Kalai and Canny off the Cavalli's

Kalai1 - Youtube videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q_8fMB8844&list=UUtbCZsvFh7V4Wf-ngNYjkfg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSRLKWpNP6k&list=UUtbCZsvFh7V4Wf-ngNYjkfg

Whangaroa to Opua - brilliant sail!

Started the day up the mast... literally! Figured out how to work the 'Topclimber' and climbed up to clean the spreaders and fix the light.  Worked really well and not too difficult to climb.






























Headed off late morning to sail back to Opua into a building SE breeze that eventually reached 15-18kts.

Unfortunately it was from exactly the direction we wanted to head, so hence the number of tacks in the log today.

As you can see by the inclinometer at 30 deg, we had the old girl working today. She behaved impeccably!








All in all we sailed for 86 kms in just over 9 hours...

Saw some awesome sights along the way, and were welcomed home by a typical BoI sunset.

Great Island retreat!

Friends along the way...

Passing Roberton Island at sunset - only 12km to go!

Tired but happy and bellies filled tonight with a nice Green Chicken Curry prepared while motoring quietly up the estuary as darkness fell

Faces of Whangaroa...

Whangaroa tooling and tootling

Tootled down to the Whangaroa township in the morning and tied up to the dock at the Marina. Spent the day tooling away finishing the fiddle (main hatch) and dismantling the pushpit to professionally install the heavy 6mm wiring for the new solar panels which will be mounted on top od the Bimini - bit of a mission and easier to say than to do!  Should complete the installation today...

Motored down to PekaPeka bay in the north arm late afternoon for a swim and then explored the little canyon in the Rubber Ducky - involved some motoring, rowing and pushing!

Brilliant spot - surrounded by rocky defiles and sheer craggy cliffs...

Ahhh the serenity!

Some shots from the past two sunsets...

And a little cruise ship we passed back off Russell - evidently the "Cruise ship of the year" in 2011...

Whangaroa at last!

Arrived tonight at Whangaroa harbour after an all day (8 hr) sail in sublime conditions - a broad reach with a 15-18 kt SE up our date... Kalai behaved impeccably, and her crew just went along for the ride - 'Bru' the Tillerpilot steered most of the day!

Log Charts... off for a Coffee, waiting for Canny, couple more jobs

Sitting here watching all the big Stinkpots(aka power launches) heading out for the big Game Fishing tournament on today... the little 65 foot Riviera beside with Martin, a 'deckie' and two clients headed off an hour ago.

Have posted the charts from the past few days below, off for a coffee at Diane's then have a crack at replacing the hatch fiddle with the new one I made earlier

Canny due to arrive later today and then we will head off for three days, probably north to Whanagaroa, weather dependant... southeasterlies with a few showers Saturday predicted

Sailed, sailed and... well, sailed again!

Monday 17th

A few little jobs to do on Monday morning, including meeting Roger Hall from the North Saills loft who I had asked to come and assess the condition of the the two main sails. He turned out to be very experienced, knew the class of boats as he commented: “Laurie Davidson didn't design any slow boats...”

He agreed that the mainsail was poorly cut, but was worth re-shaping as it had had very little use. The head-sail was “an old girl” and will need replacing at some stage. I'll have to do some saving up for a new 'laminate' version.

Then it remained to fill the water tanks, check the supplies and cast off - it was time to stop preparing to sail and get out there!

Yesterday had given me an appetising hint of the difference a slippery bottom could make, and Kalai slid easily through the estuary waters into a building northerly. Reached across toward Kerikeri inlet then tacked north of Roberton through the gap – great sailing conditions so kept going out to Urupukapuka bay and anchored for late lunch.

Gun and Adele arrived on “Instep” in the afternoon and anchored nearby. Swam and tested out the new ladder, which works great. No trouble up and down and would certainly be more than adequate if one had to re-board from inadvertently  not being on board... 

G & A came over for drinks and nibbles and shared a few yarns – didn't cook tea until after 9 so just had an instant meal... 








...the full moon rising was magnificent!

Tues 18^th

Up early to catch some great sunrise shots... over the same hills from whence came the moon - go figure!

Another swim, in a balmy20.4 deg then a walk over the hill to Otehei Bay where I met 'Couta', the caretaker for DOC, and watched as he fed his "pet" snapper off the wharf - some of whom would have fed a family of five! Couta said he'd been there four years while  the dispute between DOC (Department of Conservation), 'Explore' and 'Fullers' is still unresolved as to who can use/lease the island facilities... crazy stuff!

Walked over the island then back for another swim... magnificent views from the top!

Heard some birds calling and took some shots of the flock of Pied Shags roosting in the Pohutakawa trees along the cliff-face... magnificent!

 G & A headed off,  then I left a bit later just under head-sail and met themnear Roberton Island.  "Instep", a Young88 (in shot on right)was under main and Gun hoisted the headsail and shot off through the gap east of Roberton, so I hoisted the main and gave chase (after I escaped the wind shadow!) and followed them all the way around the island and back to Pipi bay, staying about the same 3-400m distance behind... sometimes I'd gain and then a gust would see them shoot clear again.  The old girl went all right, even towing the dinghy we were making 6-6.4 knots reaching.

Pulled in to Pipi bay with only two other boats (later 8!)  Drinks and dinner on Instep – Adele had caught a snapper trolling - went well with the fresh sweet corn!

A new neighbour anchored out a little bit - couldn't quite get into Awaawaroa Bay...

Wed 19th

Sailed... lunch at, Paradise bay, sailed some more...home in the Marina tonight

Sailed Lusi's entrails,,,

The day just got better and better...

Not so much the calm after the storm, but at least the sun emerged around midday following three days of grey skies, strong winds and rain.

Feeling a little 'stir-crazy' after the enforced hibernation from Cyclone Lusi I decided to down tools and head for the open waters of the BoI.

Cruising towards Russell with a reduced headsail at 6-7 kts in a brisk NW breeze, I thought I'd check out the remnants of the storm beyond Tapeka Point... and had an exciting roller-coaster ride on the 4-6m swells still marching south with a 25 kt westerly getting me to Roberton Island in no time at all.

The new black skirt on Kalai must be a fashion success as first one then a second large dolphin surfed across the bow - just magic!

Pulled in to Roberton Island for a spot of lunch - not many boats out today except for the commercial operators doing their thing.  anchored next to Ipipiri as they entertained the tourists...

Wind began to head around to the west and I thought I better get going as it was going to be beating straight into the breeze heading back.  Set a reef in the main and sailed south off the anchor with 7/8 genoa unfurled, then a long beat back to Tapeka...

Really pleased how she handled 20-25kts, averaging 5.5.-6 kts hard on the nose.  Probably a little over-canvassed but Kalai stiffens up as she heels to around 20 deg without threatening to round up.

Wind began to ease as I cruised up the estuary, dropping the main and still making over 6 kts with the tidal assistance and a reduced head sail.  Ran the engine, which is going great, up to 3000rpm at which stage we were doing over 7 kts with the boarding platform fully submerged!

Back on dock around 1800hrs to be greeted by Gun and Adele, a mature age couple who had sailed up from Tauranga in their Young 88 last week and who had decided to wait out Lusi in a rented marina berth.  They invited me over for drinks in the cockpit, once I finished mounting the new boarding ladder on the platform - which, with a bit of fiddling and adjustments, turned out pretty well.  Will see if I can get back on board using it tomorrow!

Been reading a NZ novel "The Luminaries" by Eleanor Catton which has some synchronicity with my own forebears - the three Stewart brothers who emigrated from Scotland about the same time as the setting of this novel...

Serviced. blasted, scraped, sanded, painted and restored

Its been a very busy couple of days... as I sit here, secured with double lines to the dock awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Lusi sometime tonight...

WEDNESDAY 12TH:

Will the mechanic came Wed morning and I helped (i.e. watched, learned and provided good coffee) him service the engine in the morning.  All looks good in Yanmar world and we should be right for another year.

Barrington arrived at lunchtime and we motored around to Doug's Boat yard at 5pm in to coincide with high tide.  

Kalai was quite sluggish, with what looked like considerable growth under the waterline.  Considering I had scrubbed her a couple of months ago from the water, I was surprised.  Even more so when we hauled her out to discover young corals and seaweed attached!

Local yacht charters (was Rainbow, now Great Escape) share the wharf with the boatyard and Doug was ready with his workboat and cradle submerged in the water.  He guided us in and with some fiddling (a constantly emerging theme here!) we were secured and the long steel cable hauled us slowly up the slip.  A few more adjustments and a strop on her weighty bum, saw Kalai clear of the water and lodged halfway up the steep set of rails looking for all the world like a maritime version of the bearded lady. 

 Unfortunately the camera was on board as the 69 yr old pocket dynamo Doug asked me to "choose your weapon" from a selection of scrapers and spade as we set to work with water blaster and scrapers...

An hour later and the worst was removed and we were hauled further up the yard, rotated 90 deg on the ancient turntable (turned by hand winch and cable!) and then winched to our workspace for the night.  


Off to our little unit at Haruru Falls for the night, after a drink and nice curry at the Opua Cruising Club (OCC), with the prospect of an early start and a full day of fine weather, we hoped to get the boat sanded and two coats of anti-foul on...

THURSDAY 13TH

Up early and back to the yard soon after 8 to continue scraping and removing the "foundations' - bases of the corals that had attached themselves to the very thin and ineffective paint.  

The dry summer had produced increased nutrients and higher water levels resulting in unprecedented growth of 'passengers' on the hull (Note to self - don't leave it so long to do this next time!).  Hull was last painted Dec 2011, and from now on will be checked and re-coated annually...

Finished scraping and sanding mid-morning and shot around to the local cafe for some caffeine reinforcement before returning to apply making tape and then start the first coat around 1100 hrs...

A fruit and Biscuit lunch stop and then on with the second coat, finishing feeling a little weary and back-sore about 1530. Crawling around under the keel making sure every spot is painted will do that to ya!  But the finished result was beautiful!!!  Kalai in a new black skirt looked great!

Before

After

Doug arrived back around 1700 to back us down the slip in preparation for an early morning launch - yes, we checked and full tide was at 0625.  We promised to be back as we left Kalai sitting chocked inches short of her home element, forlornly waiting until morn to be once more 'at home' 

Up at 0530 and in the car to drive the 20min back to the boatyard where Doug was busy arranging cables and checking things by the light of his van headlights... By 0630 I was back on-board and motoring quietly in the stillness of pre-dawn light back to the marina, where I now sit watching the barometer continue to fall and await Lusi's coming!

E63 once again...

Well, as I sit gently rocking at my computer station on Kalai drinking a delightful Peppermint tea, it certainly has been an interesting couple of days!

Having spent Sunday tidying up some loose ends (and enjoying a delightful long curry lunch with C's workmates), I thought I had better check the flight time before sending a very early alarm for Monday morning.  Just as well, as the plane was more than two hours late leaving Dubai and wasn't expected to arrive in Melbourne until the relaxed time of 0835... it looked like my hopes of getting to Auckland early enough to catch my 5:15 pm Naked Bus were in serious jeopardy.  

Fortunately  the NB people had seats available the next morning, so I booked a contingency seat in case...

Naturally I woke several times wondering if by chance the plane had made up time and got up to check on the web around 0500... and promptly went back to sleep for a couple of hours.

Labour Day in Victoria meant very little traffic Monday morning - Cath's little coupé was barely impeded at all! 

Nearly 30kg's of luggage included two solar panels meant I was loaded up, but managed to get everything checked through OK.  

Sure enough we left Tullamarine over 2 hours behind schedule, arriving at Auckland right on1600hrs instead of at 1345.  I raced through Customs and was on a City Shuttle by 1645 and I thought, we could just about make it by 1715 to catch the bus... alas, rush hour meant that it was 1745 by the time I finally arrived and the bus was long gone.

I sat and had a coffee as I considered my options... R & R's place was all closed up and there was no reply to messages - I guessed they must have been away.   Fortunately I remembered that I also had Ryoko's mobile and she was on her way, walking home from work.

A delightful evening catching up and enjoying a meal together was great - even if I had to be up to catch the 0730  bus - which eventually arrived at 0800... must be a theme here?

The bus sure is a nice relaxed way to get North - plenty of seats and a chance to read/snooze.

Unloaded at Opua hill, loaded up the gear and set off - after getting 100m down the road a young lad, Andrew, pulled up in his ute and said "Jump in, mate!"  Door to door service ensued...

Everything looked pretty ship-shape and the canvas people had done a nice  job repairing and re-stitching the covers... but the growth under the waterline looked a bit ominous.  Turns out that there has been an unusually strong fouling of all the local boats - perhaps due to an increase in nutrients in the river?

Unpacked all the gear and headed over to JB marine to tee up the engine service for tomorrow, then over to Doug's boat yard to check all was OK for the haulout in the afternoon.  There's a nasty weather system heading this way from the islands with 60kt + winds anticipated and will arrive by the weekend, so we need to be finished and tied up tight back in the berth sometime Friday... hopefully in the morning!

Fitted two new led lights up for'ard, re-mounted the brass instruments on a new panel I had made - they look much better!  Picked up $500 (2 cans!)worth of paint that had been put aside for me - hopefully there will be some left over for next time!

Off to bed - busy couple of days ahead!

Pier to Perignon and the viral solution...

Today I ventured south to the delightful seaside suburb of Sorrento, ostensibly to compete in my 9th "Pier to Perignon" swim with my good buddy Ian.

I was in two minds as we left around 0730 hrs due to a persistent viral chest infection and a dry cough - not the best antecedents for a 4km ocean swim on a cool day and blustery conditions.

Discretion became the better part as I decided against risking a possible heart-valve infection (having had valve-replacement surgery I've become a little wary about placing undue stress on the body when viral).  So, with some grinding and gnashing of teeth, combined with some robust rationalisation... I took photos instead and tried to vicariously enjoy the day - which I did! 

Ian and I have a now fifteen year tradition of swimming this event and some years I have even trained for it!  Most of the time I rely on some regular kayaking for fitness, exercise bands and muscle memory.  It seems to work - I don't seem to go any faster when I regularly visit a pool beforehand....

Off to NZ on Monday - hope the cold is gone by then.

Pictures below tell the story of the day - Ian swam well for a young 65 yr old!!!

Ian looking a little anxious beforehand...

700 starters lined up

Ex-Premier Teddy Baillieu (who founded the swim)

Ian looking suitable exhausted

A Happy Finisher!