Once again... .... such a great blog. Lovely to read of your adventures. You wont be wanting to come home really - and who could blame you both. Take care and happy sailing.
Thank you I have enjoyed your narative and look forward to the next
Happy Birthday for the 28th Doug.
Still remember you taking me out for my 50th.
That was 29 years ago.
Cheers David
Awsome Sounds like you are haingh a great time, but i guess there is still a lot of hard work required to keep things running have a grea time and safe sailing
Memories.... ....and you are certainly making plenty of those! Lovely to read about so many places I have been - and those I have not (yet) been. The trip sounds wonderful and as you bid farewell to one crew member and welcome two 'new' old crew members, I wish you all safe travels, tummy-rumbling laughs and memories to last a life-time.
enjoyed again HI Doug and Lorraine
Your update came thru again in time for my morning coffee - there has to be esp or something there!!! Glad to hear little buckie is so reliable.
Also so pleased for you that you have had some lovely times up there. Great to hear that some parts of the reef are being restored to their former glory. Poor Ethelred and what a nuisance for you all. But I am very impressed at your efforts to take control of her Lorraine.
All talk down here needless to say is all blacks and rugby - we don't seem to be getting the overseas news like normal times. And Te Puke of course is still full of PSA stories with many orchardists and Zespri waiting to see what the bud burst brings. If it is all bad news then we are going to be living in a very sad little town.
I hope you continue to enjoy your travels.
Love to all
Janet
Hello from Te Puke Hi there Doug and Lorraine - just read your blog over my morning coffee.Hopefully now you are all fit and well and topping up on the tans. You do have some eventful stories to tell - am glad you are now relaxing and enjoying a break and time out. - I guess it must initially feel strange to be on terra firma again.
Cold snap due again with snow on the Desert Rd supposedly today. Certainly it is cooler that the last few days, but spring is here - daffodils everywhere and willow trees just starting to burst out in leaf and our plum tree is following them too. The hens are laying well again and despite the southerly winds one does feel like it really is spring at last. Enjoy the rest of your crusing and good luck for the trip home again.
Finally So pleased to hear from you & comments. We got your text & I have been talking to Jeanne so knew you had survived the trip. Hope all in good health now & keeping on track for more adventures.
adventure + wow you guys really are having some adventures arnt you glad to hear you made it safely (thanks for the text too Gago) and are getting some sun. way to go Captain, sounds like you are doing a fantastic job looking after everyone! enjoy the sunshine lots of love Casey, Glenn, Joel, Brodie and Jack. XOX
wow!! my eyes have been bulging as have read your latest. Well done all of you.Such a cushy life I lead here in lil old Paeroa!
Bruce has just been talking to Doug and sounds like you are all go for heading out again.
Good sailing and may your 'Buckie' not overflow!!I leave on Fri 5 Aug-11 Aug for Samoa holiday with my blisters. Should be fun. sad but my sister Sue's Alzheimers is taking more of a hold as we see more of her thinking and coping strategies declining. But she has her good days.We are determined to enjoy as much as we can now-not'soon'.
Sorry I wont meet up with u in samoa . Will lk 4wd to reading your latest when back in NZ.
cheers. Hv printed off yr blog and posting it to Dorothy.She loves getting mail
cheers for now Frances
albratrosses and little buckies - what more can you ask for loved the blog - felt like i was right there with you - and definitely feeling affinity with you lorraine on little buckie. Hope you are out of NZ again soon
Little Bucket Wow what a story teller you are Lorraine - I sat here reading this on my laptop with my body taking an independant moment to rock and roll thru the waves with you - I hope you are going to write a book one day. And I guess little bucket is a hero - imagine the story he can tell!!!!
Good to hear tho that the Captain did the wise thing and despite all you made it back to shore safe and sound. I think you were all so brave. The weather here has been horrible so it must have been scary at sea.Lets hope the weather lets up and you get your well earned trip to Fiji.
Love and hugs all round
Janet
GUDAY HI Seems as though you all have been having "fun" on your first sailing trip. Not to worry though, all jokes aside, you are in good hands. Relax and enjoy the trip.
Wild ride Wow, what a story and so well told. Words aptly described the drama, the beauty of the wild seas, the heroics of Little Buckie...Well done all of you.
Yahooooooo Thanks for the farewell call. (Drew me to your blog and hadn't read #2 and therefore didn't realise you had injured yourself. Hope all well with that.) Will be thinking of you and look forward to the next blog from the Islands. Travel safe dear friend, The Captain, and Alex, the new crew.....
So excited for You guys and so Jealous! Love the blog!!! AM going to enjoy keeping up with you travels, just wish i was going! Going to let Joel know and keep him updated, i think he will enjoy it too! best of luck and have a great time. love ya's!!XOX
good timing Hi Lorraine and Crew of Hakura,
the timing of me receiving/reading your blog couldn't be better. it put a big smile on my face and that was just what the doctor ordered with deadline on first 'gloos' issue looming. great to hear you are all taking the slight delay in your stride. I hope you sail off safely soon and can't wait to read about your next adventures.
ciao and take care!!
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!
love reading ur blogs dont stop writing please love it lived in hawaii for 3 years dream about sailing love hearin ur stories would love to sail with u some say keep in touch k nice u take young couples they will remember this forever!!!!! thanks again for sharing have plans to move to tonga or back to hawaii 920 392 1408 keep in touch k
Congrats!! Wonderful to read the last chapter of your voyage.All sounded quite cruisy.Good luck planning towards your next trip.
Neat to see you are living your dreams
Have printed this to give to Dorothy on Friday-she loves reading them.
cheers Frances
Nice One
Sitting here on a miserable Melbourne day after 2" rain in 24 hours(got to love that La Nina) reading your blog.
Had to laugh at you hitting the reef in Lautoka. We did the same thing 36 years ago...don't know if it was the same one but it was in the harbour on the northern side with the same murky water. Were not going as fast as you though!!
Looks like you all had a good time and trip back home, would love to go back to the Yasawas sometime.
Cheers,
Mike (what happened to the AB's, been here so long I'm nearly converted to the aussie cause.)
Hi, I'm Doug Nicol, and these are the stories about sailing around parts of New Zealand, some of the South Pacific and eastern Australia in my 36 foot yacht Hakura (Maori for Grey's beaked whale).
You may even be able to join me someday.
... full info
Di Elliffe
non-member comment
Great yarn
Hi Doug, Thanks for the great story. You and Owen are brave fellows!