Successfully through the rigorous New Zealand clearance process, with visits from Customs and Immigration as well as a Biosecurity inspection in addition to a multitude of online forms, both Oso and her crew are legally entered into New Zealand and free to roam.
First stop is Russell, just 5nm or so northwest of Opua. Western vessels in significant numbers first began visiting New Zealand in the late 1700s and early 1800s, most of them whalers. A popular first stop was the town of Kororareka, now known as Russell. Blessed by a largely pleasant climate with good soil for agriculture and excellent seafood to be gathered, the Maori town was a prosperous one. Most of the newcomers were stepping ashore for the first time in many months, and Russell became known for prostitution and the lax enforcement of either western or Maori laws.
Today, Russell seems to have lost all of its lawlessness and replaced it with a slow-paced enjoyment of life and the natural surroundings. Numerous trails wind over and around the surrounding hills, while sunlight glistens off the well-protected waters of the bay in front of town. The Duke of Marlborough, New Zealand’s first hotel and pub, still pours pints along the waterfront, and a few restaurants provide meals for the tourists, mostly from Auckland, and the locals who take up residence in summer homes lining the hills.
