16 of us had a lovely time on Motuihe Island today. We left Pier Z Westhaven at 9am on the Red Boats
ferry, and got onto the island about 10:20am. Our walk began with the northwest end of the island with
its cemetery and fenced-off remains of a historic building. This area was the HMNZS Tamaki navy training
camp from the 1941 to 1963.
We had our morning tea break back at the starting point beside the
information centre. Nelson Young gave a talk about Count Felix Van Luckner who was a German war hero
who came to NZ in 1917 and confined to a prisoner-of-war camp on the island, escaping and recaptured
on Kermadec Islands.
Leader Geoff Tremain gave our devotions, saying that our times are in God's
hands. It is God who brings our life stories to fulfilment. We need to trust God and not be afraid. We
can all live our lives well, with the heavenly resurrection life to come after death.
We carried
on with our tramp across the main part of Motuihe Island. This was a mown track going through mostly
bush with a few grass clearings. We dropped down to the east end of Ocean Beach before climbing up and
going down to our lunch stop at Calypso Bay at the east side of the island. Justin braved the low tide
and went for a swim, and I made a couple of beach arts using driftwood and seaweed.
Our return
walk was along a different route back to the wharf. We got back in time to buy icecreams and get on the
ferry back to Auckland city leaving at 3pm. Total walking distance 7.4km.
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