Nice 12lb snapper for dinner

Diving at Whanagarei Heads

 

Crayfish for Dinner! 

Explore Whangarei Heads

 Looking down from Mt Lion Track onto Smugglers Bay

 Top of Mt Lion Looking out towards the Poor Knights Islands

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser
Breakaway Retreat
1856 Whangarei Heads Rd
RD4 McLeod Bay
Whangarei
New Zealand

Ph 09 4340711
Mobile 02102622457
www.breakawayretreat.co.nz
www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/BreakawayRetreatWhangarei

Guest Reviews for Breakaway Retreat

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser
Breakaway Retreat - Qualmark 4 Star Plus Luxury Accommodation
1856 Whangarei Heads Rd
RD4 McLeod Bay
Whangarei
New Zealand

Ph             09 4340711      
Mobile 02102622457
www.breakawayretreat.co.nz
www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/BreakawayRetreatWhangarei

Dolphins at Whangarei Heads

A large pod of dolphins came into Whangarei Harbour today and came right beside the boat to check us out.

These Dolphins often visit us at Breakaway.  We never get tired of seeing them.

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser
Breakaway Retreat - Qualmark 4 Star Plus Luxury Accommodation
1856 Whangarei Heads Rd
RD4 McLeod Bay
Whangarei
New Zealand

Ph             09 4340711      
Mobile 02102622457
www.breakawayretreat.co.nz
www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/BreakawayRetreatWhangarei

Fishing at Whangarei Heads

              Some good size Kahawai can be picked up in and around reef systems over the summer

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser
Breakaway Retreat - Qualmark 4 Star Plus Luxury Accommodation
1856 Whangarei Heads Rd
RD4 McLeod Bay
Whangarei
New Zealand

Ph             09 4340711      
Mobile 02102622457
www.breakawayretreat.co.nz
www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/BreakawayRetreatWhangarei

What our Guests have been saying - Breakaway Retreat

                                      Guest Comments November and January 2012

            Guest Comments January 2012

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser
Breakaway Retreat - Qualmark 4 Star Plus Luxury Accommodation
1856 Whangarei Heads Rd
RD4 McLeod Bay
Whangarei
New Zealand

 

Ph             09 4340711      
Mobile 02102622457
www.breakawayretreat.co.nz
www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/BreakawayRetreatWhangarei

Orca's at Whangarei Heads

These Orca came right up to the boat and checked us out amazing sight!

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser

Breakaway Retreat - Qualmark 4 Star Plus Luxury Accommodation

1856 Whangarei Heads Rd

RD4 McLeod Bay

Whangarei

New Zealand

 

Ph 09 4340711

Mobile 02102622457

www.breakawayretreat.co.nz

www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/BreakawayRetreatWhangarei

Whangarei Heads - Whangarei: Love It Here

Whangarei Heads - Whangarei: Love it Here! 

- Laurence Berry  

Local artist, Laurence Berry, shares his love of Whangarei Heads in this short video clip.   Video clip was created by Whangarei: Love it Here.

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser

Breakaway Retreat - Qualmark 4 Star Plus Luxury Accommodation

1856 Whangarei Heads Rd

RD4 McLeod Bay

Whangarei

New Zealand

 

Ph 09 4340711

Mobile 02102622457

www.breakawayretreat.co.nz

www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/BreakawayRetreatWhangarei

A perfect winters day at Whangarei Heads - Perfect for fishing, diving, walking or visiting many of our gorgeous beaches at Whangarei Heads.

A perfect winters day here at Breakaway Retreat, Whangarei Heads? The weather is perfect for fishing, diving, walking or visiting many of our gorgeous beaches at Whangarei Heads or relaxing on the deck enjoying the views. We have had the pleasure of seeing Orca's passing several times this week.

Are you looking for accommodation for your diving trip to The Poor Knights Islands. Breakaway Retreat is only 1 hour drive from your departure point. Stay in luxury and enjoy a long hot soak in the spa bath after your dive.

To book your accommodation for your diving trip email us at: breakaway@breakawayretreat.co.nz

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser

Breakaway Retreat - Qualmark 4 Star Plus Luxury Accommodation

1856 Whangarei Heads Rd

RD4 McLeod Bay

Whangarei

New Zealand

Ph 09 4340711

Mobile 02102622457

www.breakawayretreat.co.nz

www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/BreakawayRetreatWhangarei

Whangarei Heads - Accommodation on the water - another beautiful day for kayaking at Breakaway Retreat

Another spectacular day here in Northland. Breakaway Retreat offers their guests use of two kayaks and a dinghy to explore the Whangarei Harbour and Bream Head Coastal area.

To book Breakaway Retreat for your winter escape email us at breakaway@breakawayretreat.co.nz.

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser
Breakaway Retreat - Qualmark 4 Star Plus Luxury Accommodation

1856 Whangarei Heads Rd

RD4 McLeod Bay
Whangarei

New Zealand

Ph 09 4340711
Mobile 02102622457
http://www.breakawayretreat.co.nz/
http://www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com/

facebook: Breakaway Retreat Guest House - Whangarei Heads Accommodation

Hen and Chicken Islands

View of Hen and Chicken Islands from top of Mt Manaia.

The Hen Island from Smugglers Bay.

Hen Island
Hen Island, or Taranga lies separate from the rest of the chain, lying seven kilometres to the southwest. It is the largest island by some considerable margin, totalling 4.7 km². Long and thin, it has a length of six kilometres and an average width of under 1000 metres. A remnant of a 4 million year old volcano, the island is dominated by a rocky ridge reaching to over 400 metres at its highest point, called The Pinnacles.

The Hen Island from Ocean Beach.
View of Hen Island and Sail Rock from Peach Cove.

Sail rock, a stack, rises from the ocean three kilometres to the south of Hen Island. It is a prominent navigational point for yachts.
The Chicken Islands
The Chicken Islands, or Marotiri consists of a chain of five small islands running northwest to southeast to the north of Hen Island. The chain consists of Wareware and Muriwhenua Islands (together forming the North West Chicken), Mauitaha (also known as West Chicken), Lady Alice Island (also known as Big Chicken or Motu Muka), Whatupuke (also known as Middle Chicken), and Coppermine Island (also known as Eastern Chicken).

Muriwhenua and Wareware Islands (Northwestern Chickens)
These two are small rocky islands covering 30,000 m².

Lady Alice Island (Big Chicken or Motu Muka)
This island is named after Lady Alice Fergusson (wife of Sir Charles Fergusson, Governor General of New Zealand, 1924 – 1930), and is the largest of the five chickens. It is of particular significance because of its flora and fauna. The island covers 1.4 km² and is surrounded by rocky reefs. It was occupied by Māori until the 1820s, and was used as a base for fishermen in the 1890s. Cattle were introduced at about this time, but were removed in the 1920s.

Whatupuke (Middle Chicken)
Formerly known as Whakahau, this island is composed of a large eastern section and a peninsula to the southwest. The coast of this peninsula forms one of the chain's main land features, a 300 metre wide bay (Starfish Bay). The island covers 1 km², and is steep, rising to 234 metres.

Coppermine Island (Eastern Chicken).

Coppermine island covers an area of 750,000 m². It is composed of two sections joined by a short isthmus. As the name suggests, there are copper deposits on the island, but attempts at mining them in 1849 and 1898 proved unprofitable.

West Chicken (Mauitaha) and Guano Island off Ocean Beach
This 200,000 m² scrub-covered rock lies one kilometre to the south of Muriwhenua. It is a rugged island, rising to 125 metres.

Information taken from Wikipedia.

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser

Breakaway Retreat - Qualmark 4 Star Plus Luxury Accommodation

1856 Whangarei Heads Rd

RD4

McLeod Bay

Whangarei

New Zealand

Ph 09 4340711

Mobile 02102622457

http://www.breakawayretreat.co.nz/

http://www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com/

facebook: Breakaway Retreat Guest House - Whangarei Heads Accommodation

Dolphins outside Breakaway Retreat, Whangarei Heads

We have been enjoying watching the dolphins passing Breakaway Retreat.

This is the second pod that were in the Whangarei Heads area this week.

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser

Breakaway Retreat - Qualmark 4 Star Plus Luxury Accommodation

1856 Whangarei Heads Rd

RD4 McLeod Bay

Whangarei

New Zealand

Ph 09 4340711

Mobile 02102622457

www.breakawayretreat.co.nz

www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com

fb: Breakaway Retreat Guest House - Whangarei Heads Accommodation

Sunset at Breakaway Retreat

Another great sunset at Breakaway Retreat. Taken on Anzac Day 2010.

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser

Breakaway Retreat - Qualmark 4 Star Plus Luxury Accommodation

1856 Whangarei Heads Rd

RD4

McLeod Bay

Whangarei

New Zealand

Ph 09 4340711

Mobile 02102622457

http://www.breakawayretreat.co.nz/

http://www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com/
fb: Breakaway Retreat Guest House - Whangarei Heads Accommodation

Another Perfect Summers day at Whangarei Heads

Beach at Breakaway

Great for swimming 22 degrees celsius in the water!

Mark & Sheelagh Prosser

Breakaway Retreat - Qualmark 4 Star Plus Luxury Accommodation

1856 Whangarei Heads Rd

RD4

McLeod Bay

Whangarei

New Zealand

Ph 09 4340711

Mobile 02102622457

http://www.breakawayretreat.co.nz/

http://www.breakawayretreat.blogspot.com/
Facebook: Breakaway Retreat Guest House - Whangarei Heads Accommodation

Dolphins at Whangarei Heads

Pods of dolphins are often seen in and around the whangarei heads Harbour.

Human Chain for conservation at Reotahi Marine Reserve

Human Chain for conservation at Reotahi Marine Reserve

The world’s first human chain around the world’s first student-driven marine reserve was a success today.

1005 Northland students, parents’ teachers and community members formed the chain around the landward boundary of the Whangarei Harbour Marine Reserve at Reotahi (Motukaroro) today.

The Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) programme, supported by the Department of Conservation, organised this event to celebrate conservation week and the reserves upcoming third anniversary.

Today saw months of planning come to fruition. We got through the day with no incidents, says EMR’s Nicki Wakefield, co-organiser and operations manager for event.
Boats marked the seaward boundary including Ingrid Vissors Orca Research and Dive Tutukaka’s ‘Perfect Day’.

Kerikeri Primary was one of 15 schools that made up the chain and travelled the longest distance. 40 Ngunguru School students had the most unique form of transport, with the journey from Tutukaka to Whangarei Harbour on board Perfect Day. Hundreds of students attended form Kamo High School, the original applicant of this reserve.

We achieved our goal today, all students, parents and community members will go home more aware of the reserve and its boundaries and a sense of pride and ownership of their marine reserve, says co-organiser and event controller Samara Nicholas.

“We had some incredible visitors to show their support for our event today, including a pod of dolphins and a seal, the Whangarei Harbour is truly a special place and worthy of this protection for future generations”

The presence of the helicopter created a lot of hype, it did take a few tries to coordinate over 1000 people to do a perfect Mexican wave, says Samara.

Schools that took part in the chain are encouraged to come back to and snorkel at the site with the EMR marine education programme. “The marine reserve is a fantastic education tool and the support for today’s event shows how interesting and valuable our marine reserves are for not just Northlanders, but all kiwis”

EMR also runs guided community snorkel days during the summer, co-organisers Samara, Kim and Nicki are past students of Kamo High School, which was responsible for the Whangarei Harbour Marine Reserve proposal.

“This marine reserve conserves unique marine biodiversity for the enjoyment of future generations. I am proud to have been involved in pulling off an event of this scale, it was a logistical nightmare, but our team from EMR and the support from DOC, Transfield and many other organisations made it possible” Mrs Nicholas says
“EMR works with schools and communities throughout New Zealand offering first-hand marine experiences and encouraging action for the marine environment. It's great to be a part of such a massive event that will draw attention to the boundaries of this marine reserve through a colossal amount of community teamwork and spirit” says Northland EMR coordinator and human chain co-chief organiser, Kim Boyle.

Children making their way to the reserve.

Getting ready to form the chain.

All photos supplied by Annelies Struijcken