This year's Christmas cruise started from Havelock with Nina arriving on the Thursday in rain and Callum arriving on Friday in hot sun. Sailed on Saturday morning around 9.30. Noted that the usual rafts of penguins and shearwaters at Tawero were absent. Looked in at Homestead Bay, but all options taken up. Grape Escape was on Maori Bay which was a good choice. Gannets present, swooping down low over the water. Crossed to Ketu to find the outer buoy vacant and took that. Stayed there Christmas Day (Sunday).
Moved off the buoy Boxing Day (Monday) for Tennyson Inlet and dropped anchor in Ngawhakawhiti Bay, also known as World's End.
On the Tuesday with freshening SE winds (north of Separation Point) we thought we'd head south. Productive fishing on a favourite mark near the gannet colony.
And on our last night, a busy sky at sunset. This is one of our most photographed views looking down the length of the Kenepuru. Steamed 96 nm.
