16th February 2019

Overnight, Columbus made her way down the coast of New Zealand, picking up her pilot at 7:30 am before docking at Berth 7 on Queen’s Wharf, Auckland, by 9:00 am. By now, all the passengers were well-versed in the disembarkation routine, and before long, Columbus was once again spilling her human cargo into the city.

Today, however, was different for some, as some were leaving this floating metal home of the past six weeks for good, moving on to new destinations. Their departure meant the arrival of fresh faces and new stories, how exciting!

We had been promised another warm, clear day, and that’s exactly what we got. A fresh breeze helped to keep the fierce temperatures at bay, but the sun remained deceptively strong. With sun cream applied and hats firmly in place, we disembarked and soon found the ferry terminal just a few metres from Columbus’s berth. Our plan for the day was to take the fast, 12-minute ferry to Devonport Village and explore this popular resort.

The crossing was swift but choppy as we navigated our way through the busy harbour, weaving between weekend sailors taking their yachts for a spin and a myriad of pleasure craft bobbing about, revelling in the freedom of the sea. Devonport, a picturesque resort similar to Russell but larger, already seemed to have been absorbed into the ever-expanding metropolis of Auckland. It sits across three long extinct volcanic islands, Mount Victoria, Mount Cambria, and North Head, with North Head being our main destination for the day.

From Devonport Wharf, we strolled along King Edward Parade, passing Windsor Reserve and Torpedo Bay before arriving at the Torpedo Bay Naval Museum. Here, I enlisted the help of a personal guide and began exploring the exhibits, while Sue, suffering from the onset of a headache, retreated to the museum’s restaurant for a drink and made use of the WiFi.

My guide, a former naval officer, was incredibly knowledgeable and brought the exhibits to life with personal anecdotes and reflections from a New Zealander’s perspective. It was a thoroughly engaging and illuminating experience, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for those visitors who weren’t taking advantage of this personal insight; they were missing out on so much.

Reuniting with Sue, I was relieved to find that the tablets she had taken had worked, and she was feeling much better. Thankfully, there was no need to cut our visit short and return to the ship.

We climbed North Head to explore its network of military tunnels, bunkers, and gun emplacements. As we made our way up the steep, grassy volcanic mound, we were intrigued by the numerous animal traps scattered along the path. Later, we learned that these were set to catch rats, hedgehogs, and possums, introduced species that have devastated the native bird population.

From the summit, we were rewarded with spectacular views. The surrounding islands, beaches, and pleasure craft created a picturesque panorama, but the real highlight was the breathtaking view of Auckland’s skyline across the water.

After taking in the scenery, we descended the slope and wandered through the village to Cheltenham Beach, a gently sloping stretch of whitish, shell-strewn sand that seemed to be calling out for a paddle. I obliged, though I was slightly annoyed with myself for not packing my swimming trunks. The water was cool and refreshing, providing a welcome relief from the heat.

We strolled the full length of the beach, pausing occasionally to rest in the shade of the trees. As this side of North Head was sheltered from the breeze, the sun felt particularly fierce. At one point, we stopped to watch what we assumed was a Hindu wedding taking place in one of the beachfront restaurants, adding an unexpected but delightful cultural touch to our visit.

Finding our way back through the village towards the ferry wharf, we stumbled upon a welcoming bar and gladly took advantage of the refreshments, rest, and growing cool breeze. Devonport has a charming little shopping area near the wharf, and we gave it a visit. Here, we encountered quite a few fellow cruisers indulging in the time-honoured pastime of splashing the cash on souvenirs and trinkets.

As we arrived at the wharf, the ferry was conveniently pulling in, and before long, we were back in Auckland. Though the thought of nipping aboard the Columbus for a snack was tempting, we decided a little abstinence would do us some good, much-needed, in fact! Instead, we set our sights on the Sky Tower.

We made our way up Queen Street, joining the throngs of Saturday shoppers, who moved like restless ants, darting from one shop window to the next. The pedestrian crossings were a source of momentary order; shoppers stood waiting impatiently at the kerb until the sharp “kerplink” of the signal rang out. Then, with military precision, a countdown began, and a straight-line rush to safety ensued. This scene repeated itself up Queen Street until we reached the turn for the Tower, where we veered onto a quieter street leading to its base.

I was keen to show Sue the Sky Tower, as Jamie and I had visited it on our previous trip, but she remained unimpressed; after all, we had been up so many towers before, and she felt this was no different. We did, however, take advantage of the free WiFi while we were there. As we lingered, we spotted some members of the ship’s crew and entertainment team suiting up for a Sky Walk around the outer edge of the tower’s uppermost level. Most of them looked visibly nervous. I helpfully reminded them that they were expected back on board by 8 p.m., even if that meant returning from whichever hospital they might end up in. That seemed to settle their nerves.

On arriving back on board, we made a beeline for the burger bar, much-needed calories after a full day on our feet. With hunger satisfied, it was straight to the cabin, where shoes were cast aside, and the blissful relief of resting tired muscles set in.

Tomorrow, we do it all again in another port. Will this torment never end?