Arrival Havelock

Orion arrived Havelock

Handed over all shipshape

After a not uneventful voyage from Napier (they towed a yacht that could not start her engine in a dead calm but a bobbly sea from Cape Palliser to Queen Charlotte Sound), and after spending a quiet night in Mahau Sound, Orion and her crew berthed on H8 in Havelock Marina. This is expected to be Orion's home at least for the foreseeable future.

Wanting to show our appreciation beyond just paying the fee and expenses we gave presents of a beautiful decanter of Nelson's Blood to Skipper John Burns and a bottle of Jura "Superstition" single malt to chief mate Peter Browne. 

John Skipper Burns

Peter Browne

Today we have parted the best of friends as they boarded the Bluebridge ferry for home. The weather window that finally got Orion down here is already sliding shut. The barometer is trending down, it's raining, and by Monday a big southerly swell is forecast up both coasts of New Zealand.

Pelorus Sound

Wonderful news that Orion is laying to a combined clubs buoy in Mahau Sound tonight. We'll learn the details of the passage tomorrow, but it seems she made good time. John says in a text, "Got virtual diesel heater glowing nicely below decks with ducted air through forecabin and wheelhouse". What he means is that the big Gardner is something of a night storage heater, and he's left the engine room doors open to warm the cabins. The days have been nice, but the evenings are still chilly.

South side of Putanui Point

Castle Point

With Castle Point abaft the beam, John and Peter captured a stunning sunset and the perigee moon. Tonight, September 28th, the full moon is the closest super moon of the year.

Sunset (pic John)

Big moon (pic Peter)

Cape Turnagain

We woke this morning to a text to say Orion had departed Napier. The weather is set fair for the next few days. On board are John Skipper Burns and Peter Browne. Early afternoon, John sent two photographs.

Cape Turnagain

Peter Browne on watch

Tsunami alert

A magnitude-8.3 earthquake off the coast of Chile has sparked a tsunami alert along the east coast of New Zealand, including Napier. It's good to know that John Burns is there keeping a watchful eye on Orion, and of course his own Panther. John emailed last night to reassure us that Orion had plenty of water under her, and plenty of mooring lines out. Even so neither of us slept very well, and we suspect John was up half the night too. I watched breakfast TV and they showed pictures from Gisborne marina, and things looked pretty quiet there with a rise of about 30 cms. The alert has not been lifted yet as waves reflected off the Pacific Islands are expected to arrive later in the day. The follow-up is that it turned into not much over here, but we all feel for those Chileans who died, and for those now faced with cleaning up the mess. We were spared, but these events always serve as a reminder to make preparations and have disaster plans in place.

Hawke's Bay

Departing Tolaga Bay for Napier

Arrival Napier Monday August 3rd

Lying Napier 

Took fuel oil on arrival 700 litres. Steaming time Greenhithe to Napier 1 day 23 hours (TBC by SJB). Further details of the passage to be posted here once they emerge. 

Wednesday 5th August

Currently waiting on weather to continue to Havelock. This low pressure system is expected to bring strong winds and snow to low levels on south island. For our northern hemisphere readers, note that the water goes down our plughole the opposite way to you... winds blow anti-clockwise around a High and clockwise around a Low.

Rounding East Cape

East Cape, East Island

This neat picture was taken by JSB this afternoon as they made the turn to the south. On the left is East Cape, and on the right East Island, seen over Orion's stern. Fair to say that while in the fishing Orion roamed around following the season, but this would be the longest trip she's made in over a decade.

Bay of Plenty

Peter Browne, Mate

Dolphins bow riding

More dolphins bow riding

White Island anchorage

Setting forth

JSB shaping up for the Colville Channel

Weather set fair for a couple of days

Port Charles, anchorage on the Friday night 

Eve of departure

Delivery skipper and mate, eve of departure

John Skipper Burns has spent a week attending to a number of small but important details. Sweat the small stuff, because it is the small stuff that can escalate into a breakdown or into water ingress. There's a lot to be learned from JSB, and I'm sorry not to be there. Tomorrow he plans to fuel up, victual up, and go into the anchorage ready for the off. Picture by John Butler.