Friday, March 14, 2008
Kiwiland
Auckland is the largest Polynesian city in the world. It is the home to 1.5 million people in New Zealand’s fastest growing region. Auckland accounts for 1/3 New Zealand’s economy, yet it is a stone’s throw to magnificent beaches, sparkling blue waters and sparcely populated islands.
In the heart of Auckland one can find bustling activity in the financial section or unlimited selection of fresh sea food at the fish market. Prices seem high, but similar to San Francisco. However since tipping is not expected and the exchange rate is about .8, and we get GST tax exemption on many items, the prices are really quite reasonable. The land prices have really skyrocketed here though and beachfront property prices rival those in the Bay. The climate is about 75 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit daily and the water temperature is about 70 degrees - perfect for snorkeling and swimming.
February 21 - 24 - STORMY, RAIN, WINDS - up to 50 knots. We are snuggled up into Waitiatia Bay on Waiheke Island watching the ferries from Auckland (about 45 minutes by ferry) battle the waves. Exciting, but glad we are safely anchored in the Bay. This is the rain they have been waiting for all summer. Most people on the Island depend on rain, which they collect from their metal roofs into large tanks. They do have electricity, phones to the mainland, and internet cafes at Oneroa. (plus nice restaurants and wine from the 14 wineries here on the Island). We will stay here for a few days to wait out the storm, reading, sleeping, playing cards and other stuff, then go onto Coromandel once the winds calm down and shift to the southwest. Or, as they say here, “Once the weather is fine”.
Over the last 2 ½ months we have been enjoying the countryside and cruising habitats of the North Island. We originally thought that once we reached Auckland, we would take off for the South Island to visit the cruising holes there, but there is so much to see in the North Island that we have scraped our plans to visit the South Island (at least this year). Once we left the Bay of Islands, we stopped at Tutukaka on our way to the Great Barrier Island. Each place we have visited has its own unique charm and interest. Tutukaka boasts that it is only 30 minutes from the best marlin fishing in the world, Great Barrier Island has dozens of bays, coves and hiking trails that one could spend months exploring. Waiheke Island is less than an hours ferry trip from Auckland, yet is a rural, quiet community similar to Bodega Bay where many of the 8000 residents commute to “the city”. The Coromandel Peninsula hosts a few small towns, but is largely just a beautiful, uninhabited place where sheep and cattle graze. Most of the New Zealanders own boats - no surprise where thousands of beautiful anchoring spots can be visited within hours of Auckland. We have just touched the scenic beauty of this marvelous land and have genuinely been given the “red carpet” by the locals. We are very comfortable with our Seawind 1160 even in 3 to 4 meter seas. Most of the warrantee items have been resolved by Royce Black, Seawind factory representative, who came to Auckland to resolve the issues and help show Seawinds in the Auckland boat show. We have found provisioning fairly easy. Of course linking up with a great Kiwi couple, Alec and Ann Waring, who also purchased a Seawind 1160, has been extremely delightful and helpful.
We continually talk to people about our next ocean crossing to Tahiti, and most of them say, “Why not join us and dozens of other cruisers who venture to Fiji from here each year?” Maybe we are a little nuts, but it seems that taking the tough part first (3 weeks to Tahiti from here), and then relaxing while going downwind through the Tuamotus, French Polynesians, and maybe all the way to Samoa, is a reasonable thing to do. We will have to find a front traveling through New Zealand, follow the back end of it (southwesterlies) until we hit 150 degrees West , then head north to catch the trade winds to Tahiti. At least, that is the plan, but we are cruisers, and cruisers need to be flexible.
Tom Hanson and Merrie Bailey will be joining us next week after their tour of Australia and the South Island. Tom, along with Ted Stuart, will be crewing with us as we head East at the end of April. In the interim, we are checking with the locals to find out how they catch all those huge red snappers.
In the heart of Auckland one can find bustling activity in the financial section or unlimited selection of fresh sea food at the fish market. Prices seem high, but similar to San Francisco. However since tipping is not expected and the exchange rate is about .8, and we get GST tax exemption on many items, the prices are really quite reasonable. The land prices have really skyrocketed here though and beachfront property prices rival those in the Bay. The climate is about 75 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit daily and the water temperature is about 70 degrees - perfect for snorkeling and swimming.
February 21 - 24 - STORMY, RAIN, WINDS - up to 50 knots. We are snuggled up into Waitiatia Bay on Waiheke Island watching the ferries from Auckland (about 45 minutes by ferry) battle the waves. Exciting, but glad we are safely anchored in the Bay. This is the rain they have been waiting for all summer. Most people on the Island depend on rain, which they collect from their metal roofs into large tanks. They do have electricity, phones to the mainland, and internet cafes at Oneroa. (plus nice restaurants and wine from the 14 wineries here on the Island). We will stay here for a few days to wait out the storm, reading, sleeping, playing cards and other stuff, then go onto Coromandel once the winds calm down and shift to the southwest. Or, as they say here, “Once the weather is fine”.
Over the last 2 ½ months we have been enjoying the countryside and cruising habitats of the North Island. We originally thought that once we reached Auckland, we would take off for the South Island to visit the cruising holes there, but there is so much to see in the North Island that we have scraped our plans to visit the South Island (at least this year). Once we left the Bay of Islands, we stopped at Tutukaka on our way to the Great Barrier Island. Each place we have visited has its own unique charm and interest. Tutukaka boasts that it is only 30 minutes from the best marlin fishing in the world, Great Barrier Island has dozens of bays, coves and hiking trails that one could spend months exploring. Waiheke Island is less than an hours ferry trip from Auckland, yet is a rural, quiet community similar to Bodega Bay where many of the 8000 residents commute to “the city”. The Coromandel Peninsula hosts a few small towns, but is largely just a beautiful, uninhabited place where sheep and cattle graze. Most of the New Zealanders own boats - no surprise where thousands of beautiful anchoring spots can be visited within hours of Auckland. We have just touched the scenic beauty of this marvelous land and have genuinely been given the “red carpet” by the locals. We are very comfortable with our Seawind 1160 even in 3 to 4 meter seas. Most of the warrantee items have been resolved by Royce Black, Seawind factory representative, who came to Auckland to resolve the issues and help show Seawinds in the Auckland boat show. We have found provisioning fairly easy. Of course linking up with a great Kiwi couple, Alec and Ann Waring, who also purchased a Seawind 1160, has been extremely delightful and helpful.
We continually talk to people about our next ocean crossing to Tahiti, and most of them say, “Why not join us and dozens of other cruisers who venture to Fiji from here each year?” Maybe we are a little nuts, but it seems that taking the tough part first (3 weeks to Tahiti from here), and then relaxing while going downwind through the Tuamotus, French Polynesians, and maybe all the way to Samoa, is a reasonable thing to do. We will have to find a front traveling through New Zealand, follow the back end of it (southwesterlies) until we hit 150 degrees West , then head north to catch the trade winds to Tahiti. At least, that is the plan, but we are cruisers, and cruisers need to be flexible.
Tom Hanson and Merrie Bailey will be joining us next week after their tour of Australia and the South Island. Tom, along with Ted Stuart, will be crewing with us as we head East at the end of April. In the interim, we are checking with the locals to find out how they catch all those huge red snappers.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Happy Wanderers of New Zealand!
Hi Everyone from New Zealand,
Well it seems like we are just wandering around New Zealand with no particular agenda. We are losing concept of time and don't know what day it is. We stay at a place until we get tired of it, then move on. We worked our way down the New Zealand coast from Bay of Islands to the Great Barrier Island before going to Auckland. Auckland is a medium sized city as far as population, but coveres a huge area. We have met locals who have opened their homes and lives to us. Very friendly all around. Or as they would say, "spot on". The boat is still behaving wonderfully. We had some minor factory warrantee items fixed last week and we are currently anchored at Waiheke Island, which is about 15 miles from Auckland, yet seems a million miles because of its quaint and lovely remoteness. The ferry does come here to transport some of the 8 thousand residents to work in Auckland, Our very vague plans are to hang around here, or go to Coromandel, Mercury Islands or down to the Bay of Plenty before coming back to Auckland to meet Tom and Merrie Hanson the first week of March, where they will stop off a few hours on their way to Australia before coming back to Auckland to join us.
We usually can find an email cafe in the small communities ashore, but when anchored out in remote coves, we use sailmail, so send us a note to let us know how you folks are doing and we will try to reply, even if it is a very short "sailmail".
Cheers,
Dan and Carol aboard Caprice
Well it seems like we are just wandering around New Zealand with no particular agenda. We are losing concept of time and don't know what day it is. We stay at a place until we get tired of it, then move on. We worked our way down the New Zealand coast from Bay of Islands to the Great Barrier Island before going to Auckland. Auckland is a medium sized city as far as population, but coveres a huge area. We have met locals who have opened their homes and lives to us. Very friendly all around. Or as they would say, "spot on". The boat is still behaving wonderfully. We had some minor factory warrantee items fixed last week and we are currently anchored at Waiheke Island, which is about 15 miles from Auckland, yet seems a million miles because of its quaint and lovely remoteness. The ferry does come here to transport some of the 8 thousand residents to work in Auckland, Our very vague plans are to hang around here, or go to Coromandel, Mercury Islands or down to the Bay of Plenty before coming back to Auckland to meet Tom and Merrie Hanson the first week of March, where they will stop off a few hours on their way to Australia before coming back to Auckland to join us.
We usually can find an email cafe in the small communities ashore, but when anchored out in remote coves, we use sailmail, so send us a note to let us know how you folks are doing and we will try to reply, even if it is a very short "sailmail".
Cheers,
Dan and Carol aboard Caprice
Monday, February 4, 2008
South towards Auckland!
Dear Friends,
Well, we are back on Sailmail. We left the Bay of Islands on Jan. 31, traveled down to Tutukaka, a lovely little fishing village, where we met two lovely cruising couples. One gave us a chip which included all the nice anchorages near Auckland. They recommended we go to the Mokohinea Islands on our way south, then to Great Barrier Island, Mercury Island then finally to Auckland. So, here we are at Great Barrier Island after stopping off at Mokohinea last night. The islands are bushy, bare, and have few inhabitants. We are anchored in a quiet bay with only one other boat. Everyone here fishes constantly. We haven't caught a nice fish for days, but are still lavishing on the mussels we got at Bay of Islands. There are lots of mussels and scallops in this area - Port Abercrombie. We will spend a couple days here at Great Barrier Island before going to Mercury (20 miles). We are now committed to going to Auckland on February 14 - 16 to finalize the warrantee issues with a Seawind factory rep. In the interim, I will need to find a way to get a copy of the Notice of Departure to Tom and Ted. I think that there is a place on the Island called Port Fitzroy that has fax capabilities, so will try that tomorrow.
Life is really slowing down for us. Our "to do" list is down to one or two items that we try to get done, If not, there is always tomorrow. I need to dive tomorrow, so I can find out why the log propeller is not turning, so that is the big thing for tomorrow. Maybe we can go ashore and walk along the beach, or maybe not. Carol keeps on thinking that she can beat me in "up and down", a card game similar to gin, but I keep on beating her butt, but I am sure she will get even.
Cheers,
Dan and Carol
Well, we are back on Sailmail. We left the Bay of Islands on Jan. 31, traveled down to Tutukaka, a lovely little fishing village, where we met two lovely cruising couples. One gave us a chip which included all the nice anchorages near Auckland. They recommended we go to the Mokohinea Islands on our way south, then to Great Barrier Island, Mercury Island then finally to Auckland. So, here we are at Great Barrier Island after stopping off at Mokohinea last night. The islands are bushy, bare, and have few inhabitants. We are anchored in a quiet bay with only one other boat. Everyone here fishes constantly. We haven't caught a nice fish for days, but are still lavishing on the mussels we got at Bay of Islands. There are lots of mussels and scallops in this area - Port Abercrombie. We will spend a couple days here at Great Barrier Island before going to Mercury (20 miles). We are now committed to going to Auckland on February 14 - 16 to finalize the warrantee issues with a Seawind factory rep. In the interim, I will need to find a way to get a copy of the Notice of Departure to Tom and Ted. I think that there is a place on the Island called Port Fitzroy that has fax capabilities, so will try that tomorrow.
Life is really slowing down for us. Our "to do" list is down to one or two items that we try to get done, If not, there is always tomorrow. I need to dive tomorrow, so I can find out why the log propeller is not turning, so that is the big thing for tomorrow. Maybe we can go ashore and walk along the beach, or maybe not. Carol keeps on thinking that she can beat me in "up and down", a card game similar to gin, but I keep on beating her butt, but I am sure she will get even.
Cheers,
Dan and Carol
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Island Time!
Hi Everyone,
I forget what I sent last. I guess we are starting to get into the "island time". We hardly know what day, or week, or month it is. Although every day seems to be filled with lots of chores and things to do. Like going to the local farmers market to get veggies and bread. Life seems to be filled with the basics of food and supplies and getting things done on the boat. Even with a new boat there are lots of little things that need upgrading, particularly after we have gone through the Tasman with 40 knot winds and 3 - 4 meter seas. Anything that could have shaken loose, or broken, or worn, did. But overall, we are still very pleased with the boat's performance. As I think we mentioned before, the most scary part was not the winds and waves, but the lightning storms. We fortunately skirted most of them, but one particular one had Carol sleeping with the EPIRB.
The life here in northern New Zealand is like the US in the 60's. The music on the radio. The cars, the way teenagers act. The more relaxed life and the way that everyone seems to be helpful. Every morning, the local net is filled with information and people who are willing to help each other. For example, this morning someone wanted ride to a nearby town, and someone else responded, "Sure we can give you a ride" The country side is rolling hills, very green with lots of cattle and sheep. The Kiwis love their Cricket teams and though we don't understand it, the games last for days. We will be leaving this lovely area of the Bay of Islands to visit the area between here and Auckland over the next few weeks. Our next port will probablly be Whangarea, pronounced Fongeray. Cheers mates,
Dan and Carol aboard Caprice.
I forget what I sent last. I guess we are starting to get into the "island time". We hardly know what day, or week, or month it is. Although every day seems to be filled with lots of chores and things to do. Like going to the local farmers market to get veggies and bread. Life seems to be filled with the basics of food and supplies and getting things done on the boat. Even with a new boat there are lots of little things that need upgrading, particularly after we have gone through the Tasman with 40 knot winds and 3 - 4 meter seas. Anything that could have shaken loose, or broken, or worn, did. But overall, we are still very pleased with the boat's performance. As I think we mentioned before, the most scary part was not the winds and waves, but the lightning storms. We fortunately skirted most of them, but one particular one had Carol sleeping with the EPIRB.
The life here in northern New Zealand is like the US in the 60's. The music on the radio. The cars, the way teenagers act. The more relaxed life and the way that everyone seems to be helpful. Every morning, the local net is filled with information and people who are willing to help each other. For example, this morning someone wanted ride to a nearby town, and someone else responded, "Sure we can give you a ride" The country side is rolling hills, very green with lots of cattle and sheep. The Kiwis love their Cricket teams and though we don't understand it, the games last for days. We will be leaving this lovely area of the Bay of Islands to visit the area between here and Auckland over the next few weeks. Our next port will probablly be Whangarea, pronounced Fongeray. Cheers mates,
Dan and Carol aboard Caprice.
Friday, December 28, 2007
LIfe at the Bay of Islands
Hi Everyone,
Life here at the Bay of Islands is everything we could have imagined. Clear water, a bit chilly, lots of fish and diving is excellent. Vaughn and David dived for scallops the other day and had a ball. We feasted on scallops and oysters for Xmas eve. The local Opua Cruising Club had a wonderful Xmas day dinner. We find local shopping a bit unlike Costco, but are getting along fine. Today we will go back to the Islands to do some more diving, and the grandkids playing on the lovely beaches.
We will stay in this area thru the month of January and then perhaps work our way down south a little toward Auckland.
Cheers,
Dan and Carol
Life here at the Bay of Islands is everything we could have imagined. Clear water, a bit chilly, lots of fish and diving is excellent. Vaughn and David dived for scallops the other day and had a ball. We feasted on scallops and oysters for Xmas eve. The local Opua Cruising Club had a wonderful Xmas day dinner. We find local shopping a bit unlike Costco, but are getting along fine. Today we will go back to the Islands to do some more diving, and the grandkids playing on the lovely beaches.
We will stay in this area thru the month of January and then perhaps work our way down south a little toward Auckland.
Cheers,
Dan and Carol
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Greetings from Opua!
Hi Everybody,
Made it to Opua NZ in 9 days 6hours from Sydney, pointing most of the way with NNE winds that ranged from 0 to 40 knots and seas from flat calm to 3-4 meters. We are told that this is one of the worst 4 ocean crossings. Caprice handles very well, even in rough seas, although when we spotted a huge lightning storm behind us, Vaughn put the "pedal to the medal" with both engines and Carol hugged the EPIRB most of the night. I really enjoy the Spectra Watermaker. It is so neat to be able to take a shower in 15 -25 knot winds. I can't imagine doing that in a monohull. We only saw 5 ships during the entire Tasman Sea crossing and no airline contrails. But now we are in the quaint little village of Opua, Bay of Islands, New Zealand. The marine facilities are excellent and the local supermarket has most of the provisions we need.
The local Opua Cruising Club is a lot like RYC - family type, cook your own steak and reasonable prices. We will join them for Xmas day dinner, where everyone brings something and helps out. Met Commodore and Nancy Tompkins here yesterday. Small world.
David Rasmussen and Vaughn were perfect crew members for the Tasman Sea crossing - pleasant, skillful and very helpful. Couldn't have asked for a better crew for our maiden voyage. Of course Carol kept the stew pot full although we didn't eat nearly as much as she anticipated.
Jenny and the grandkids are due in Auckland tomorrow morning, so Vaughn and David are driving down to pick them up. Looking forward to cruising out to some of the Islands to do some snorkling and to test out our Hookah.
Made it to Opua NZ in 9 days 6hours from Sydney, pointing most of the way with NNE winds that ranged from 0 to 40 knots and seas from flat calm to 3-4 meters. We are told that this is one of the worst 4 ocean crossings. Caprice handles very well, even in rough seas, although when we spotted a huge lightning storm behind us, Vaughn put the "pedal to the medal" with both engines and Carol hugged the EPIRB most of the night. I really enjoy the Spectra Watermaker. It is so neat to be able to take a shower in 15 -25 knot winds. I can't imagine doing that in a monohull. We only saw 5 ships during the entire Tasman Sea crossing and no airline contrails. But now we are in the quaint little village of Opua, Bay of Islands, New Zealand. The marine facilities are excellent and the local supermarket has most of the provisions we need.
The local Opua Cruising Club is a lot like RYC - family type, cook your own steak and reasonable prices. We will join them for Xmas day dinner, where everyone brings something and helps out. Met Commodore and Nancy Tompkins here yesterday. Small world.
David Rasmussen and Vaughn were perfect crew members for the Tasman Sea crossing - pleasant, skillful and very helpful. Couldn't have asked for a better crew for our maiden voyage. Of course Carol kept the stew pot full although we didn't eat nearly as much as she anticipated.
Jenny and the grandkids are due in Auckland tomorrow morning, so Vaughn and David are driving down to pick them up. Looking forward to cruising out to some of the Islands to do some snorkling and to test out our Hookah.
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