New Year 2021

Nina on watch, Outer Sounds

Dolphins at Post Office Point

Gardner in full song

This year's New Year cruise defined by the best dolphin experience ever.  A large pod of what we think were common dolphin approached on our starboard bow, passed under the boat, and surfaced on our port quarter. Fortunately, Nina was quick to grab her phone and capture the clip above. Fishing was good. We've got a thing about only catching what we'll eat, and so we put one kahawai and four fat cod in the fridge. Overnighted in: Kauauroa Bay, Ngawhakawhiti, and Chance Bay. Logged 72.2 nm.

Christmas 2020

Mackerel sky over Havelock

Scary mussels at Johnson Light

Chess players, Take In Bay

Thunder, lightning, and hail in Chance Bay

Hosing away a ton of ice

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Take In Bay (north) with Jack and Belinda (Sofia) on the south buoy. A mackerel sky might have been taken as a warning, "Mares' tails and mackerel scales make lofty ships to carry low sails", but we enjoyed good weather except for a dramatic thunderstorm shortly after we anchored for Boxing Day lunch in Chance Bay. In just ten minutes an estimated ton of ice collected on the deck. Logged 41.4 nm.

All Aboard!

 

They don't like it up 'em!

Great to have Brian Gallagher and his friend Mary on board the Orion for lunch in Havelock Marina.  Orion owes her second lease on life to Brian and his loyal crew who together did so much restoration work ten years ago. Not many of these small wooden trawlers from the 1960s have survived. Orion was built by Harold Saunders in 1962, converted and restored by Brian, and is now maintained by us. A lovely day spent telling each other short and tall stories. 

Seagull race

Havelock Seagull Race 2020

Labour Day cruise

 

Sue eating kahawai

Some people think of kahawai as bait fish, but we like to eat it. We cook it whole in the oven and then the big bones just fall away. An orange, fresh herbs, and a splash of white wine. It's a delicate flavour, nothing like its cousin, the salmon. This was the first cruise in four months. Sailed at 11.30 from Havelock and straight out to Homestead Bay, Port Ligar. Each day at the back of high water shoals of kahawai came into the bay feeding and boiling on the surface. They shimmer like the light on the water. Came in on the Sunday and used the holiday to tidy up at a leisurely pace, that's how we like it. Logged 58 nm.

Launching in sunshine

Work done this time: small area of rot in the bottom plate of the bulwarks forward, timber replaced; one board in the bulwarks port side in way of wheelhouse door replaced; wheelhouse door rebuilt; rot in transom belting, timber replaced; all upper works prepared and painted; prop speed; metal stem band to protect stem and forefoot from flotsam damage; anti-fouling paint.

Hauling in the rain (again)

Chuck, Vlad, Sue

How do we choose these wet and windy days to haul? A SE gale with rain in it, cold and grey! Still, she might as well be in a shed being painted, because it's hardly boating weather.

No problem getting over the cradle, sitting nice and upright, and a gentle drive and push back into the shed. Dave's mast hinged down in about 10 minutes.

QBW20

Funny how the water is always black at QBW. Traditionally we try and get a cruise in on Queen's Birthday Weekend despite winter weather. A miserable forecast never really materialised and we sailed on the Saturday afternoon for Hallam Cove. By Putanui Point we'd decided to amend our TR and head for our favourite hidey hole of Take-In Bay; the only bay that we know that is truly out of the SE wind, however strong it blows. A bit of an issue with charging, but on the trip home it seemed to have fixed itself; maybe just damp after lock down. Put into Te Mahia for a brief run ashore. Steamed 31.2 nm.

Cape Campbell

View from south

Beachcombing

View from north

Mussel Festival

Callum, Nina, Johnny