DOWN THE EAST COAST TO STEWART ISLAND
Timaru, the next stop after Akaroa, is an industrial port not really set up for yachts, but with the help of a keen local yachtie, we slotted between the half-dozen local yachts stern-tied to the seawall. At each port we would ask around and get the lay of the land and hopefully a contact for the next port.
Onwards to Oamaru, where the entrance to the harbour was for many years virtually closed off by shifting sands. We had been told it had been recently dredged and that by staying close to the inner western seawall there would be plenty of depth. In fact there was over four metres of water at half-tide.
Where Napier is famous for its Art Deco, Oamaru is renowned for its Victorian architecture.
The 1930s depression hit Oamaru hard and the recovery seen elsewhere never really happened until quite recently. This meant no money and no reason to demolish and replace the dated Victorian buildings that dominate the port area. It was a saving grace, resulting in a
