Bay of Islands Sailing Week begins tomorrow, and the Bay is already alive as boats start to arrive. Crews are settling into Opua, grabbing a moment to breathe, before attention turns fully to the week ahead.
The wider context is impossible to ignore. Wild weather across the upper North Island has made its presence felt, bringing an early end to the 2026 ILCA National Championships, also sailed in the Bay of Islands. Torrential overnight rain across parts of Northland forced the cancellation of the final day’s racing, a timely reminder of just how quickly conditions can change. With more unsettled weather in the forecast, there is a strong sense that this year’s Bay Week will be dynamic, demanding, and at times unforgiving.
For crews still making their way north, the journey itself may already have been memorable. Some will have enjoyed a fast ride up the coast, others may have tucked into sheltered bays to wait things out. Either way, arrival in the Bay marks a shift in focus.
Weather always weighs heavily on organisers, but after 12 months of steady planning, the Bay of Islands Sailing Week race committee is ready. Sailing Instructions are live, and attention now turns to registration from 3pm to 5pm on 19 Monday January at Event HQ. By this time tomorrow, the Skippers Briefing will be underway, bringing the fleet together for the first official moment of the week. For many, it will also be the first proper catch up in nearly a year. Anticipation will be high, particularly if the weather has not settled by then.
On Thursday, once racing pauses, the social heart of the regatta takes over. The Bay of Islands Sailing Week Beach Party at Otehei Bay will see crews head ashore for live music, food, drinks, and a great time right on the beach. Proudly supported by Explore, it remains one of the standout moments of the week.
Racing gets underway on Tuesday morning, with the first warning signal scheduled for 10:25am. Bay of Islands Sailing Week is ready to begin.
