New Year 2020

Dressed Overall

Christmas 2019

Off Richmond

At anchor, Ketu Bay

Callum and Nina

Exchanging Christmas presents

Inflatable banana thing

Callum with four good cod

Anchor party

Callum joined us late morning in Havelock and we sailed at 1615 for Ketu. Oh, the long days of summer! Anchored in Ketu. Beautiful weather over the whole Christmas week and not too hot either. Exchanged presents with Grape Escape on Christmas morning. Visited World's End and Chance Bay, Callum caught gurnard, and we all caught cod down by Bird Island. Saw dolphins, penguins, shearwaters, and gannets. A total of 85.5 nm. 

Feisty spring

Kaitaki receiving assistance

Unsettled spring weather has been bordering on the extreme at times. So lucky to have good weather for the Tuia 250 celebrations, shortly to be followed by this: the tug coming out to assist the Kaitaki in northerly winds gusting 50 knots. Oh, and heavy rain! I got soaked taking this picture.

Tuia 250

HMB Endeavour

Tōtaranui 2019

Flotilla approaching Waitohi
November 2019

Marlborough Anniversary

Mussel barge, Māori Bay

Sailed on Saturday morning and arrived Port Ligar around 4pm. Quiet night on our own in Homestead Bay. Amazing fish and phosphorescence in the water. Caught a wee kahawai, big enough for breakfast. Sunday steamed south again to Māori Bay. Beautiful night sky, Orion above and Orion below. Monday morning began foggy and cleared by about 1030 becoming unseasonally hot. Took fuel on the way in. All fast by 1230. Log reading 61 miles.

Two Geordies

Two Geordies, one guitar

A sneaky little weather window presented on the Friday and promised sunshine and variable 10 knot breezes. Threatened sou'easter didn't materialise until the Tuesday. Joined by two neat Geordie guys, Callum and Rob. It was great having them on board for three nights. Chance Bay, Stafford Bay, Take-In Bay. Caught a 44cm Gurnard and plenty of sharks. Steamed 51 miles.

Small job, big improvement

Eyebrow, October 2019

Sue has long maintained that Orion would look better with an eyebrow over the wheelhouse windows. Not to mention the practical thing of keeping the rain off and creating a bit of shade for the helmsperson. Expertly implemented by Roger of Sounds Shipwrights we're really pleased with the result. 

First day of spring

Leaving Richmond

Friday evening the tide didn't serve until well after dark. Big spring tides usually mean driftwood, detritus from the forestry, so it's not so good steaming after dark. Leaving in the morning at this time of year can mean fog, so these are risks one has to manage. 

We elected to sail on the Saturday morning and as it happened there was fog, but by the time we were ready to sail around 9am it had already cleared. We steamed to Richmond and it was all very pleasant, we saw dolphins about a half mile to the west of our track, but we didn't give chase. We saw shearwaters further south than usual. We saw penguins at Tawero which is not unusual. Next day, Sunday, we steamed to Ferndale. 

The Monday was beautiful and we idled in the middle of a flat calm Kenepuru talking on the phone with Nina before heading in on the top of a big tide. Barometer 1025 mb or better the whole time. 60 nm in all.

Mid-winter cruise

Embarkation

Checking the oil

Pukatea inward

Kenepuru from Take-in Bay

Take-in Bay

Ship's Dog

Early departure

Grape Escape leaving Ferndale

Long Bay

Grape Escape leaving Long Bay

After a long run of unsuitable weather and / or tides we managed to pinch a weekend in Long Bay. We had a semi-planned rendezvous with Grape Escape and found them in Ferndale. Some moderate socialising and then a beautiful night and next day. In by 2pm. 26 nm.