matter if you are in a big power boat or a little yacht, there are so many places to visit, so close to the city. And the beauty of it is there will be hardly anyone around you, it’s such a huge place,’ he says.
‘Motuihe is a classic example - on one side of the island, you can see the city, but walk 50 metres to the other side, and it’s just farmland and the sea.’
Even though the Auld Mug has left New Zealand shores, the waters of the Hauraki Gulf have still played their part in the 2007 America’s Cup.
Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) spent two full Southern Hemisphere summers on the Hauraki Gulf, in 2003-04 and 2004-05, and returned late in 2005 to prepare their second boat NZL92 for racing. Another challenger, BMW Oracle, will be training in the Gulf during the upcoming New Zealand summer in the lead-up to the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup.
Each summer season has provided exceptional training conditions for the teams based here.
‘It’s so important to have a venue you can sail consistently 4-5 days a week,’ says ETNZ sailing manager Kevin Shoebridge. ‘Without a good venue to sail it’s a big setback, and the Gulf has been perfect for us.
‘We’ve always considered it a big strength to sail here. It’s home, and it’s an established America’s Cup area, so it was set up already. We know where the best parts of the Gulf are - a lot of us grew up out there. And we know the good testing days, so we’re not wasting time figuring out whether to head out there or not.
‘We were lucky to have those two good summers where we could sail as much as we liked. It’s been a big part of our success so far.’
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