Beginning-of-winter cruise

Foggy day in Beatrix

Seagull raiding the bait table

Dolphin guiding us in

Sailed on the Friday, on the club mooring in Mary's Bay that night. Next day dawned foggy... thick fog. Got underway mid morning and mooched about fishing. A few cod, but not keepers. Beautiful views as the sun penetrated the fog. Wonderfully quiet and calm. We were headed north for Piripaua, the narrow neck separating Beatrix from Forsyth, when we were joined by a dolphin who rode the bow and showed us the way. That night—Saturday—we anchored in Mary's Bay, Lady Allison lying to the club mooring. Headed south on Sunday, 45.5 nm.

Birthday cruise

 

Riding out weather

In Mary's Bay. [Irish brogue] "Mary Mother of Christ there goes my hat!" Perhaps that's how the bay got its name. Day One the nor'wester blew into the bay, and on Day Two the sou'easter blew down the gully and out of the bay. And we caught good-size gurnard, one on each day. Day Three the wind gave way to light airs and we went fishing near the gannet colony and caught nothing. Hope the gannets did better; they looked to, with a huge boil-up in the reach one of the evenings. Most remarkable was how far in we saw shearwaters and petrel, like south of Turn Point. A very pleasant cruise-y time was had by all three of us. Came in on the evening tide having steamed just 40 nm.

My card from Nina

My card from Sue

Sue with gurnard caught in Mary's Bay

Orion 4771

 

Orion 4771 Coromandel Wharf
Artist - Patrick Greene

Thank you Ian and Ann for finding this and sending it our way. What a keen eye and a kind thought, and the number 4771 gives us a new lead in our tracing of her long history.

Christmas 2022

This year's Christmas cruise started from Havelock with Nina arriving on the Thursday in rain and Callum arriving on Friday in hot sun. Sailed on Saturday morning around 9.30. Noted that the usual rafts of penguins and shearwaters at Tawero were absent. Looked in at Homestead Bay, but all options taken up. Grape Escape was on Maori Bay which was a good choice. Gannets present, swooping down low over the water. Crossed to Ketu to find the outer buoy vacant and took that. Stayed there Christmas Day (Sunday). 

Moved off the buoy Boxing Day (Monday) for Tennyson Inlet and dropped anchor in Ngawhakawhiti Bay, also known as World's End.

On the Tuesday with freshening SE winds (north of Separation Point) we thought we'd head south. Productive fishing on a favourite mark near the gannet colony. 

And on our last night, a busy sky at sunset. This is one of our most photographed views looking down the length of the Kenepuru. Steamed 96 nm.

Slips everywhere

Slips 2022

In October we went for a short cruise up the Kenepuru looking at slips after two major weather events had wrought havoc. By far in a way the worst (though not the biggest) is at Portage where the Kenepuru Road has been undermined.

Erin's picture

 

Orion entering Havelock

Matariki

 

Hikapu Reach

Sailed on Friday afternoon with an unpromising forecast and the hope of a nice day on the Sunday. Hikapu Reach looked awesome and menacing. We parked in Ferndale for shelter from the northerly. Saturday was mild with light rain and we read our books. Sunday was indeed a beautiful day and we sat out on deck in warm sunshine.

Saturday

Sunday

Nina steered for the transit of the channel and Erin captured us coming in past Johnson Light.

Coming in

Small repair

Canine helper

A small leak, but an annoying one because it's right over Sue's bunk! All fixed now thanks to Poppy who is clearly being a big help.

 

Easter 2022

 

Maud Island from the north

Karere

Departed Havelock Thursday April 14 at 1600 and arrived Hallam Cove in the dark. The Friday was beautiful, calm, sunny, and warm. Saturday and Easter Sunday a moderate SE breeze kept us pinned down in Hallam Cove. In company with three launches rafted up on the outer buoy. People in the baches with their kids and dogs. Monday we headed out into Waitata Reach cruising for dolphins which we didn't see, but we did see seals. Flat calm. Went into Homestead Bay where Sue caught us four fat cod for our tea. Tuesday was flat calm again with occasional showers turning into warm sun in the afternoon. Wednesday we headed out at 0800. Amazing light, and wisps of cloud clinging to the slopes and gullies. Back in coverage, we caught up with Nina who was walking the Milford track with Sam. In Popoure Reach ran in company with Karere for a while (Percy Voss 1952 Gardner-engined launch, Doug and Colleen). All fast Havelock H8 by 1200, total of 71 nm. 

Rising fuel price

Mahoenui on Picton fuel jetty

Mahoenui on Picton fuel jetty

With sanctions on Russia affecting world oil prices, the price at the pump has risen sharply and is set to keep rising. We went on the Havelock fueller with Orion and took 454 litres at $2.08/litre. Here Mahoenui is taking who-knows-how-much in Picton one week later.