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...