On my way back from Paihia in the Bay of Islands late this afternoon, I decided to take a little detour down to Opua before the drive back to Auckland. Opua is best known as the departure point for the car ferry to Russell and it's a superbly casual arrangement that epitomises laid-back Northland. No booking is required, simply drive down to the wharf, park your car in the assigned lane and wait. When the ferry arrives, the ramp comes down, you drive on board and away you go - first in queue, first on board. Easy! The ferries depart approximately every ten minutes between 6:40am and 9:50pm.
The ferry just pulling out when I arrived was packed full - clearly this is a popular way of getting across the bay to the historic village of Russell. The alternative is to take the turnoff just north of Kawakawa and drive around the edge of the bay, but it takes a fair bit longer and, hey, sitting back and relaxing in your car as you cruise across the water sounds pretty relaxing. Of course, if you're travelling without a car, you can always catch a passenger ferry from Paihia to Russell.
Opua is the main port of the Bay of Islands and it's home to a modern 240-berth marina complete with yacht club and marine maintenance services. A number of charter companies also operate out of Opua, offering sail-yourself or skippered yachts for charter. If you're looking for a place to say in this peaceful little port, check out the self-contained accommodation at Crows Nest Villas or The Boathouse, or boutique lodge accommodation at Cliff Edge by the Sea.
