Port Opua – New Zealand’s largest clearance port – has added nearly 150 new berths to its Bay of Islands Marina as part of a $12 million expansion programme.

A limited number of the new berths are available for sale, with the rest scheduled for long- and short-term leasing. Marina manager Paul Stringer says the expansion is designed to cater for the changing demands and sizes of visiting boats.

“There’s been a significant increase in the number of catamarans making their way across the Pacific to New Zealand. We now provide the largest number of multi-hull berths in the country, along with a substantial pool of 16m-plus monohull berths.”

Berth sizes start at 10.5m, but including those available at the commercial wharf, vessels up to 50m LOA can be accommodated. Depths within the marina range from 2m – 11m at mean low water. The marina office allocates an appropriate berth for each vessel. All berths are equipped with four mooring lines, water and power.

The expansion project includes new facilities, apartments, shops, offices and a recreational area. These have all helped to position the marina not only as a world-class haven for visiting yachties, but also a community centre for Opua.

The waterfront recreational area features lawns, native plants, a boardwalk and a landscaped area with seating, barbeques, a performance and entertainment stage and a play zone for children.

A café/restaurant, hot showers, a laundry, pump-out facilities, a diesel fuel dock, wi-fi and postal services are all part of the marina’s service package. Live-aboards are very welcome.

BOATYARD FACILITIES
The adjacent Port Opua Marina Park is home to a wide array of marine services – all within walking distance. These include a 50-tonne, 5.2m beam travel lift and a 100-tonne, 9.7m beam slipway for vessels up to 35m. Boatyard services include shortor long-term hardstand, floating work berths, on-site painting and anti-fouling.

Boat builders and riggers, painters, refrigeration crews, mechanics, electronics, chandlery, car hire, insurance and boat brokers and storage facilities are all stationed on site.

Opua is five minutes by road from Paihia, the heart of the Bay of Islands. It is 20 minutes from Kerikeri and the Bay of Islands Airport, and just a short water crossing from historic Russell.