We are back - or as Arnold Swarzenegger would say Bach.
White Island: We went away for a week with the goal of going out to White Island. The last time we tried we couldn't due to the bad weather. However, this time we made it. The above photos are from the Net but I will post some of our own once Christine has downloaded them.
Whakaari/White Island is an active andesite stratovolcano, situated about 48K's from the east coast of the Bay of Plenty. It is roughly circular, about 2K in diameter, rising to a height of 321m above sea level. But this is only the peak of a much larger submarine mountain which rises up to 1600 m above the nearby seafloor.
Sulphur mining was attempted but was abandoned in 1914 after a lahar killed 10 workers. The main activities on the island now are guided tours and scientific research.
The full Māori name for the island is 'Te Puia o Whakaari', meaning 'The Dramatic Volcano.' It was named White Island by Captain Cook on 1st October 1769 because it always appeared to be in a cloud of white steam. Although Cook went close to the island he missed the fact that it was a volcano.
The last time we went we stayed at Ohope Beach but this time we stayed in Whakatane; which is a very pleasant town and seems quite prosperous.
The trip was a very interesting one once we got onto the island. The day was fine (a little overcast but very hot) but the swell from the sea was probably 2-3 metres and they just seemed to try and get to the island as fast as possible. Being a 'great' sailor, I took a seasick pill beforehand but this time it failed (although it certainly helped stave of the sickness for 60% of the trip) so I, along with many others, was seasick. One person started throwing up after about 10 minutes!! - and it it takes over 2 hours to get out to the island.
It was so bad that Christine was seasick for the first time in her life.
One of the crew said although the medicine container said take the pill 30 minutes before leaving his advice was to take two the night before and one two hours before leaving to give it time to work.
Luckily coming back, as we were going with the tide, we had a much smoother ride with nobody being sick.
The Trip: For the remainder of the trip we went up to Mt. Maunganui, Tauranga, Hamilton, Rotorua and came back staying at Taupo overnight.
As something different, being members of the Petone Workingmen's Club, we decided to have our evening meal at each place at a fellow Chartered Club. It worked out well and it was interesting to see how the different Clubs worked.
At the Rotorua RSA at 6PM they lowered the flag and recited the famous ode
They shall grow not old... as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them
from For the Fallen - Laurence Binyon
Also at the Rotorua RSA I didn't know it was still done, but the Salvation Army went through selling the 'War Cry". At the Mt. Maunganui club you can only attend 3 times as a guest before joining and members had to use a swipe card to get in.Probably the best Chartered Club was at Ohope. The fish meal was so good rather than attend the club in Whakatane we drove over the 10K to Ohope again.
Motels: I suppose for the money compared to overseas they are a reasonable product but still they sometime lack the little bit extra that would make them excellent. One didn't make the bed, one the remote was missing, no shampoo in a couple etc. Small things easily fixed.
Army Museum: Coming back we stopped at the Army Museum and had a bite to eat and also this time visited the musuem itself for the first time for a number of years. We were impressed. It has certainly improved and it is really a 3-4 hour tour. Good to look at the medals now they have been recovered and to read the information about Willie Apiata.
