CRUISING THE KAIPARA

The last time I’d seen Kewpie Too was 1962 in the Bay of Islands. We’d sailed on the iconic tourist trip to Cape Brett and through the Hole in the Rock, marvelling as we gently rocked our way through the stone archway.

Now she was in the Kaipara River, that roiling brown highway between the mangroves at Parakai, Helensville. I wanted to sail on her again. I found the website and chose the very affordable two-day cruise on the Kaipara Harbour, staying the night in Dargaville in an old hotel.

Then I discovered that her sister boat, , was based in my home-town, Tauranga. She used to do the Cream Trip run in the Bay of Islands, calling into isolated settlements to pick up the daily cream cans. ’s owner, Amy Neale, is