A day at Russell

This a.m. we left our base camp, Paihia, and caught the ferry to Russell. Our ferry was named Okiato. I do like things that are named but I guess it’s a moot point given all sea vessels are named.

Prior to driving onto the ferry, we took a coffee break in what I would call ‘the quaint little shop of everything’, including tinned butter. Interesting.

The Ferry is a drive on, drive off, short five minute ride. We were there before I could finish texting my besties.

Russell is the first permanent European settlement and seaport in New Zealand.

Situated in the Bay of Islands, far north of the North Island.

I started writing this in the eldest licensed hotel in NZ, loaded with a lunch time Prosecco.

Unfortunately the weather in Russell hasn’t been that pleasant, the weather app did indicate 18 but it was certainly a cool and wet 18, if it did in fact get to that.

We wandered Russell in the morning, did a little shopping, had a coffee and cake, and then, of course, that lunch break Prosecco in the Duke of Marlborough (DoM) Hotel.

This gorgeous pub, overlooking the water, began it’s life in 1827 as Johnny Johnstons Grog Shop. Johnny was an ex-convict, who had served some time in New South Wales at the pleasure of Her Majesty Queen Victoria (code name for goal) before heading across the deetch to NZ.

Kororareka (Russell) originally the capital of New Zealand, was at the time, the biggest whaling port in the Southern Hemisphere and with up to 500 whalers arriving in Russell after twelve months at sea, well you can imagine the scene. The place was known as ‘The Hell Hole of the Pacific’. Johnny decided to give his pub some respect, (and attract a better clientele) so changed the name to The Duke of Marlborough, after the current worlds richest man. He also assimilated into society, became fluent in Te Reo and was highly regarded by the local Maori. In fact, Johnny assisted with the translation to the Maori of the Treaty of Waitangi, or the Proclamations by Governor Hobson, which were the beginnings of the Treaty.

Russell is a pretty little tourist town.

Up the hill from the DoM stands the symbol of British sovereignty on Flagstaff Hill, a flagstaff. A flagstaff which had been felled four times during the Flagstaff Wars (1845-1846).

So we wandered up there.

Views were spectacular even if my iPhone doesn’t necessarily do it justice.

And of course the weather came in on us.