Delightfully Relaxing

On board Russell’s new 46m-long catamaran Ipipiri, which offers overnight cruises around the Bay of Islands, The Sydney Morning Herald’s Rob McFarland learns about the town’s colourful past. “If you’d visited the town of Russell in the early 1800s, you’d have found a lawless outpost famous for its drunkenness, gambling and prostitution. Sadly, I couldn’t find any evidence of this but I did stumble across a fascinating museum and several excellent cafes,” McFarland writes. “After being welcomed on board by the boat’s smartly dressed crew, we tuck into a selection of warm, homemade blueberry muffins while ship’s master Robbie briefs us on safety. And then we’re off, cruising up the Veronica Channel past yachts, powerboats, dinghies and tall ships and admiring the decadent holiday homes on the tree-lined foreshore. We anchor for the night in Parekura Bay and while the boat gently rocks on its mooring, everyone congregates at the bar for a pre-dinner drink.”