City of Sails

Auckland is known as The City of Sails and if you spend any time here you’ll soon see why. There are boats and yachts of every conceivable shape and size to be found all over our fair city, from expensive berths in grand marinas to those parked up behind the family car in any number of suburban driveways. It is said that one-in-four Aucklanders owns a boat. It’s no coincidence, I suppose, that all our gold medals bar one in the London Olympics were won on the water. The biggest sporting event in New Zealand after the Rugby World Cup is the America’s Cup, which we’ve also won, of course. Take a drive along the coastline of Auckland’s North Shore or any stretch of road bordering the Waitemata Harbour and Hauraki Gulf and you will see sails of some kind billowing in the breeze,  lots of them. I see them everyday form the deck of my home, regattas, flotillas, lonely specks on the ocean. Last weekend I saw Team New Zealand practising for the Americas Cup in their giant catamaran with its vast red sail. The picture above was taken in Devonport looking towards the city. I had no idea there was race on that day, just good luck and great light. The photo below was taken from a ferry heading into port near the Harbour Bridge. There wasn’t a race on; rather, it was a typical day on the Waitemata when the wind is up. Magnificent.