Matauri Bay
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Situated 30 km north of Kerikeri, in the Bay of Islands, Matauri Bay is one of the most beautiful places in New Zealand, with over a kilometre of beautiful white sand and crystal clear water. It is particularly popular in the summer when thousands flock there to stay in the local camping ground which can be seen at the left hand end of the beach in the photo (right).
Matauri Bay has a very special place in the history of New Zealand, with some of the first Polynesian navigators landing here, and also early contact with Europeans like the missionary Samuel Marsden in 1814.
[edit] Rainbow Warrior
The Rainbow Warrior was given a final resting place near Matauri Bay, at the Cavalli Islands. It has become a living reef, attracting marine life and recreational divers.
The idea was first proposed by the New Zealand Underwater Association. It seemed a fitting end for a ship that had spent its time protecting the marine environment.
It was towed north with a patched hull on 2 December 1987. Ten days later, a crowd of well-wishers looked on as it was given a traditional Māori burial. Now home to a complex ecosystem, the Rainbow Warrior has become a popular dive destination. The local Māori community maintains its kaitiaki (guardianship and conservation). In a few short years, the Rainbow Warrior became an integral part of the environment it helped protect.
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