Christmas 2023

Nina flew in early afternoon on the Friday and we sailed without delay. First night in K-Bay then the next day found us fishing on our old fave mark near Bird Island. I had caught one decent cod already, and we soon had 5 more; we headed over to Homestead Bay. 

Sunday (Christmas Eve) we made our way south to the Kenepuru. We were approached by the Fisheries Patrol and were not boarded. With every buoy occupied, we anchored in 8 metres at a new spot immediately west of Weka Point. In the act of anchoring, the windlass packed a big sad. It's a great anchorage and we will return here. 

Spent a very pleasant Christmas Day. Around mid-day hooners and biscuiters came out and roared around, which was fun. Then it all went quiet again. Especially towards the end of the day the weather was lovely, hot and calm. I had caught a small snapper already, but in the afternoon—having deployed the prawn heads as burley—Nina was near one of the rods when we caught a big snapper. She reeled in handsomely and (for the first and only time in years) we had actually caught a snapper in sight of Snapper Point... and on Christmas Day! 

 

Boxing Day we loafed about in the morning, and were paid a visit by Brett Stanaway from Seabee, anchored across the way. Seabee is not exactly a sister, being a little smaller than Orion. Like Orion she was built at Paremata. In the afternoon we hauled the anchor by hand and headed in. Nina cooked the snapper on passage and we sat at the table down aft in warm sun.