A Trip to Australia and New Zealand
Waitangi & The Bay of Islands
Our last port of call was Waitangi in the Bay of Islands. After a leisurely breakfast we were tendered in to the dock at Waitangi where we walked along the shoreline trail to the Treaty Grounds in the footsteps of the Maori chieftains who signed the Treaty of Waitangi with the British on February 6, 1840. This date is regarded to be the birth of the nation of New Zealand and the location is now regarded to be of national significance. The grounds have a visitor center with a small cafe, gift store and a good movie explaining some of the history of the place. There are also some very impressive war canoes on the grounds, a Maori meeting house, and the treaty house where the treaty document was drafted. It is a simple treaty containing three articles and enough words to generate arguments for all of future generations as to it's precise meaning.
The spot is absolutely beautiful and evocative of romantic poems idealizing south sea island life. It is hard to believe that in Charles Darwin's time it was regarded as the Hell Hole of the South Pacific where sailors from whaling ships conducted themselves in an unbecoming manner. After touring the Treaty Grounds we took the courtesy shuttle bus over to the small town of Paihia where we did some leisurely shopping, had a beer, and watched tourists come and go on various excursion boats and local ferries until it was time to get back on board our ship. When we sailed out of the Bay of Islands that evening, a pod of about twenty dolphins joined our boat to say good bye. It was a dramatic gesture much appreciated by all aboard.
