Happy and Blasted:
Happy: Launched the boat successfully, back in the water and went smooth, everything worked and no water where it shouldn’t be, like “inside” the boat.
Blasted: on the way down river we got Blasted with big winds and driving rain, that might as well have been icicles every time we looked out for the channel markers. Good thing for heaters, they thawed everything out when we finally found some pseudo shelter in 30 kts of wind in the dark. Not good conditions to try and navigate in the confines of a marina.
Happy and Soggy:
Happy to have made the marina, a day late but on a beautiful morning after the deluge all night.
Soggy: The beautiful day turned to rain just as we were approached the dock to tie the boat up, Soggy again which continued off and on all day.
Happy and Sad:
Happy: Happy to be heading out sailing on to new destinations in search of the perpetual summer of the tropics.
Sad: Sad to leave a slew of wonderful, friendly, helpful, generous people of New Zealand behind. We didn’t say goodbye, as we might just do another trip down in a year or two when our visa status resets.
Happy and Broke:
Happy: Happy to leave the dock, course the wind picked up just as we cleared customs and headed to the dock for some duty free fuel for the next adventures
Broke: Having not visited a fuel station since leaving Fiji, some 6 months ago, our girl was plenty thirsty. All good.
Happy and Holy washing machine:
Happy: Happy finally heading down the river and setting sail for Vanuatu some 1015 miles away.
Holy Washing Machine: The timing leaving the river was terrible, wind versus current, sent everything bouncing about the boat. You think you remember how this works, then the washing machine tells you otherwise.
Wait… do we remember how to do this?
We make it out of the washing machine. Start to get set to raise the mainsail, and with all the washing going on the main halyard (rope that raises the sail) got stuck around the front of the mast. Some full on cowboy rodeo skills and the rope was free. First time that happened. Our friends on a boat that was just ahead of us also had a mainsail issue. Both of us got it sorted without drama except on WhatsApp.
A super nice sail up the coast of NZed with the island providing the protection, small seas decent wind, sunny skies… perfect champagne sailing. Minus the champagne as we have a LONG way to go. Damn!
Sure enough, we clear Cape Bret at sun down and veer away from the protection, the waves and wind pick up. It’s not bad tho, the first 6 hours were a perfect way to get into the groove, and we are just grooving.
Boat is cruising along nicely with 1 reef in the mainsail, and full Jib. We found a reasonable course direction to play nice with the waves and wind. Had a quick sleep and just now under 900 miles left.