Now a deep-sea fishing base, this was the scene of a massacre in 1809 when Maoris killed several crew members of HMS Boyd who'd come ashore. They then donned the sailors' clothing and boarded the ship attacking the remaining crew. A barrel of gunpowder exploded and the ship was burned to the waterline.
Or at least that's what I read in one of our guide-books.
Personally, I don't buy it. For a start, the Maoris would have been sporting their distinctive facial tattoos, which crewman's clothing isn't going to do much of a job of hiding. But more importantly, I'm yet to see a Maori who doesn't tip the scales at under 18 stone, so unless the outfits were fashioned from Spandex they'd have struggled terribly to get into the trousers.
Great walk though. We ended up on top of St.Pauls Rock high above the Harbour with exceptional views over the northern stretch of The Bay of Islands.
Stopped for a magnificent plate of Fish and Chips on the waterfront at Mangonui. Cooked to order, and to perfection. No vinegar mind. Any Brit foolish enough to mention the 'v' word in this neck of the woods is treated with deep mistrust and suspicion.
Weird. Maybe they'd have been more accommodating if I'd been wearing a very small person's sailing pants.
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