Lake Taupo day 2
Day two in Taupo, and Carolann on Lake wanted to go for a cruse Taupo, in the original steam powered boat, but unfortunately, that boat was not doing any cruses, as it had finished for the season, we could however do the same cruse on another boat the “Earnest Kemp” and it was to be the first cruse for the day.
We booked the cruse the evening before, and were the first people at the jetty when we arrived. Though, not long after us the captain of the boat was there to welcome us on board. This was about 10 minutes before the scheduled departure, at about the time we were to depart, after the captain had performed all his duties and started the motor, he introduced himself to all the passengers on board, all three of us. It was then that he realised that he did not need to be in his cabin using the microphone, as he had the previous trips, but he could easily talk to us in a much more informal way!
We left the jetty and the small boat harbour and were then invited to join the captain for a more complete commentary and discussion on the things we saw in the main wheelhouse.
It was not long before another boat joined us on the lake, this was a 2 masted sailing ketch, being a sailor, I asked the captain what he knew of the ketch, he replied that it had a well-known history.
The ketch was built in America, but had an Australian connection, as it had once been the pride and joy of an actor, that had spent most of his time in Hollywood but had been born in Hobart Tasmania!
He did not name the actor I did. It was “Errol Flynn.” I asked the captain if he had ever read Errol Flynn’s autobiography “My Wicked Wicked Ways” (in which the boat featured) he replied he had not, and Carolann politely told him all about it and recommended the book to him.
The discussion then changed to the Maori legions associated with the lake and the active volcanos nearby, and yet another Australian connection, “Acacia Bay” so named because of the Australian Acacia trees growing on the head land of the bay.
As we rounded the point, we admired the houses we could see every now and then among the trees, and we were informed that they belonged to the Maori Chiefs and elders of the local tribe!
Soon we were at our half way destination, a giant carving in the rock face right at the edge of the water! It was of a Maori face, a long-departed chief! Around the main carving were many smaller carvings of animals, like crocodiles to protect the chief, they were all beautifully done and to the local Maori people very significant.
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