A beautiful calm night gave rise to a windless morning with some misty drizzle. I think that the vista from this bay (Pareanui) is one of my favourites as you look out due north through the encircling islands to the open ocean...
A daily course was agreed upon - keeping Nine-pin island to starboard and then return to Waiti Bay. Well, the best laid plans and very light winds meant that we didn't weigh anchor until after lunch so a mid-course change was made as we tacked through Oteihei passage with less than 0.4m under the keel... low tide through there is not tenable unless you draw less than we do (1.55m). Meanwhile Kalai was inching ahead on a light SE breeze and a conversation from Fenton on Channel 4 saw us agree to head straight to Waiti (Stingray) Bay, tacking through the channel with Kalai 300m ahead going into the Bay.
Hirondelle was off with a bit between her teeth whilst I was trying to decide whether it was worth re-hoisting the main. A fine sailing breeze was too tempting to resist and so the race was on again across the inner channel watched by a pod of dolphins as a tacking duel ensued heading toward Opunga. Fine crew work by Fenton and Terry kept them in the game but once again Kalai proved her racing pedigree (Swooper of Cox's Creek - the plug for our Davidson31 and predecessor to the two time, 1978 and 1979 World Half-ton champion "Waverider")and had the edge as we crept dangerously close to the rocks off Tangitu point with the Davidson narrowly edging ahead to hold off the very slippery-in-the-light Jeaneau...
We decided to head further into Manawaora Bay and anchored in the very sheltered if somewhat shallow Dick's Bay with a metre or so under the keel.
Night came on quickly as drinks were taken and a soft Scotch mist fell...
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