New Year 2022

 

Sam, Dylan, Sue, Nina

Sailed New Year's Eve at 1630 for the anchorage in Chance Bay. Much revelry aboard Orion with fabulous food by Nina, festoon lights, loud music thank you Sue, and a few bevvies. Next day moved north to Kauauroa Bay, stopping by Yncyca Bay to admire Manoa and to wish Leon and Michelle HNY. Swimming and fishing in K-Bay. Next day up early for Bird Island and some reliable cod fishing. Spotted Tyros underway. That night eating the cod in Hallam Cove. Lots of shearwaters, few or no penguins, no dolphins, heaps of rays including babies. Last night in Long Bay on the Kenepuru. Grape Escape came by in the morning and we went in late morning in company with Kerenia. Calm, hot weather throughout. Logged 104 nm. 

Countdown to midnight

Countdown to midnight

Sam, Nina, and a codfish

Dark arts

Waitangi

'Octopus in net' by Nina

Getting underway

Poppy goes kayaking

Collab BBQ

Sailed 07:50 on Waitangi morning, Nina putting in the trip report with her shiny new VHF operator licence. Congratulations, Nina! Rendezvous with Weta in Stafford Bay, sheltering from strong gusts in the Outer Sounds. 17:00 pleasant in Stafford but with fresh SE winds forecast departed for Chance Bay, our companions in need of a good sleep. Friday departed Chance Bay for Bird Island fishing. 20:00 in Māori Bay (Port Ligar) in company with Seas the Day. Oops! Caught an octopus and quickly returned him to the sea. Next day, Saturday, fishing in Fishing Bay - go figure - then departed Māori Bay for Chance Bay and agreed meet up with Weta. Sunday in Take-In Bay and Poppy went kayaking; in the evening a most congenial collaborative bbq (pictured above). Back in Havelock 11:25 on the Monday and greeted by Janice and Norma, lunch in the Slip Inn. Steamed 114 nautical miles. 

Easter 2018

Bex and Ryan, damage control party

With a strong team, nothing is scary or too much trouble. In the picture above Orion's crew fix up the clears after a strong gust carried them away. In the same gust Foxy Lady, anchored nearby with a charter party on board, was laid on her ear.

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We sailed Friday at 10.00 for Port Ligar. Busy Easter, so we picked up the buoy in Māori Bay. Saturday found us pinned down by a strong NW'er with occasional very strong gusts, one of which layed Foxy Lady down nearly on her beam ends and which carried away our clears. A damage control party got to work and quickly made good.

On Saturday afternoon we got underway and headed down the western side of Forsyth Island around Bird Island past Warwick Bay to Allen Strait. We passed through the swirling water of the strait to look into Annies Bay but there was a short period 1-metre swell coming in from Cook Strait, and two boats already occupying the mooring. We came back through Allen Strait and headed back to Ketu Bay nodding into a fresh breeze and a moderate sea and were treated to a warm and sunny evening and a quiet night.

Sunday we went out late morning and fished off Goat Point, and Ninepin Rock. We spotted seals swimming in convoy and leaping, an unusual sight. Fishing in the Te Kakaho Channel Ryan netted a fat kahawai, and everyone had two on at some point but our gear was too light to net them. In the afternoon we headed north and anchored in a familiar spot in Chance Bay.

On Monday morning Bex steered us up the channel which is getting quite familiar to her now. Back alongside in Havelock for lunch. Distance steamed 100 nm.