Sailing to Auckland before Christmas 09.

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Some photographs from Hakura's trip from Whangarei to Auckland on 23/24 December last year.

I was captain, and crew was Campbell Nicol and Sam Morrison (from Wales now on Ianthe in Tonga).

Set sail from the Town Basin Marine in Whangarei at 1800 on Wednesday 23rd for an overnight trip to Auckland.

Not the best start as I managed to ground Hakura in the mud three times in the first couple of miles of the trip. The last grounding was the best. We were stuck for an hour and a half, so I cooked dinner for the crew. Only a slight lean.

We cleared Whangarei Heads just before midnight. No wind to speak of so a stead overnight motor. We took shifts on the helm and in the bunks. A very pleasant night.

With the sun rising over Little Barrier Island it was a great morning as we motored passed Cape Rodney.

Shortly afterwards a school of common dolphins arrived and played around the bow for the next hour.

As the sun rose higher in the eastern sky more and more fizzboats game out for a last minute pre-Christmas fish. They were everywhere.

About midday we were off Mission Bay in Auckland and after a couple of donuts to say hi to Nana we headed towards Westhaven Marine.

A great trip all round.

Thanks Campbell and Sam.

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