Russell
The Bay of Islands is a tourist mecca with every type of water sport available in addition to a landscape that every photographer would die for! Unfortunately, the day we were there turned out to be cold, windy and gray, so I didn't take photos. Instead, we took a ferry across the bay to the town of Russell, which has a jaded past. In fact, it used to be called "The Hell Hole of the Pacific" because it became a gathering place for ex-convicts, escaped convicts, prostitutes, and other shady characters. Now, of course, the town plays upon its past as a tourist attraction.
The bay was lined with cafes, quaint hotels and shops and musicians entertaining the diners. We ate dinner here and enjoyed the tourists, the musicians and the sounds of the water and birds.
