We made it! Five days, 90% headwinds, 80% motoring, minus one headsail, two dozen hard boiled eggs, three bags of scroggen and eight little bruises.
I’m about to have a nana nap – night shifts are very tough. Feels worse that jetlag. Dean is running the radar cable and contemplating our prop issues. Our crew, Glenn and Ian (amazing, amazing people) have gone back to Wellington and we’ll be in Auckland until next Monday. We’re doing the offshore medic course over the weekend so I can learn how to sew Dean up and shove a pen in his neck. Then it’s off to Opua (via Waiheke and other gorgeous islands) and leaving for Tonga 2 May.
Here’s a little bit from my journal and photos are below:
Not many people get to see the world from this view. Apart from the a few slithers, the landscape is rugged with no access. Big cliffs fall into the sea with treacherous rocks as toes.
We’re in precious cell phone range and Glenn has just received a text. His text receiver sound is of a door bell. That’s either going to drive me nuts or be comforting.
Soon I’ll be doing my first night shift sailing, ever. Are you kidding me? They’ll find out soon I’m a fake and throw me over board.
I’m faffing around: Sunglasses off, sunglasses on, neck warmer off, can’t find neck warmer, snack, drink, snack, feel sick, do I need to go to the loo again? Where’s Dean? oh god he’s overboard, rearrange snacks box again. Just relax! Relax? I’m in a plastic boat about to go around the bloody east coast a 35 knots headwind. Get me off.
And here are some pics. Only happy, nice calm ones! Will work out how to orientate portrait ones soon.
So much to do when there’s nothing to do
First blog, Palliser Bay, before it all turned icky
Head sail gone, storm jib ready, gennaker flying, boys happy
Glenn contemplating the heavens
Ian just contemplating
Still haven’t proven that sailing is not scary
Always on the lookout for flappy sails
Sigh
Hick’s Bay
One of the first to see the sunrise in the world, on the east coast – note the weird eye look from lack of sleep
The fabulous Ian
Shocker of a hair do
So beautiful
Mercury Islands
There’s a reason why Dean called out dinghy BamBam
Land, land, land
Yes, land…down Auckland harbour at 7am…very surreal and very wonderful
Sailing is Not Scary 
Great news you arrived safely! Loved the journal entries and pics.
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Great pictures and text – what an amazing journey – glad you made it to Auckland – looking forward to more posts as you progress 🙂
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All the best for your medic course and thanks for sharing your pics. Apart from the lack of sleep you found beauty in the trip and all in all its a wonderful way to travel.
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You hit the nail on the head! Thanks Lloyd.
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Ciao Bella. I am enjoying your blog. Frst meeting with you I remember well. Who was this woman who couldn’t eat anything??? Haha. Lots of water under that bridge. 10 years ago ish. Keep up the posts. I’m not good on water and feeling sea sick reading them. Great photos too. Stay safe .
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Well done guys. Hope you are enjoying Auckland and getting some rest. Have fun dock hopping to Opua there are so many great places to stop along the way. Looking forward to the next
Installment.
🙂
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Jan, thanks so much for all your support of us xox
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Hi Janie
What is the best way of being in contact with you now you are on the sea?
Liana XXXXXXXXXXXX
Liana Stupples National Coordinator for the Environment Centre Collective 021 154 6034 http://sustaintrust.org.nz/home/national-collective *I work 2 days per week so I don’t always reply to emails straight away*
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Howdy. Best one is our Pebbles email…pebbles@myiridium.net
High seas? We haven’t left Auckland yet! There are one million reasons but we just need to say, okay, we’re prepared enough now.
Tomorrow, Rangitoto Island. See you in Opua – yay.
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