Living Up To Its Nickname

Crewing an America’s Cup 8-foot yacht, NZL41, on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour is the crowning glory of Edmonton Journal travel editor Karen Booth’s North Island trip. “With more than 1, private yachts, Auckland lives up to its nickname, City of Sails. Although our first choice would have been to take part in a match race, we’re content to settle for a two-hour harbour sail. We get a good upper-body workout as ‘grinders,’ winding the winches in pairs to either raise or lower the sails. Mother Nature turns on a stiff breeze as we sail directly beneath the Auckland Bridge. At one point, we’re even given the chance to take the helm for a few minutes.”