Former super yacht captain, Fred Acke has a lifetime worth of sailing behind him and he still can’t keep his eyes off the sea.
Here he's doing so, not from the confines of a yacht, but from this sprawling resort-style home in the Whitianga Waterways, with his boat at the bottom of his garden.
Designed by MDS Designs, Auckland and built for the previous owner in 2016, this is where Fred put down anchor in 2019 after he sold Whitianga Ferries to retire. His home at 88 South Highway has four bedrooms, four bathrooms and two garages.
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And Fred has made it even better with the addition of a nine-metre dock for a 22m boat. It is, he says, longer than other docks around these parts.
“Attached to that statement is that this house and the dock is at the entrance to the waterway. It’s the first dock on the right hand side which is ideal for getting out of the waterways and out to sea” he says.
“Buying a dock on its own that size is beyond moonbeams but if you buy this house then you’ve got the dock.”
Fred runs his 12-metre trawler from his dock that is equipped with power and water, and which has a minimum depth of two metres at low tide. He has purposely kept his lawn unplanted because it’s low maintenance and perfect for washing down sails.
“It’s a blank canvas for anyone wanting to landscape it,” he says.
Close to the house itself, mature palms frame its low-slung form and the three wings that are the water-frontage looking back from the water. They remind him of Fijian bures and French Polynesia.
The vibe of the 321sqm house brings back memories of his 16 years living in the Caribbean, including his visits to Mustique, the island made famous by royals and celebrities.
Its three wings deliver water views to bedrooms and the central living area that extends to expansive outdoor dining. Its level entry design and open connections make it fully wheelchair accessible throughout.
“Stunningly designed, this home captures beautiful views, sun with central living, with a wing on each side that can be separated by sliding doors,” says Belinda Sammons, of Bayleys.
Its materials include asphalt roof shingles and cedar cladding. Antique oak flooring features throughout the living areas, with wool carpet in the bedrooms. Oak cabinetry is a feature of the tiled ensuites off each of the four bedrooms.
This home has been an enviable stopover for Fred. It has also reaffirmed his first impressions of New Zealand back in 1989 when he convinced his mother, a former safari expedition leader in Kenya, to put roots down here.
Now he has given in to the pull of the oceans once more. “I’ve got my eye on Europe and a boat, for one more lap of the world,” he says.
The property will be sold at auction on May 6.
