 New Zealanders' passion for sailing is revealed by the huge number of craft out on the harbour at weekends and evenings, particularly in summer. Auckland is known as the 'City of Sails' and the opportunities there for the experienced sea-adventurer as well as the timid beginner are unrivalled. Day trips on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour are available year-round. Four-to-six berth yachts can be chartered for cruises of several days or weeks, and yachting schools are keen to impart their wisdom to visitors on short courses. Other destinations that offer charter yachts and excellent cruising grounds are the Bay of Islands north of Auckland, and Picton in the Marlborough Sounds, an extensive area of fiords at the head of the South Island. Many idyllic out-of-the-way places are best accessed by boat which provides a unique way to explore the country.
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