I’ll be in trouble if I continue writing this, for the good folk of Stillwater Boating Club don’t necessarily want their secret out. But I’ll do it anyway. This is an Up the Creek adventure that needs to be much better-known. For it’s so close to the boating bustle of Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour and the inner Hauraki Gulf – but as the name Stillwater implies, it offers quietude and escape in equal measure. And a fine haven for boats of all kinds. For once the billing rings true. But things might change. So check it out quick.
It was also for us an Up the Creek that offered three adventures in one. First, we did our exploring on the water; and we found out about a classic Kiwi boating club to add to our list of profiles; and then we continued testing the clever Savvy Navvy smartphone app. It sounds like we were super-busy, but no, the vibe of the whole weekend was super-cool and laid-back. But with some surprises too – like an unexpected shipwreck! Every Up the Creek needs one I reckon…
I did my research and planning – including taking a close look at Google Maps aerial photos and The Savvy Navvy charts of the Weiti River. I figured we could get a long way up, right to the road bridge, our 12m cruising cat, too – as the famous boatbuilders Fusion Marine (of similarsized catamarans) have their yard and slipway up there at Manga Road. At high tide of course.
