17.12-22.12.2006 Whitianga, New Zealand

[Maza]

It really far away the new Zealand. So much travelling that!!! Any way first day at the Auckland I went to see friends at the Wild Blue shop. They told me to go to Whitianga to meet Ron Baker and mr. Herb. So I did what I was told to do.

Whitianga is only 3 hours bus trip from Auckland. It is at the Coromandel peninsula, east from Auckland. I went to see Herb, what a guy. He has amazing sea egg-spearfishing ranch. Restaurant, tractors, huge boat at its engine two pieces of 200 horse power Yamahas. Dogs, cows, 14 people working at his sea egg processing factory!!!

So the deal was following. Herb was having his most hechtic period of the year. Sea eggs ( kinners ) for the christmas table. We left every morning at 8 am to the sea. We were driving 50-70 kilometers away from the Whitianga. First two days to Great Barrier Island. Back and worth the boat was using 200 liters of gasoline. At the great Barrier we were picking up the sea eggs like 4-5 hours. Then the boat was full of them and totally 2000 kg. Grazy job. The sea egs were about 3-7 meters. And next time to come to same place would be after 2-3 years. They are not growing too fast. Ok after the grazy picking, to the spearfishing for 2 hours.

I really thought that New Zealand would be much better. The visibility was really changing from 4 meters to 14 meters. Water temperature were + 16 celcius, so I just could make all day with my 5 mm Marea measure made suit. And the fish.....

Just in the shallow suddenly came huge gang of King fish. The biggets were 20 kg and I could shoot couple of 15 kg guys. They were really circulating around me, so you didnt have to hesitate. But in the deep. Like in 24 meters in the great current places were the action super dead. I couldnt sometimes understand that, in these kind od super conditions were no fish. I am diving deep where the fish should be taking eazy, but not. And all the time the underwater housing in the left hand. Then once again suddenly huge gang of fishes of 1-2 kg.
I was really waiting in the deep for some good snappers but I didnt see any. The guys shooted one 7 kg and one 5 kg.

I saw one great whale with his little baby and I was swimming with the dolphins. Also the coast line was super beautiful. Last day We went to south from Whitianga and there the visibility were 15 meters. That was a great day, but we didnt catch too much fishes. Diving at New Zealand is great but the conditions can change like hell. All the local guys said that the best time is febryary-abril. Best visibility and best spearfishing.

Ok, grazy sea egg diving is history and now enjoing the great forest of New Zealand and to the south Island, to Kaikoura.