Tourists were nowhere in sight on Auckland's Waiheke Island this morning, resisting the temptation to flout Alert Level 3 restrictions.
Some local boaties also ended up getting cold feet about their decision to head out on the water on a beautiful winter's day.
The ferry terminal was bereft of crowds, with just a small group of mask-wearing locals coming home.
It was unusual for the island, just a 40 minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland and popular with day-trippers - particularly in lockdown.
But today, people appear to be behaving.
Liz from the Shed 36 café at Matiatia wharf said it had been extremely quiet this morning.
“No, it doesn’t seem like there are tourists, just locals and they are all wearing masks,” she told 1 NEWS.
Nearby, however, three Argentinians who live on the island, were launching their dinghy at the boat ramp.
They told 1 NEWS they were heading out for some coastal site-seeing around the island to take videos to send home.
They said they believed they were adhering to rules because they were in a bubble.
“We thought that was Level 4, we didn’t know we couldn’t,” Frank said.
“We live in the same household, we are just going to take some pictures.”
The trio ended up deciding against going boating and left the ramp.
Last weekend, locals were fuming when hordes of tourists arrived during Level 3 restrictions to explore the island.
Waiheke Local Board chairwoman Cath Handley told NZME, “we don’t want them here”.
"Tell them to stay off our island or I'll be down at the wharf to meet them with my pitchfork," she said.
Security and police presence has increased on both sides of the ferry ride, with people being asked to show documentation for reasons for travel.
Under Alert Level 3, Aucklanders must continue to stay within their household bubbles whenever they are not at work, going to the supermarket, for medical reasons, or exercising.
You can visit a beach or regional parks but people are being told to go to the one nearest their home.
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