To the Poor Knights Island Marine Reserve and Back

Monday was our last full day in New Zealand. And we were ready for it! Tim had booked us with Fish Tutukaka -- and we'd be taking a boat out to the Poor Knights Island marine reserve for the day.

The Poor Knights Islands are a group of islands off the east coast of the Northland Region, most accessible from Tutukaka. Jacques Cousteau rated these islands as one of the top 10 dive spots in the world. And the islands have a rich history. They were earlier inhabited by Māori of the Ngāti Wai tribe who grew crops and fished the surrounding sea. The tribe traded with other Māori.

A chief of the tribe named Tatua led his warriors on a fighting expedition to the Hauraki Gulf with Ngā Puhi chief Hongi Hika in the early 1820s. While they were away, a slave named Paha escaped the islands and traveled to Hokianga where he told Waikato, a chief of the Hikutu tribe, that the islands had been left undefended. As Waikato had been offended by Tatua some years prior when he was refused pigs he had come to trade for, he and his warriors set out on three large canoes to attack the islands. They arrived at the islands one night in December 1823 and soon overpowered the islanders in the absence of their warriors. Many islanders jumped off the high cliffs to avoid being taken as slaves. Tatua's wife Oneho and daughter were captured and taken to the mainland where a distant relative recognized the wife and helped the two to escape.

Tatua returned to the islands to find a scene of destruction. Only nine or 10 people were left on the islands, including his five-year-old son Wehiwehi who had been hidden in a cave during the attack. The islands were declared tapu and Tatua left with the survivors and went to Rawhiti in the Bay of Islands where he unexpectedly found his wife and daughter.

The islands contain multiple rock arches and sea caves, including Rikoriko Cave, the largest sea cave in the world by volume. A Japanese submarine is said to have hidden in the cave for a couple months during World War II -- during which time the Japanese are thought to have been building a sea plane. Rikoriko Cave has also served as a natural sound shell for music sessions (some artists have been recorded there).

We loooooooved our boat ride and time spent exploring the islands. Well, most of us did. Taylor wasn't crazy about the boat ride; the swell was kind of big, which made finding calm waters to snorkel in a little challenging. But once we were all in the water, it was fine; we saw tons of colorful fish...the water was so clear.

A selfie at the start of our boat trip. 

This weather is great!

He's always giving the peace sign. ;)

Tim after snorkeling.

Just one of many arches.

More of this, please.

Taylor and another arch.

The same arch up close.

Amazing!

Inside the Rikoriko sea cave.

Looking out from inside the cave.

On the hour-long ride back to Tutukaka, the weather changed. And fast. The winds picked up and the rain came down. Taylor was not a fan and closed her eyes for part of the trip. But just as quickly as the storm came, it passed. And blue skies were out by the time we reached the Tutukaka marina.

Hmm. Looks a little dark out there.

Getting darker...

But it's all good!

Following our boat trip/snorkeling adventure, we needed some warm drinks, so we stopped off at the cafe on the ground floor of our hotel and got hot chocolates and cappuccinos. 

That night, we walked down the marina to a pizza shop and enjoyed some delicious pizza. We passed Schnappa Rock on the way back and, of course, started saying Schnappa Rock all over again.

Nobody wanted to head home the next day. We were loving the simple, quiet, peaceful life in the Northland Region. 

With my dinner date.

And Tim with his. (He's smiling!)