Aotea Great Barrier Island is the big one: a full day's passage across the Hauraki Gulf to landlocked harbours, bush tracks, hot springs and some of the darkest night skies on Earth.
Updated October 2026 · By the YachtShare team, Westhaven Marina
Port Fitzroy and Tryphena are each around 53 to 54 nautical miles from central Auckland, so allow about 6 to 7 hours at an average of 8 knots, plus time for the weather. This is a trip for a longer booking, a settled forecast and a crew comfortable with a big day at sea.
Great Barrier sits on the outer edge of the Gulf, with the Colville Channel to its south (towards Cape Colville) and the Cradock Channel to its west (towards Little Barrier) opening to the Pacific. Conditions on the crossing can be very different from what you see at Westhaven, so check the MetService marine forecast for the whole trip, not just departure day.
The invasive seaweed exotic caulerpa is established around Great Barrier, and Biosecurity New Zealand has made the island's waters a controlled area out to the 40-metre depth contour. The current notice came into force on 1 October 2025. In practice:
Fines can reach $50,000. Check the maps at biosecurity.govt.nz/caulerpa before every trip.
Port Fitzroy, on the west coast, is the favourite base for visiting yachts. Kaikoura Island guards the entrance, giving shelter in almost all conditions. Many skippers enter through Man O' War Passage, a deep, steep-sided channel. The narrows can be squally. The settlement has a store and fuel, and the harbour gets busy over Christmas and summer.
Tucked inside Port Fitzroy, Smokehouse Bay is a much-loved stop. The land and facilities were provided by a local family and are kept going by volunteers, with a wood-fired bath, old-style laundry tubs and smokehouses for visiting boaties. Leave everything cleaner than you found it. The facilities are run by volunteers, so check they are open before you rely on them.
Further south on the west coast, Whangaparapara offers good shelter in most winds, though swell can work into the inner bay in a south-westerly. It is outside the Broken Islands no-anchoring zone but inside the check-and-clean controlled area. It is also the closest harbour to the Kaitoke Hot Springs Track. These shelter notes are general guidance, so check your chart and local knowledge before anchoring overnight.
Tryphena, in the south, is served by ferries from Auckland. Because Tryphena Harbour is a caulerpa high-risk zone, you can only anchor in its designated anchoring areas. Some private mooring owners hire out moorings, which can be a good option here.
Dark Sky Sanctuary. In 2017 Great Barrier became the first island in the world to be named an International Dark Sky Sanctuary. There is no mains electricity and no streetlights, so on a clear night at anchor the Milky Way is extraordinary.
Hirakimatā / Mt Hobson. From Port Fitzroy, follow Kaiaraara Bay Road to its end to start DOC's Kaiaraara Track to the summit. DOC suggests allowing 3 to 3.5 hours. The route passes the remains of an old kauri dam and ends with panoramic views.
Kaitoke Hot Springs. An easy DOC track of about 45 minutes runs from Whangaparapara Road to natural hot pools. The water can be hot in places, and DOC advises not putting your head under.
Off-grid island. Homes and businesses make their own power and there are only a few grocery stores. Plan ahead and take your rubbish with you.
Great Barrier sits comfortably inside the usual survey limits for the YachtShare fleet, which generally run from Whitianga to the Bay of Islands. Every yacht in the fleet can make the trip, though for a passage this long a larger yacht makes life easier. The Beneteau Oceanis 41 'Schonica', Dufour 412 'Incognito' and Dufour 520 'Zen' have the room for several days away, and the Fountaine Pajot Orana 44 catamaran 'The Bach' is a stable, spacious base for a group. Experienced crews will enjoy the J/112e 'Oro Rosa' on the crossing. A Leopard 45 catamaran is joining the fleet soon.
Bookings can run up to 14 days, so a Barrier trip with spare weather days fits in one booking, and the 35-day plan suits members who want several long trips a year. See membership options. Our 24-hour support line is there while you are away.
Planning note: distances and sailing times on this page are approximate and will vary with the yacht, route, wind and sea state. Always check current charts, the marine forecast, Biosecurity New Zealand caulerpa maps and local notices before you set out.
YachtShare is a Maritime NZ MOSS-certified operator, and every yacht is fully maintained between outings, so you can focus on the trip. Plans start from $880/month + GST.
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