Islands of the Gulf - Motuihe and Motutapu

Rangitoto's literal translation is "bloody sky", in memory of the night three peaks pushed up from the ocean bed. 

– Presenter Shirley Horrocks on Rangitoto Island's history, early in this episode

I really don't know how to explain it — when I get away from the environment of Earth, it does something to me. I've often said jokingly that it turns all the atoms around in my body and makes me feel a new man.

– Captain Fred Ladd on his love of flying

In the war, the army took possession of Motutapu . . . There's very little more derelict than a modern place of war.

– Presenter Shirley Horrocks on the rusting WWII army barracks on Motutapu Island, late in this episode

Shirley, I think I love all the islands and if I'd been a retiring man, I could [have] probably retired to an island, but flying is for me to the end of time. I haven't got retirement on my plan.

– Captain Fred Ladd on his favourite Hauraki Gulf island

The islands of the Gulf may be large as a pre-war Balkan kingdom or no more than a jagged dogtooth of rock.

– An example of the evocative language used by presenter Shirley Horrocks, at the start of this episode

In the years I have known Motutapu, it has always appeared to be rather short on trees, apart from a few lone Norfolks on the tops of hills and groves of karaka and pohutukawa along the shore, but latterly there has been considerable planting of native varieties in hopes of coaxing birds to live here in greater numbers. 

– Shirley Maddock, in her foreword to the 1983 edition of her book Islands of the Gulf

Without that ebullient and trail-blazing aviator, the indomitable Captain Fred Ladd, I doubt if the project would ever have left the ground!

– Shirley Maddock, in her foreword to the 1983 edition of her book Islands of the Gulf

Don Whyte was always behind the camera, and Shirley in the front. On occasions we got to go along for the ride with the infamous flying boat pilot Fred Ladd, whose task was to deliver Shirley and Don to every corner of the islands of the Gulf.

– Gwenyth Bellingham and Jocelyn Weatherall née Whyte, in their foreword to the 2017 edition of Islands of the Gulf