by chris ayres | Oct 2017 | UK to New Zealand
I had another bike ride on Vava’u to enable me to see more of the island, this up to Hila ki Tapana lookout to the north of the island, up a steep dirt track past plenty of Taro fields, hot hard work but worthwhile.
road to Hila ki Tapana lookout
I decided to stay on in Neiafu for the Vava’u Blue Water Festival, some of its attraction was that representatives from New Zealand Customs, Opua marina and Whangerai Marine came over to give us cruisers the lowdown on NewZealand, which was very useful. They seem determined to try and make it as easy as possible for yachties to visit NZ and we seemed assured of a good welcome there. There are some restrictions on what you can take to NZ, for example no fruit or vegetables and no plants. They take their biosecurity seriously, they don’t have fruit flies in NZ for instance. I had to so goodbye to my Aloe Vera plant that had been with me since the Canaries, which was a bit of a wrench, but I found a good home for it at the Aquarium cafe.
Goodbye Aloe Vera
The festival kicked of with a sausage sizzle at the boatyard, who laid on free sausages and beer. The official opening on the Monday we had a Tongan brass band playing for us- just like a colliery band back home although here the boys and men in the band all wear skirts and then an eve meal. Subsequent days there was a breakfast hosted by Whangarei marine, we visited a primary school where the children put on a show of dancing for us and a Tongan buffet was laid on by the parents, there was a barbecue and party at the Basque tavern, a humpback whale talk and pizza and finally a last night meal .
Festival over, time to move on the the Ha’apai group about 70 miles south so I left early afternoon to be clear of the islands and reefs of the Vava’u group before dark and then an overnight passage to arrive just after first light. There are about 60 islands in this group only about 17 being inhabited, it is not much visited and has very little tourism. I skirted the first islands and anchored at Pangai the main settlement on the island of Lifuka. It is a sleepy little place, not much there and not much going on although it must have been hit by a cyclone in the past so some rebuilding was underway.
It had been my intention to visit a few more of the islands and anchorages here but in the end I decided to give this a miss and head straight for Nuku’alofa on Tongatapu. All the pilot guides suggest you need someone to keep watch on the bow and I think I was feeling the strain of navigating through all the unmarked reefs a bit much on my own.
It was about 107 mile to Nuku’alofa so I left at midday and sailed westwards to clear the islands and reefs before turning south for another overnight passage. I had sort of company for this in the form of another yacht who followed me out, eventually overtook me, but I kept them in sight all night and through the next morning when I eventually lost sight of them in poor visibility and rain of a very grey and cloudy morning when the wind headed me. The entrance to Nuku’alofa is long and although wide encumbered by shallows and reefs but with a distinct lack of markers to help you in. I didn’t enjoy it. I was surprised to pass Dan in “My Dream” on his way out to NZ. I commented that it wasn’t a nice day to be heading out (it was blowing about 20 knots, grey and rainy) but he said he hoped it would get better.
I eventually got in and dropped anchor off the beach of Pangaimotu island. There were a few other boats here that I had seen from time to time on my travels across the Pacific.
Ashore is a beach bar – Big Momma’s Yacht Club which offers a warm welcome.
Big Mamas Pangaimotu island
There is a little ferry to cross to Nuku’alofa itself so I went across for supplies and a look around. It is a bustling busy place lots of shop lots of stalls quite a contrast to Neiafu.
I will stop here a while until there is a suitable weather window to procede to NZ
by chris ayres | Nov 2017 | UK to New Zealand
A lot of talk amongst the cruisers at Nuku’alofa is around a suitable weather window for the passage to New Zealand. It seems to be a passage that many are concerned about. I studied the weather and waited for the strong southerlies we were experiencing to pass before deciding on a departure date.
Friday morning saw me taking the ferry across from Pangiamoto island to Nuka’alofa to get my clearance papers to leave. Harbours dues paid in one office then to Customs for clearance. Shopping for a few provisions and that back to the boat on the ferry.
Provisioning for this trip is a little difficult as New Zealand restrictions are strict on what you can take in, for example no fruit or vegetables, dried pulses popcorn etc etc so you need to stock up on just what you need but no more, tricky when the passage could take from 10 to 15 days depending on winds and weather.
Back at the boat I quickly readied for sailing and left by 2.30, just enough time to exit Tongapatu by the Elgia channel and be clear of all he reefs before sunset. The Elgia channel has a distinct lack of markers of any kind so its eyeball pilotage assisted by electronic charts on the ipad. The electronic charts have to be treated with caution as along with most of the Pacific islands they can be as much as 300 metres out in position.
It was just then a question of settling down to the routine of a long passage. For the first days the winds were light with some calms so progress slow and my first noon to noon run a disappointing 71 miles, but gradually we got better winds in both strength and direction.
Strange stuff in the sea
Had a bit of disaster on the night of the 5th day. I had been running under light winds of about 8 knots with a pooled out yankee and main. At sunset despite the light winds as a precaution as I normally do I had put a reef in the main and taken a few rolls in the yankee. Just before midnight as I was taking a short nap I awoke with the boat heeled well over, the wind shrieking and torrential rain, It were a wild and stormy night. Turning out I rolled away the yankee with a struggle and reefed the main down to the third reef, By the time I was done I was soaked through.
Next morning I discovered that the yankee had ripped which was a blow but I could swop it out for the working jib that I carried and in the event that was a good choice of sail for the wind for the rest of the passage .
On the 8th day , a lovely sunny day with a good wind and pretty flat seas, I spotted a sail astern and it turned out to be my friends Jan & Richard on Morpheus so we were able to chat on the vhf for a while before they overtook me. My daily runs were improving, 99 miles, 107 miles, 134 miles and now I was about 70 miles from the Bay of Island. By sunset I was doing over 5 knots and just 43 miles off so I slowed the boat down by reefing the main more and finally dropping the staysail as I didn’t want to arrive in the dark. By dawn I was 10 miles off and although I could see the flesh of the light on Cape Brett the coast was coyly hidden in cloud and murk.
Bay of Islands landfall
The weather though gradually cleared and the coast revealed as I entered the Bay of Islands and made my way into Opua. There were lots of boats about. Midmorning saw me alongside the customs pontoon to await customs clearance and quarantine. No problem with this, and then to a berth in the marina. A bit tricky this with a wind astern and some tide too but berthing successfully accomplished without hitting anything.
Safe in the marina
Great I had done it – an 11 day passage of 1034 n miles which means I had sailed 7478 miles across the Pacific to arrive in New Zealand. A beer or two is in order tonight I think.
Opua totem
by chris ayres | Nov 2017 | UK to New Zealand
Moon light marina
It was nice to relax and spend a little time socialising, chilling out and doing a few boat chores. I did have a couple of trips out, shopping to Pahai, a couple of trips to Kerikeri, to see the Stone Store which is New Zealand oldest stone building
Stone store
and to visit to the Puketi forest for a short walk to see the Kauri trees. Puketi forest is a remnant (a pretty big remnant) of native forest which once covered almost all of Northland before massive clearance by loggers mainly for the huge Kauri trees. These trees are quite something, massive trunks rising so straight and tall, it is no wonder they were prized by loggers.
Kauri tree
I also ordered some new sails for Sea Bear, a new yankee and and a new main. I strongly suspect that the main is the original so it hasn’t done badly but now its a bit baggy and showing signs of wear and for much of the Pacific crossing I was keeping my fingers crossed that it would last.
After a couple of weeks I thought it time to head down to Whangarei (It is a Maori name as many are in NZ and Wh by the way is pronounced F). Opua was a good marina with a good collection of marine businesses and in a beautiful area for sailing but otherwise a bit out in the sticks with the nearest town (and not much of a town at that) 5 km away so not good access to shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. I plan to return later to cruise in the area.
The day I planned to leave, it had been a fine sunny morning but just before I left the heavens opened. I waited awhile for it to slacken off but then set out. Took me a long time to get out of the Bay of Islands to get to Cape Brett
Cape Brett – yes you go through that gap
and start going down the coast and it ended with a bit of a race against the dark which I just made to anchor in Puriri bay, Whangaruru harbour at about 7.45, but a nice safe anchorage. Left next morning and continued down the coast, which is a lovely coast rocky with little sandy bays. Often times it looked like it was going to rain but it held off all day so I was thankful for that. Past the long sandy Ocean beach and I rounded Bream Head
Mouitaha island & Bream head
and went to anchor in Urquharts Bay at a more reasonable time quarter to 6. Next day after waiting for the tide it was along way up the river, broad at first and eventually narrowing in the upper reaches, supposed to be about 12 miles but it felt longer. There was a lifting bridge to negotiate before arriving in the town basin and the marina, just about in the middle of the town. It is the only city in Northland but really only a big town so there lots of marine facilities close at hand and a full array of shops,, cafes, bars and restaurants. It is in a lovely setting and there are also good walks hereabouts. It seems to be a good place to spend some time.
Town basin Whangarei
by chris ayres | Dec 2017 | UK to New Zealand
I thought that Sea Bear deserved a bit of TLC, it had been a hard 10 months since Panama. The area around the galley was looking a bit tatty so I decided to revarnish it. I scraped off the old and chipped varnish, sanded down and gave 4 coats of clear varnish and 2 top coats of Ephifanes rubbed effect. This gives a lovely satin finish and is a perfect match for the existing varnish work in the cabin. Of course once you started you realise that the top of the engine cover/companionway steps is looking tatty too as well as the teak strips bordering the cabin sole, the cabin sole itself and the saloon table. So soon there was no flooring the cabin and no steps either making clambering in and out of the cabin a trifle difficult, still all in a good cause. Days later I was thoroughly sick of varnishing but all was done and the cabin looking much better. Well when I say all done there were still some small areas untouched but they will have to wait.
Revarnished table
revarnishing sole boards
I had long been frustrated by the outside loops for the guard wires on the 2 sternmost stanchions as they had succeeded in doing was to put holes in the old spray dodgers. A stainless steel workshop just down the road had cut off the loops and drilled and sleeved holes in them for me, a smart and professional job.
Meanwhile I had taken the old ripped and tattered spray dodgers to Ronnie at Undercover canvas just down the road and he had made me up some new ones. Fitted they improved Sea Bears appearance.
New spray dodgers
It hadn’t been all work, I had been for a few nice walks. One up along the river through woods and a treetop walkway to Whangarie falls.
Whangarei Falls
Another short walk around Pataua, on the coast near Whangarie Heads
Pataua
and another up the Ross track
Water fall by the Ross track
to Mount Parihaka, (241m) an old volcanic cone, once a Maori stronghold, from where there was a great view out over Whangarei harbour.
View from Mt Parihaka
In the marina I was visited daily by a duck and her 6 little ducklings, at first no more than little balls of fluff they rapidly grew. If I wasn’t in the cockpit when they came a calling they would paddle around quacking till I appeared and fed them with my stale bread. Somehow I have a soft spot for ducks and mother duck would hop onto the pontoon and take the proffered bread from my fingers.
Ducks
With a view to taking in some of inland New Zealand I also bought a camper van. To pick this up I had cycled out to Parua Bay. One might have thought it would be relatively easy being a road that follows the harbour out towards Whangarie Heads, but they can be surprisingly hilly these coastal roads and this was no exception. I even had to get off and push at one stage, add the fact that it rained hard too and it wasn’t as pleasant as might have been. Still I rewarded myself by stopping of at Parau Bay Tavern in a lovely setting with a great view out over the estuary and had fish & chips and a beer.
Camper van
by chris ayres | Dec 2017 | UK to New Zealand
More work on the boat, a project that had been on my mind for a while was to be able to extend the starboard bunk to a double. Almost finished – just need to get the infill cushion covered.
working on the bunk
Meanwhile I have also been getting out and about a bit. A visit to the Quarry gardens by bike, a walk in the Coronation scenic reserve and a visit to the Tutukaka coast for a walk and a couple of swims.
Quarry gardens
Tree ferns Coronation Scenic reserve
Whale Bay
Headland walk Tutukaka coast
The mermaid pools, Matapouri
by chris ayres | Jan 2018 | UK to New Zealand
I have done a little travelling in the campervan.
On the road to Leigh
I went down to Angies beach first to return a couple of charts of NZ to Ted who had lent me them back in Tonga. On to Auckland mainly to get the bottom bracket replaced on the bike as there had been a recall for a batch of faulty ones. It was grey and rainy there and it continued for my visit to Waitakere Range. I had been looking forward to some walks here but the storm that hit NZ at this time put paid to that. There were roads flooded and closed and pretty bad conditions. I just hunkered down and had to wait for it to pass. By then I was down in Thames, once a gold rush town, in the Coromandel.
Old shop in Thames
I went up the lovely Kauaeranga valley.
The Kauaeranga valley
The area was extensively logged for Kauri trees, there are few of these left but now it is a conservation area and native forest is re-establishing itself.
What the Kiwis call a swing bridge over the river
Here I walked up the Pinnacles (759m), described as challenging in the book but there are steps, iron ladders & rungs to help progress. Mind you returning to the valley I did feel a little weary after about 7 hours on the go.
Towards summit of the Pinnacles
View over Coromandel from the Pinnacles
The old gold mining area of the Karangahake gorge was next with some more gentle meanderings along walkways cut into the gorge sides and exploring some of the old mine tunnels.
Karangahke gorge & walkways
After that a beach visit seemed in order – At Waihi the 9 km long beach backed by dunes is pretty idyllic and uncrowded.
The 9km long Waihi beach
Further south by Tauranga, Mt Maungani beach was very popular and heaving with holiday makers, but a walk up the mountain gave fine views over the harbour and coast.
Mt Maungani beach
I passed through Te Puke, which if you didn’t know is the Kiwi fruit capital of the world, to Rotorua, renowned for its thermal activity. I will go back later to see its famous geysers.
Steaming lake Rotorua. You can feel the heat rising from the water