The Bay of Islands

The winding coastal road from Tutukaka led us to breathtaking beauty of the Bay of Islands.  After much confusion and disagreement about the best way to explore them for the day, Garrett suggested jet skiing.  Genius.  We had a few hours until our guided tour would commence which gave me just enough time to Skype with my beloved Chelsea.  Over the last twenty-four hours my family had been driving me to the brink of madness but I returned to them after my skype date beaming.  For those of you who don’t know, Chelsea is my best friend and favorite person in the whole wide world.  Chelsea, my dad, and the fact that I’ll be so close to finishing my bachelor’s degree are the only reasons I will return home after I finish this semester. 

We boarded our skis, Connor and I to one, Garrett and Mom to another, falling in line behind our guide Dave.  A storm was scheduled to hit the bay soon, making for extremely choppy waters but a ride that was that much more exhilarating than if it were calm.  I drove for the first half, riding the ski like a horse leaping over jumps.  We were jumping, catching massive air, and it was much easier to hold a two point and feel like I was putting my thighs through a good workout than get a bruised bum and crotch bone.  Connor, who was behind me and left with nothing to hold onto but me, also managed to stand through the jarring ride.  Halfway through our four-hour tour we switched places and took on the same stance and compliments from our guide, as standing, especially double, requires some good balance and leg muscles.  I don’t think he understands.  We’d just prefer sore thighs to a sore butt. 

Garrett and Mom, on the other hand, were sitting astride their ski the whole time.  Garrett was driving and Mom was getting pretty hammered.  I can understand her position, it was very choppy, we were going very fast, she’s aging, not in the best shape and Garrett’s not much to hold on to.  I also understand Garrett’s frustration.  This was his one thing he really wanted to do and he was being held back, limited, and pleaded with by his mother as his older siblings were going full speed and laughing jollily.  So him and I traded.  He got to play around with his older brother, doing doughnuts, going wicked fast, and hooting and hollering as boys do.  

The day had been pretty spectacular.  The Bay of Islands are beautiful.  Jetskiing was wonderful, though, I could tell, usually catered to people with different interests than we had.  Our guide attempted to show off some of the bigger buildings, hotels, and houses, tell us funt facts about how much money it takes and who stays there, and offer us a break in one of the popular island towns.  We wanted none of it and asked for good places to snorkel instead, which proved to be a few lagoons and Heavenly Bay.  We attempted a cave also but the conditions were too choppy.  The water proved to be pretty chilly, but we stuck it out and managed to see several stingrays, leather jackets (a type of fish), grouper, snapper, and even a puffer fish. 

With only a day to explore the highly acclaimed Bay of Islands, jet skiing was probably the most efficient and fun way to experience as much of the water as we could.  Were I to do it again I might also ask to incorporate a quick walk about one of the islands, as many of them are protected parks and stations for adamant bird conservation and research.  But I’m not complaining.  It was a beautiful day in a beautiful place having fun with my little brothers.  I couldn’t have asked for more.