Day 46 Waipu to Pahia Bay of Islands NZ (Waipu Museum)

This is Betty Powell , chief geneoligist, Waipu museum and all round amazing person. The museum deals with the preacher Norman Macleod who convinced his flock of 940 Highlanders to leave Nova Scotia in 1850 (after already fleeing Scotland during te Clearances) to build boats and sail to New Zealand. In line with the rain and wind I was disappointed to find the museum closed for a mjor refurbishment but Betty on hearing I'm from Brora said one person on the boat was from there and one from Helmsdale. We sat for the next two hours going through it all.

Its an incredible journey which essentially involved a school teacher in Ullapool who dropped out of studying divinity in Edinburgh to preach his own message and in doing so challenge the establishment in the Highlands at the time. Largely criticising them for clearing people off the land to the barren coast so as to make way for sheep.

Norman was pushed out for speaking up and went to Nova Scotia where he was soon ordained as a minister and when the potato famine struck convinced his flock to move to New Zealand. There is so much more to the story but for brevity I've left it out here.

Betty and her colleague then showed me behind the scenes of the museum and this placque above caught my eye. I hope to trace the families of the individuals from my county when I get back home as they may not even be aware of the story. Since the 940 original immigrants (biggest infux ever in one got to NZ) some 60,000 descendants have arisen and Betty has recorded them all. Betty was quite open to say the museum is her passion and helped after the sudden but not unexpected death of her husband. I learnt a lot from Betty today and was impressed with everyones drive at the museum. I think this whole geneaology can get catchy!

Back to the car and headed North to the famous Bay of Islands and the Pickled Parrot hostel. Two words...rain and mist.