Warren Haslip, CEO of Swell Marine and The Chandlery in Russell.
Savour some heritage food
Two of New Zealand’s oldest historic places have drawn from their own heritage to produce a range of culinary delights as part of this year’s Savour Northland food festival.
The Honey House at Kerikeri Mission Station and the French Coffee House at Pompallier Mission in Russell are offering a range of heritage-inspired delectables throughout the duration of the festival.
Pompallier Mission was once the headquarters of Bishop Jean-Baptiste Pompallier and his French Marist missionaries. The onsite French Coffee House is offering a selection of baked sweet treats using ingredients and flavours that arrived aboard merchant ships in 19th century Kororāreka.
On the other side of the Bay, the Kerikeri Mission Station is offering three dishes on its menu celebrating an almost holy connection with food that goes back over 200 years.
The Honey House Cafe itself is a nod to the original honey shed built by the missionaries that once occupied the same site. They are baking golden honey biscuits using “Bee Happy Honey” from Kerikeri and topped off with edible flowers from the Kemp House gardens.
For something more substantial, there is fresh peruperu and pea springtime garden salad with optional local bacon from Kerikeri butcher Churchill’s.
Peas and pea shoots harvested from the Kemp House garden are paired with kaurpaera and matariki riwai (potatoes) – all seasoned with smoky salt from the Taipa Salt Pig and a splash of lemon from Rangioua’s original 200+-year-old lemon tree, and finished with a drizzle of Evergreen Olive Oil from Taheke.
This salad is a celebration of local produce and is accompanied by a smooth spinach purée and adorned with edible flowers from the Mission garden.
Diners can add to those dishes with a refreshing grapefruit soda – a non-alcoholic fizz created from syrup derived from grapefruits growing in the Kemp House orchard.
The menu is the brainchild of Kerikeri Mission Station property lead Liz Bigwood, Visitor Services co-ordinator Kellee Rei-Harris and Honey House Cafe lead Ali Sutton.
Calling potential Justices of the Peace
The Far North needs more Justices of the Peace.
Often a JP is the first (and sometimes only) contact someone has with the legal system and while a JP isn’t trained to give legal advice, they can certify copies of documents and sign statutory declarations and affidavits. All their services are free of charge.
President of the Far North Justices of the Peace Association, Jan Danilo, says they are always seeking new members to assist with ministerial work in providing important services for the community.
There are no formal requirements to become a JP. The Association’s membership includes tradespeople, business owners, professionals, community volunteers, civil servants and teachers as examples.
“We all find a little time in our week to help out,” he said.
From submitting an application to being sworn in normally takes around six months and during that time, candidates go through a training course which has an online test at the end. Successful candidates are then gazetted by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and have a swearing-in ceremony by a presiding judge at one of the district courts.
The two district courts of Kaikohe and Kaitaia are assisted in their work by judicial JPs (JJPs). Serving JPs can undertake further training sponsored by the MOJ which allows them to assist with court duties.
Other duties can include attending JP service desks at public libraries and venues throughout the Far North. In Kerikeri, there is always a Wednesday duty JP in Kerikeri Proctor library between 11 am and 1 pm. Most JPs tend to live in the more populated areas so the Association is also seeking candidates based in remote areas of the north.
Once a candidate has been accepted, they are assigned local JP mentors who will guide them through the free training process.
If you think you have the right stuff, contact Bev Weber, Registrar/Treasurer, 027 429 6100 or Jan Danlio, President, 021 0286 2707.
New marine chandlery opens in Russell
In what at first glance seems an unlikely site, a new marine chandlery has opened in Russell. It’s adjacent to the Z service station and next to a mechanical repair shop in Aucks Rd.
Warren Haslip has been CEO of Swell Marine for the past two years. Last year he expanded by opening The Chandlery selling marine and outdoor gear and essential items such as marine batteries and power banks which can serve as backup power for a home.
“I wanted a shop that supplies only the best gear, not just sailing gear, but equipment for everything and with the brands I’m personally happy to use and take to sea,” he said.
Warren has an extensive history of coastal and offshore boating which has involved spending a lot of time in adverse conditions in places like Southern Australia, Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea.
Through a new partnership, The Chandlery has become the first reseller of the Henri Lloyd Australia brand and an exclusive dealer of the brand for Australia and New Zealand.
Henri Lloyd has been absent from the New Zealand market for some time and now makes its long-awaited return.
“When it comes to sailing New Zealand is a place that can throw all sorts of conditions at you very quickly.
“You need gear that keeps you comfortable in both a 30-degree day on deck with a light, warm breeze and in conditions where it’s blowing 35 to 40 knots, freezing, and wet.”
To celebrate the official reintroduction of Henri Lloyd to New Zealand, The Chandlery will be hosting a series of events throughout October, including pop-up shops and a product feedback event during Labour Weekend in Russell.
Cruising the Bay
The Bay of Islands cruise season got underway in August with the early arrival of two ships, the Coral Princess and the Pacific Explorer.
The cruise season proper technically begins in October when five ships arrive. The biggest was the Ovation of the Seas with 4180 passengers and the smallest was the Orion with just 106 passengers.
For three months, October, November and December, there are nearly 40,000 passengers visiting the Bay of Islands and the majority come ashore.
The cruise season cranks up during January, February and March with 12 ships arriving in January, 16 in February and 13 in March.
It’s big business, even given a 20% reduction in the number of port calls since the 2023/2024 season. The Bay of Islands Business Association say a ship visit is “an opportunity to showcase the Far North’s hospitality, scenery and charm, encouraging passengers to return for a land-based holiday in New Zealand”.
Despite strongly opposed submissions, the Government recently announced an increase in Border Processing Levies from $16.03 to $27.82 per passenger effective from December 1. The outcome meant over $3 million in unbudgeted costs for cruise lines.
The NZ Cruise Association (NZCA) and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and their cruise line partners are working with Customs and other government agencies to ensure a better future alignment with the industry. It is hoped any further changes are undertaken early to allow the industry to plan for the additional expense more effectively.
The Bay of Islands Business Association runs an Ambassador Scheme when ships arrive. Six volunteers greet passengers when they disembark, guide them onto shuttle buses and hand out maps and general information.
Since it’s a tender port, passengers need to get off the ship and on to a tender to come ashore and there can be queues for several hours. The scheme, though, was one of the driving factors which increased the port’s recent rating. The rating is collated by cruise lines through a survey of passengers.
A rāhui has been placed on Bland Bay and will be lifted at 12pm on Thursday.