Week 2 Great Mercury Island

We blew into Great Mercury Island on a 25knot Norwester, anchoring in the small mooring strewn harbour. Great Mercury Island surprised us with its size, and its startling white cliff. It is owned by a couple of rich dudes who have ensured that the island is well looked after, and farmed in an environmentally friendly way. The island has quite a few wetland area's that have been replanted, and a huge population of frogs. Everywhere you go you can hear the frogs going to town.
We spent a week at Great Mercury, exploring the beaches which are beautiful. Coralie Bay (pictured) was like a tropical lagoon, with fine white sand. On some of the beaches we found some lovely rocks/pebbles etc. We spotted some nesting New Zealand Dotterill on a long ocean type beach.
We sat out a gale on Wednesday 18th of November, and then headed back to Great Barrier on Thursday with a fresh souwester blowing. The sail back was a bit boisterous as we had a bit of swell from the previous days northerly gale, but the sailing was quick and lively.