The Cavalli Group and Matauri Bay

This is one of the neatest paddles I’ve done while in New Zealand to date and that’s saying some thing. I arrive at Matauri Bay in time to catch the mid day tide. The wind is up and the sky is overcast. I load up the boat and I park Homey at a camp ground so the owner can keep and eye on it while I’m spending the night on the island of Motukawanui, the largest of the group. The closest island in the group, Piraunui, is about 2 km away from the bay. There are about 12 large islands and twice the number of small ones.

Once around the corner of the bay the open channel is exposed to the winds of another Westerly that is blowing through with 10-15 knot winds and 2-4 ft wind waves with the occasional 5 ft swell. But once I get over to the big island and on the east side I am lee of the wind and it is quite calm. The rain has started but it really doesn’t bother me as it did in Tennyson sound and I set out exploring the caves and crevices. I shoot east some more to visit a group of islands one of which has two sea arches that require my passage. I head back to the main island and continue up until I reach the northern end. Its starting to get late and I need to find a place to camp. I take a few minutes to explore the two closest islands to the north but neither has a decent beach. I head back and back track to the first little beach. I select a spot that has a tree growing out of the cliff just over the beach. As it is still raining I set up the tarp and level a spot for the tent. Now these islands are both a bird and animal sanctuary and so the night is filled with all sorts of bird calls. As it’s still raining I make a quick dinner and go to bed early. All night long I hear little rocks tumbling down the hill side and I keep thinking of John Lull’s story about his crunched tent on the beach. But I survive and the rain stops in the middle of the night and it is a beautiful dawn (and I’m not crushed!). I pack up and continue exploring the northern islands and discover a really cool beach on one of the outlying islands. I make a mental note that this would have been a primo camp site, protected and private and head on. It is a much nicer day today and I cruse down the west side of the island to the DOC hut. I discover there that no camping is allowed on the island so I have sinned again.