Big Snapper Off The Rocks 0 – Great Barrier Island

It has been very wet here on the Barrier lately. Constant showers and heavy rainfalls over the last weeks have transformed my driveway into a muddy and slippery adventure track. This combination of wetness and greyness can affect the mood and I had been spending a couple of the previous weekends at home, reading the paper and enjoying the warmth and dryness of the fire place. Boooooring, I can tell you. This weekend, however, in spite of more rain, I was more than keen to go for a fish off the rocks with my mate.

My First Visit To Great Barrier Island

Let me share with you a story about my first visit to Great Barrier Island (Aotea). After all, it was this trip which I took around the Christmas time back in 2008 that made me think about what it would be like to live on Aotea and whether it would be a worthwhile option for me. It all started with me wanting to have some time off and wanting to ‘go away’ for a couple of weeks.  

Kingfish Off The Rocks I – Great Barrier Island

I got up early again, eager for a quick, early fish off the rocks. The idea was to go hard for a couple of hours and be back at the car at 0900. All my gear was packed and I left home at 0500, the sun wasn’t up yet but there was enough light to see where I was going, although the sky was very dark. The sea-forecast mentioned rain and it sure looked like it could pour down any minute. Half an hour later Rani and I were walking on the beach, it was dribbling a bit. No wind at all, much more cloud cover than the previous day, a bit warmer as well. Good and comfortable conditions really; …

Continue reading