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Favourite East Coast Anchorages


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The three times I have come up the East Coast I have gone hard till Tauranga so can't help much.

Only stopped at Napier, Gisborne, Hicks and White.

North of Tauranga really recommend the east coast of Great Barrier, lovely cruising grounds and usually not crowded.

 

Hamish Willcox did a series in Boating last year, one of them here:

 

https://boatingnz.co.nz/articles/around-nz-whangamata-to-east-cape/

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It depends completely in weather and sea direction and state. There are many places, if the conditions are right.
First spot is Castle Point if the weather is good and sea calm that is. Otherwise stay away from it. It's such a lovely place if everything is just right.
Cooks Cove at the Southern point of Tologa Bay is another. But watch our for depth. All the bays along the East cape are subject to Easterly swells if the wind is from that direction, so be careful.
You can't not take a good look at White Island.
We loved Tauranga Harbour, but be careful that it gets very shallow the further into the estuary you go.
Then you have Mayor Island. I wished we had tome to have overnighted there. I had thought it was not a good place from what I had read, but in the right conditions, it is really nice. Then you have Slipper Island as well.
Whitianga was nice and although we did not have the right weather, there are caves and bays galore to explore from there on and of course the Mercs are a must.
There are heaps of bays on the Auckland side of the Coromandle and you have to have a shot at anchoring in Elephant cove if you are going to head toward Auckland, or head out to explore Great Barrier if you are going to bypass Auckland.
I am sure you know about Hauraki Gulf areas. So will skip them. Whangarei is well worth a stop. Spend a few days in there and make sure you anchor in McLouds and Parua Bays.
Tutakaka is a great stop over.
Whangamumu was the next one we stopped of at. That is right before Cape Brett.
Franky, I don't think 3 months will be enough time. ;-)

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Thanks, everyone, I don’t think 3 months will be enough time either! We were at Castlepoint (by car) on Sunday, and if we have the same whopper high that we’ve had over the past week with light NW we had on Sunday, it would be a great spot to stop and get some ice creams. One can only hope. I’ve also seen some pretty nasty stuff most other times I’ve been there.

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