24/04/2026
๐ A young sailorโs perspective on Westhaven, Auckland Central and Silo marinas
Last month, we had the pleasure of hosting Tamaki Ogasawara, an 18-year-old student researcher from Japan, as part of his Tobitate! Ryugaku JAPAN scholarship.
During his visit, Tamaki spent time immersed in marina life across our sites โ observing operations, meeting staff and berth holders, and experiencing Aucklandโs boating culture firsthand.
One of the things that stood out most to him was how active the marinas are on and off the water:
โI was surprised to see dedicated berths for charter operators and boat dealers. It made the marina feel like a very active commercial hub.โ
He was also struck by the hands-on role of marina staff:
โThe most interesting thing was seeing how often dockmasters are out on the waterโฆ and how they maintain such a friendly, helpful relationship with customers.โ
A highlight of his visit was assisting with a vessel berthing at Silo Marina โ a moment he said made him feel part of the crew.
Now back in Japan, Tamaki is taking these insights home to help inspire the next generation of sailors.
We really enjoyed hosting him and wish him all the best for the journey ahead โ