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Published: June 30th 2011
Captain’s Log: Hakura on hardstand for ten days for cleaning and painting.
Motored from Whangarei Marina at 1630hrs, 26 June 2011, via Limestone Island out to Whangarei Heads and then under single reefed main sailed north before a southerly of around 10 – 15 knots till off Tutukaka where wind swung to west so a small part of the headsail was unfurled. We continued to sail up the coast in a north northwest course towards Cape Brett. Engine started about 2.5 hours south of Cape Brett due to lack of wind. Motored through Bay of Islands to Kerikeri Yacht Club. Arrived 13.30hrs, 27 June 2011. Motored across to Opua Marina on Wednesday. Distance covered, 91 nautical miles.
Crew Comment:
First sailing experience: Night at the helm. The sun has just set and what better time to turn the wheel over to me, the almost entirely inexperienced crew member, with the only instructions being, “follow the buoys.” Mental note: The marker with the solid green light, not a channel buoy according to the keel, denotes a sand bar.
Outside of the harbour, the captain reefed the main sail. This action required me to steer into shore, so as
to reduce pressure from the wind. As I watch the lighthouse and the blackness of the land getting closer he finally yells “on course” and to my relief, and the relief of my jaw that had been clenched for who knows how long, I get to turn out towards more open water.
My teeth were not spared there though as I continued to man the helm through the darkness. Having the only indication that the coast was way to close for comfort were the lighthouses and the black areas that occasionally passed my peripheral vision. The real test of my nerves came when the captain went below deck to leave me at the wheel for half an hour or so but only after he had concerns over keeping course and wind in the sail. After a night of worry though we successfully make it to the Bay of Islands.
No 1 – The Bigger Picture
It’s time for another adventure! This time I decided I did not want to miss any of it, so signed on for the whole trip (God help me – I have no idea what I am letting myself in for!!! –
this sentiment has also been expressed by the Capt). So this is the first blog account of our 2011 adventure. We are bound for Niue, Tonga, Samoa, Wallis and Fortuna, and finally a month cruising the islands around Fiji – I know, I know – its hard! But someone has to do it and it might as well be us!
Getting ready has been a mammoth effort – my house had to be emptied again, just as I was starting to settle in, and cleaned from top to bottom for prospective tenants. It’s a BIG house! And the boat had to be taken out of the water to have her bottom washed and new coatings of antifouling applied. The Captain took care of this side of things while I cleaned the house - then it was all hands on deck to get the final packing done.
The days were exceptionally full getting things organised right up to the last minute. When I finally joined the boat last Friday, preparation work was still being carried out, there was not a spot anywhere to sit down, tools were everywhere, nothing had been stowed and the boat appeared to be in
complete disarray. After cleaning a house for three weeks to the point where my hands were cracked and bleeding, arriving on the boat was not the best of moments I can tell you.
A few weeks ago we advertised in the youth hostels for crew to come with us as far as Tonga. Scott Hoos made contact and after a meeting with the Capt, then sitting through a lunch that was more like a job interview with both the Capt and I, we all decided that Scott would be ideal. Scott is 23, from Florida and on a bit of an adventure. He had hoped to work in NZ, but the timing was not right for the sort of job he would normally pick up. So, for the time left before our departure he joined me at the house and did a great job assisting with some of the maintenance that needed doing, which proved a great help all round.
So, when I joined the boat it was a very calm Scott who informed me quietly that he was sure it would all come together in time. And he was right of course. With another big effort and
all hands on deck, by lunchtime Saturday we were ready to entertain the people Doug had been working with, then my friends and work mates in the afternoon. Thanks to all who came by – it was lovely to see you.
Sunday, the day we were due to leave, saw more work being done on the boat (auto helm being fixed and reinstalled) and provisioning still not accomplished. This was finally done in the afternoon at Pac n Save, and then while I took the Captain’s car out to its resting place for the duration of the trip, Scott and the Captain got all the provisions on board. When I was returned to the boat, courtesy of my friends and neighbours the Mouatt’s, we finally set off on our adventure with Judy singing and Ian waving us off as we headed out of the marina and into the harbour bound for the Bay of Islands.
Short lived though this was. Just clear of Whangarei city the extraordinarily lovely, brave and composed No 1 threw a minor hissy fit, because we were back to being in total disarray - provisions covered every available space in the cabin with no
The first fish
Crew Scott and Cap'n Doug enjoying Te Puna Inletapparent place to put them. While the Captain stood stoically at the helm negotiating the tricky channel that heads out of Whangarei Harbour, we (the crew) were gamefully trying to find spaces to stow all the food. With weather threatening 25 – 35 knots and very rough seas promised once out of the shelter of the harbour, and knowing how things that are loose can move around, I confess I had a minor melt down. It did not help that we had not had time to eat since breakfast so energy levels were low for everyone. With an all-nighter ahead of us, and with us all being exhausted after the huge efforts we had put into getting house and boat prepared I think we all needed a good meal and to be able to face the night with an organised boat.
The Captain, bless his little woollen socks, stopped the boat by Limestone Island (about 1/3 of the way out of the harbour), put down the anchor and while a meal cooked merrily away on the stove, he directed us to the spots on the yacht that we were not aware of for storage. And everything was shipshape in
short order - bunks were made up, and everything made ready for the first leg of our voyage – from Whangarei to the Bay of Islands. Our intention was to clear customs in Opua on Tuesday and then lay course for Nuie. Scott has not done any sailing before so this gave him a chance to get his hand in, plus we could test the new sails and generally make sure everything was in working order.
I headed down to my bunk before we even cleared the harbour, and Scott was given his first real sailing lesson by ‘his nibs’, as they put up sail and we left the harbour and headed north. (I am not supposed to mention the minor excitement we experienced when we ran into a sandbank in the harbour – which we cleared almost as quickly as we had run into it though I think Scott was almost ready to abandon ship until we explained that we had done exactly the same thing in times gone by!) The rough seas did not eventuate, nor did the winds – and with what wind there was behind us, it was an extremely smooth trip.
When the Captain woke me at 4.45am to get ready for my watch, the wind was dying, the sea was smooth and the crescent moon to the east sat clear in the night sky. Within half an hour the motor had to go on because the wind had died completely away, and I motor sailed the yacht towards the lighthouse, which stands on Cape Brett. It was cold! I had not been able to get warm below and in the cockpit it was even colder! The Captain provided me with possum wool mittens so my hands were the only part of me that were anywhere near warm as I greeted the clear crisp morning. I watched the sun come up – the magnificence of this event at sea never fails to move me, it is a sunrise like no other – and to experience it on my first watch of this trip was a great sign.
Just after eight, the men were woken. We needed a change of course to lay in towards Kerikeri Inlet, and a hearty breakfast of bacon, left over veg, and egg was in order to combat the cold. Having eaten well and consumed a hot drink I was soon back in my bunk leaving the Captain to show Scott the delights of the Bay of Islands from the water.
Good friends Owen and Beth Smith picked us up from the Kerikeri Yacht Club breakwater where we tied up, and took us up to their beautiful home which overlooks the Kerikeri inlet. My son Alex had contributed a leg of mutton to the boat which we took with us and after spending a delightful afternoon with Beth (who is recovering from a near fatal encounter with Legionnaires disease) and Owen, who cooked a magnificent roast, eight of us sat down to enjoy Alex’s mutton (thanks Alex) before we headed back to the boat and an early night for which none of us needed any rocking.
The weather forecast has severe weather systems occurring that could effect us adversely so we are now leaving next Monday rather than face 50 knot winds! (I must admit that I did begin to breath again when this decision had been made). As we publish this blog we are sitting in the Opua marina… relaxing. We came here after spending two nights sitting in a small cove in the Te Puna inlet, protected from the severe weather. We spent the time pre-cooking meals and freezing them in preparation for the trip and fishing (you will see the photo of the first catch, which will make good bait) – the Captain is hardly now able to fit his head in the cabin because he caught the first fish, which is also the largest and he has caught the most fish to date!!! (I sincerely hope Scott or myself can land something soon or he just wont be worth being around).
We arrived at the marina late yesterday afternoon, and enjoyed a meal at the Cruising Club – it was nice to meet other ‘yachties’; there are several boats here ready to make the journey north. Today we have been able to get all the laundry done and the last of the chores completed. Tomorrow we will head out into the Bay and try to catch some fish (please Lord, let Scott or myself catch something to at least equal the Captains current record!) and enjoy the company of family who are coming through to take advantage of the our delay and spend some time with us. My niece, Emma, and her two gorgeous boys came onboard this afternoon (lovely to see you all). So while the delay in departure for the islands has been inconvenient, we have been able to recharge very depleted batteries while spending some relaxing and social time, and it has given us time to work and live together as team – which is all going well thus far.
We hope to be away on Monday after which you can expect our next instalment in about 2-3 weeks time. Because of the delay in departure, we have decided not to go via Niue, but will head straight to Vava’u, Tonga. Let the games begin!!!!
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Jude
non-member comment
Go Hakura!
Sounds like a busy, yet near perfect, start to the trip - specially the sunrise and the fishing! You need it to be cold in NZ waters so you can fully appreciate the gradual warming up as you head north. Go Hakura!