New Zealand - Part I

We arrived in New Zealand on October 22, 2004 after an eight day passage from Tonga. Who said it was likely to be the toughest on the trip?  Some know all! - back in Vancouver. Was a piece of cake compared with the Cooks to Tonga debacle. Thank goodness Matarua was up to the challenge.  Peter  hanked up some storm sails and then ran below to see if Joyce, who he thought was being sick was OK - he wishes.  I was  just fine after having cooked Peter's favourite passage meal of chicken thighs and roast spud. He should try being down below and cooking in a nice gale.  Its so easy  tweeking a few ropes in the cockpit.

Landfall was in  Opua in the Bay of Islands in New Zealands North Island. Take a look at the chart, yes,

it is the nearest Port to Tonga, exactly where us CS ( Chicken Shit) sailors make landfall. We stayed in Opua for a few days savouring the joys of an easy passage (if you call sixty gallons of diesel easy - certainly not on the pocket book). After two happy hours - Wednesdays  in the Opua Yacht Club - we sailed down to Whangarei where we are currently very secure (Peter sleeps at night) on  a four pile mooring in the Town Basin.

After spending the last 16 months in a summer environment it was a real shock to descend on a New Zealand Spring as it was cooler than we had been used to  in the last 12 months of  perputial summer. Thank God for pile jackets and wind proofs.

Whangarei is about 2 hours (160 km) north of Auckland and is a beautiful city.  The welcome we received from the Kiwis was fantastic, they made us feel very much at home in their country. You can get all sorts of boat stuff done here but it is, unfortunately, expensive. 

We left New Zealand this time on a 747 (wonderful how you can go six hundred miles an hour upwind just for a few extra horses when Matarua goes upwind at 6 knots) for a flying visit to Canada and England on November 22nd.  We were really pleased to see Robin, Laurie and Sylvan. Our visit was not long enough but at least we were there for Sylvan's birthday. Peter hadn't seen so many kids and mummies all together all at once since Joyce's days running a Pre-School and that was far too long ago.  He ran with beer in hand and  hid in the Sauna

until the second phase of the party started with the Grown -ups and then he was in his element roasting weiners by the fire in the snow.  Whose the biggest kid?

In England we stayed with Peter's Mum and visited Joyce's mother and long lost friends.  We are always torn between  people we love to see and the time to do it.   We also met with friends, some of whom we hadn't seen in thirty years!!!!! We had a get together piss-up evening in Lancaster at the Wagon and Horse Pub on St. Georges Quay.  Peter's old climbing buddies could still put away the pints!  I think Pete put a few away also.  At least he can't remember getting in the car and Joyce driving (Peter) home. Worse than changing nappies!

                  Harry Jim and Pete at the Bar                                                     Old school  and climbing buddy- Geoff Willan

J

John (100 mile an hour) Wadeson   nothing has changed in  30 years.

Pete could never keep up on the  race back from the Lakes.

Our visit to England was over far to quickly and we returned to New Zealand on January 2nd.