January 30, 2026 Waitangi, Bay of Islands, New Zealand

Waitangi, New Zealand is on the Bay of Islands on the North Island. In the Māori language New Zealand is called Aotearoa (pronounced ow-tear-roh-ah) in the te reo Māori commonly translated to “long white cloud” or “long bright world”.

The ship was anchored in Bay of Islands just after 7 a.m. and prepared to lower the tender boats for transporting passengers 20 minutes to shore. We ate breakfast in the dining room then proceeded to the World Stage theatre to await our tour. Even though the tender boats for people without tours were filling there was a delay of more than half an hour for the 15 tours waiting to leave the theatre. Finally our tour number was called and we followed the group down to Deck B where the tender was waiting at the platform. The tender ride to Waitangi was less than 20 minutes on calm waters. We were directed to two minivans and were on our way just after 10 a.m.

It was a 20 minute drive to the car ferry wharf in Opua village. After a short wait, the voyage across the water was less than ten minutes. Our driver, Rob, narrated the 90 minute drive.

History of region: Kora means Hello in Māori. There are 144 islands in the Bay of Islands. On one of the nearby visible islands was where James Cook spent a few days restocking his fresh water and getting other provisions, like fish, in 1769. The village of Kororāreka (later Russell) was established centuries ago by the Māori. It became a lawless whaling station when American and European whaling vessels set up the processing of whale oil in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Kororāreka means sweet penguin. Little blue penquins live in the area. It was known as the Hell Hole of the Pacific until 1845 when the entire settlement was looted and burned except for the missions.

The average age for New Zealand residents is 38 years old, however the average age for Russell residents is 61 years old. The population is 811 year round residents, many are retired. In summer the population balloons to more than 6,000. Russell has been named the 11th most beautiful town in the world.

In the 1700s and 1800s whale oil was the fuel for light and heating in Europe, before the discovery of petroleum. Whaling ships returning with their hold full of barrels of whale oil would sell the cargo for today’s equivalent of 20 to 40 million dollars. The funds were split between the crew of 25 to 35 men. During the first half of the 19th century whaling drove the New Zealand economy.

In 1834, when 34 Māori chiefs, as the United Tribes of New Zealand, realized that settlements were being created, they approached the British authorities with a Declaration of Independence as the United Tribes of New Zealand. This document was recognized by the British monarch.

On February 6, 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, one copy in English and another copy in Māori. More than 40 Māori chiefs were at Waitangi. However over the next few years relations soured with interpretation of the treaty. To the British, the goals of the treaty were to establish sovereignty over New Zealand, protect the Māori from lawless settlers and organize the colony. The Māori view was that they were formally engaging in relations with the British to protect their lands, rights, and people from European encroachment. These issues were caused by the differences in the English and Māori versions of the treaty. These conflicting interpretations are still causing political and legal debates in New Zealand in the 21st century.

Okiato, very close to Kororāreka, was named the capital, but it was moved to Auckland in less than a year. Then 20 years later the capital was moved to Wellington at the south end of the North Island. Māori optimism of a good partner dwindled and more settlers arrived.

Māori discontent with the British rules grew. Under the leadership of chief Hone Wiremu Heke Pokai, who was the first to sign the Treaty of Waitangi, plus chief Tāmati Wāka Nene and Māori warriors, the flagpole flying the British flag on Flagpole Hill was cut done on three separate occasions, but the pole was replaced each time. After the third attack on 19 January 1845, the replacement pole was encased in iron and protected by a blockhouse and sentries. Māori chief, Nene, also provided guards for the flagstaff.

In the early hours of March 11, 1845, Heke and several hundred warriors moved on Kororāreka. A group led by chief Te Ruki Kawiti created a diversion at the other end of the town, allowing Heke to seize the blockhouse and toppled the offending pole for a fourth time. Fighting ensued with the British soldiers and sailors, who were defending Kororāreka, against the Māori warriors, eventually retreating to ships in the bay. Then the ships’ cannons were aimed at the town and fired. The powder magazine at Polack’s stockade exploded and surrounding buildings caught fire. The residents fled and looting began by the warriors, except for the Anglican and Catholic missions which were spared on Heke’s orders. Nene and his warriors were not part of the Kororāreka fighting. Nene tried to talk to Heke to stop the conflict from escalating but this was the start of 35 years of skirmishes.

Kororāreka’s name was changed to Russell by missionaries to try erase its reputation as Hell Hole of the Pacific. After the fire the town of Russell was created as a law abiding community of families and god fearing people. The area is considered the cradle of New Zealand's settler history.

When missionaries arrived in the 1830s the Catholic Bishop Pompallier brought with him, in 1838, a printing press and had a tannery on the premises. Bibles were printed in Māori a single paper at a time and covered in leather. The Anglican Christ Church was built in 1835.

Back to the tour, Rob drove to Flagstaff Hill, or Te Maiki in Māori, where a metal flagpole named Whakakotahitanga stands 7.6 metres tall. An 1854 replacement for the poles cut down by rebellious Māori warriors a decade earlier. The view from the lookout, Metairangi, gives views of the Bay of Islands.

The group returned to the minivan for a tour of historic Russell driving along The Strand past the historic Victorian wooden buildings, such as the Russell Town Hall, The Gables restaurant and the Russell Museum. Also on the waterfront street is Pompallier House, the oldest building in Russell.

The tour ended with tea and carrot cake and brownies at the Swordfish Club which was established in 1925 and has had such notable sport fishermen as American author, Zane Grey. Adorning the interior are life size models of marlin and swordfish caught by members. The price of gas was $2.65NZ ($2.16 CAD per litre for #91 grade and $2.95NZ ($2.41 CAD) per litre for # 95 grade.

People were given a choice of whether to visit Russell Museum or Pompallier House after which they could look around Russell before boarding a ferry back to Paihai. We were given tickets to the Russell Museum and were reminded that the 2:40 p.m. ferry would get us back in time to catch the 3 p.m. shuttle back to the tender dock to catch one of the tender boats, the last leaving at 3:40 pm. The next ferry would be at 3:40 p.m. and that would be too late to be able to get back to the ship. After browsing the Russell Museum, we walked around the historic area and found an ice cream store called Delish Finest Coffee and Ice Cream which served delicious maple walnut ice cream or salted caramel ice cream. We caught the 1:40 p.m. ferry along with at least 50 other ship passengers that took 18 minutes to cross the bay. It was only a four minute wait for either of two shuttle busses that took less than ten minutes to drive to the tender dock. A tender boat was loading for the 18 minute voyage back to the ship.

We dropped off the backpack and ordered frappés at the Library Café before waiting at Future Cruises for more than 45 minutes to ask for a copy of our revised booking confirmation that, two days ago, we had arranged that the future cruise credits we had been given as compensation for the cruise disruptions be allocated to our June cruise. Hopefully we will get it tomorrow as that is our final day on board.

The captain’s 4:15 p.m. announcement stated that four ship’s tenders and a private boat transported passengers from and to the ship and the wharf were finished transporting passengers, everyone was aboard. The anchor needed six lengths of chain today. [A length or standard”shot” is 15 fathoms which is 90 feet or 27.5 m]. The distance to Tauranga is 212 nautical miles south. It is a tidal port meaning that ships need to enter on the high tide levels or wait for the next high tide. There will be cloud tomorrow and a high of 22°C.

We all arrived at the dining room about the same time tonight. Sue and Sandie related their experience on their train excursion - they could walk faster than the train! We gathered in the Library Café for coffee before the show. Tonight’s entertainer was the return of illusionist Adam Murby.

After the show we went to the Ocean Bar to use our complimentary Marnier’s Cocktail coupons and sat with Ted and Margaret.

Total steps 7,654