Saturday, 1st November

A leisurely start to the day with light winds predicted early - good excuse for a nice hot shower and breakfast.  Barrington the Merciful arrived mid-morning with some home baking (Thanks, Ruby!) and we headed off just before midday.

The plan was to head toward the Mokohinau Islands to explore and then perhaps on to the Barrier (Aotea) later - winds permitting.

Light westerlies had us on a broad reach and Bru the Tiller Pilot took over duties with minimal fuss as we took our ease.  

Leaving the 'Hen and Chickens' to the South, the cliffs of the rugged Mokohinau coast hove into view.  It looked like there was, according to Pickmeres, limited anchorages amongst the rocky defiles - particularly for craft with keels!

We arrived early evening and motored through Edith Passage to check out "the Landing" and "Maori cove" - both of which failed to inspire and looked untenable for us.  Back to the
"Arch" - a beautiful and dramatic cove almost surrounded by high cliffs with a narrow north-facing entrance.  A little but of 'rock and roll' from left over swell was still present but we hunkered down for the night feeling reasonable secure...   a fine chicken Pad Thai was enjoyed by SkipperG and First Mate Canny

Around 2200 the swell became noticeable more pronounced and we could feel an onshore 

breeze causing some angst being on a lee shore with nowhere to go.  

So, Plan B quickly was enacted as we donned lifejackets and night-lights, hauled anchor and followed our previous track back through Edith passage and set course for Aotea, a distance of 22 nm.  A bright half-moon gave us plenty of light to see and we raised the genoa in 5-8 kts of westerly and edged our way at 3-4 knots across the open sea toward Port Fitzroy.

It was difficult to stay awake and keep focus as the night grew colder and visibility dropped.

The sea was a tumbled mess of westerly and northerly swells and produced an awkward motion with, at times, not enough breeze to steady us.

By 0200 hrs we were within sight of the mountainous terrain of Aotea as the moon set in the west... the night darkened perceptibly and we edged our way into the bay with all gps systems firing.  Just inside the entrance was a welcoming Nagle Bay, sheltered from the west and north and we gratefully dropped anchor after slowly inching forward into the head of the bay around 0300 hrs.  

Welcome deep and lasting sleep followed soon after...

Sunday, November 2nd

Understandably it was a leisurely start to the day as we woke around 0900 to a gorgeous sunny morning.  A bacon and eggs breakfast and some afternoon fishing off the inflatable outside the heads filled out the day (caught 4 - only one legal size!)

Late in the day we headed around the bay to Port Fitzroy with rain predicted (and fulfilled) last night with strong Northerlies whipping around the steep surrounding hills sending us every which way and rattling the cages most of the night...