Mussel Festival

Callum, Nina, Johnny

Nina's birthday cruise

Nina with gurnard

Nina with salmon

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. 

Ship Cove

Bathers in the creek at Ship Cove

Creek, Ship Cove

Dad's birthday cruise

Dad's Birthday card from Nina

Mackerel and bacon

Back at Raetihi after a long absence. Caught a small but legal snapper. A couple of mackerel contributed to my breakfast. Lots of activity on the water. Pretty quiet at the Lodge. Met up with Bruce and Suzanne. Nina steered in the channel and right up to the Johnson Light. Took 485 litres of fuel. Logged 22 nm.

Maritime Festival

Picton Maritime Festival 2020

Hallam Cove

Hallam Cove

Fishing at Bird Island (three nice cod from our favourite mark) then on to Hallam Cove via the Apuau channel. A quiet day at Hallam Cove, then next day made our way south via the Cookie Monster (drew a blank) Brightlands Bay (drew another blank) and the Meat-and-Two-Veg (where Sue caught one fat cod) to anchor in Long Bay for the night. A total of 91 nm.

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.