by chris ayres | Apr 2019 | UK to New Zealand
At last I was about ready, jobs done sails and running rigging fitted, it was time to launch. Hoisted in slings overnight there was time to dab on some anti-foul on where she had been sitting all this time.
Ready for Launching
Then early next morning Sea Bear was lowered into the water, First thing to check for leaks and a little adjustment on the stern gland that I had repacked with stuffing and deliberately left a little loose. Adjusted too tight runs the risk of excessive wear on the propshaft and damaging the stuffing, a controlled drip is the thing to aim for. All well then a short motor to tie to a pontoon, time to get used to being afloat.
Back in water at RDM
After a few days it was time to leave. A little shakedown cruise in order and to see a bit more of NZ by sea. The problem of the van was solved by Mark offering to store it on his land so looks like I will be heading back to NZ next cyclone season, and why not still plenty to explore there. It felt a little strange slipping away from Whangarei on the top of the tide and heading down the river. I have spent so much time there over the past year and a bit it almost feels like a second home to me.
Whangarei
The weather didn’t seem quite as forecast as I neared the river mouth. Much stronger winds than expected and my proposed anchorage at Urquharts bay not as sheltered as hoped for. Still I tucked in amongst the other boats at anchor and used the new windlass for the first time, out rattled the chain, the new anchor bit right away and there I was bobbing on the briny. I stayed there the next day to give a chance for wind and seas to moderate.
Urquharts Bay
It was a longish haul to my next destination so with a scant 12 hours of daylight I was up at 3am hauled in the anchor and away. Motoring as no wind but the channel out to the clearway buoy is well lit. Some wind arrived with the dawn so all sails were set and being new they looked well. I was hard on the wind but could almost set the course I wanted south down the coast. I had to make a few tacks to round Cape Rodney though and then across Omaha bay to Takatu Point. Here the wind died but it was just a fairly short motor through North Channel then around the corner to enter Bon Accord Harbour, Kawau Island. My hunch proved correct and I spied Morpheus of London with friends Jan & Richard at anchor here. True to form they invited me to join them ashore at the Kawau boat club for drinks.
Smelting Cove Kawau Island
I stayed at anchor here for a few days, we had a high over NZ with very light winds and I dont like motoring much. I went for a couple of nice walks across to Mansion house bay and to the old copper mine.
Mansion House bay Kawau Island
It was quite and peaceful here with just a few boats but Easter arrived and with it the crowds, at quick count there was over a hundred boats at anchor here.
Rain and wind last night when that clears over next day I will move on. It’s getting close to time to head north to the Bay of Islands where I will wait for a suitable weather window to head off on passage to the Islands.
by chris ayres | May 2019 | UK to New Zealand
So I decided to head back north making use of the southerly winds to hop back up the coast.
SW 20 knots was forecast which was almost ideal although would have prefered a more gentle 15knots. But the first leg was about 40 miles so with 20 it should be speedy.
I weighed anchor and left at first light from Kawau bay, out through the north channel and was soon rounding Takatu point and could set corse northwards. The worst part of the journey was the last two miles when I seemed to hit nasty conditions of wind over tide at the entrance to Whangarei harbour but anchored OK in Urquharts bay.
Bream Head
Next day just a short hop up to Tutaka harbour, quite a narrow entrance between rocks to this but good leading marks to help you in and very sheltered inside. I had wanted the objective for the next anchorage to be Minywatter bay but the forecast was for wind to go around to NW in the evening so not ideal and I carried on to Whangamumu.
What a beautiful landlocked and sheltered harbour this was. No roads no houses just the ruins of and old whaling station. I had noticed that I had a problem with the engine charging so a spot of careful trouble shooting led to the discovery of a broken earth wire from the alternator fairly easily fixed but it lead to what if thoughts.
I rowed to the old whaling station and after a wander around this.
Old whaling station plaque
then another beach where I left the dinghy and walked up steeply to the ridge and part way down the other side towards the Bay of Islands, the promintory being quite narrow here. I was hoping for good view but got only tantalising glimpses through the thick tree cover.
Whangamumu
Whangamumu harbour
I stayed a second night at anchor here sheltering from rain and occasional high winds.
From Whangamumu just a short hop around Cape Brett.
Cape Brett
I had been unable to get a weather forecast on the VHF so discovered it was still blowing hard outside and was around 30 knots on the nose with quite a sea, far from pleasant conditions and I got quite splashed. I put into Oke bay for awhile but later in the afternoon when the weather had calmed somewhat and the wind gone around to the SW I went on again through the Albert channel to Waipora Bay for the night.
Later the next day I carried on the remaining miles to Bay of Islands Marina where I had booked a berth.
As well as a small modification necessary to the new mainsail I had decided to get an alternator as a spare. I fact I fitted a new one keeping the old as spare and also changed the charging set up, fitting a dual voltage VCR unit and switches.This will cope with the 2 different batteries I now have better. I had bought this ages ago, originally for Dansa but never got around to fitting it and it had sat almost forgotten in a locker on Sea Bear for the past 5 years.
Also time to get some laundry done, restock on provisions and do the paper work for leaving New Zealand and heading for Fiji.
by chris ayres | May 2019 | UK to New Zealand
Whilst waiting for a good weather wind to leave for for Fiji I took the opportunity for a little walk. I took the vehicle ferry from Opua to Okiata, walked though the bush and by bays to Russell (3 and half hours). Took the passenger ferry to Pahia then the coastal track back to Opua (2 hours) A nice little leg stretch with some good views.
by chris ayres | Jun 2019 | UK to New Zealand
All ready to go it was a matter of waiting for a good weather window for the passage to Fiji.
Following the passage of a front with a bit of a blow, the forecast looked good. Time to go and indeed apart from a windless departure when I had to motor for 8 hours we had good winds.
At some some stage with our rate of progress I reckoned we would arrive in Fiji on a Fri eve or Sat morning. With the Fijian authorities charging overtime, minimum 3 hours at weekends at 100F$ per hour, a weekend arrival is to be avoided.
Anchored at Minerva reef
So although I had not planned to stop over at Minerva reef I now did thinking to stay just 2 nights. However I arrived with one of those squeezes between a tropical depression to the north and a high to the south. The wind soon picked up and didn’t slacken below 24 knots for 5 days. Anchoring here in these conditions was anything but restful. After 4 days I was fed up of the situation and headed out, leaving later risked another weekend arrival.
I did wonder the wisdom of my decision with 27 knot winds and gusting higher and rough short seas, but Vancouvers are such good sea boats, 3 reefs in the main and staysail she just ploughed on.
Booby aboard
Dawn of the 15th day since leaving Opua revealed the island of Matuku, the first of the Fiji group. I would have liked to stop here but you must check in at a recognised port of entry so had to keep going.
Matuku Island Fiji
Closing with my destination and it seemed likely that I would arrive on a Thursday eve just after dark. Not liking this idea I decided to slow down so as to arrive at first light Friday. Down to just a staysail though I was still going too fast, around 4 knots. Ironic how sometimes you struggle to achieve that speed with all sails set! Still once past Koro island with a decent amount of sea room all around I hove to for few hours. Letting draw later I arrived with good light to spot the pillar marking the reef of the point, rounding this, another few miles in the bay to arrive at Savusavu,
Approaching Savusavu
I picked up a mooring buoy at 09.30, perfect for normal working hours for the authorities.
Savusavu
Checking in was quick and painless, here they come out to your boat, Health pratique, Biosecurity, Customs and Immigration. Given permission to land it was time to find an ATM, pay the relevant fees and then the reward of a cold beer.
Passage of 1257 miles
by chris ayres | Jun 2019 | UK to New Zealand
It was good to recover and relax after the passage and do a little exploring around.
I walked out along the coast to the end, Passage point, visiting on the way the Flora Tropical gardens. I wandered around the timber walkways amongst many endangered palms, a tranquil and beautiful place.
Mangroves near Passage point
I also took a bus ride to Labasa, this took me along the coast, up into the mountains and the rainforest then down through pine forests and through vast areas of sugar cane.
Bus trip to Labasa
Labasa is a very Indian town with shops full of saris and curry houses. The Indians originally arrived as indentured labourers for the sugar plantations. Now it is reckoned they make up some 40% of Fijis population and their influence is plain to see.
Labasa market
Taro
There is a good market in Labasa, I always delight to wander around markets see all the goods on offer and I bought some kava so that I may make sevusevu when I visit outlying villages.
Kava
Buying Kava
I had a nice curry for lunch then later caught the bus back. This bus ride was great way to see other parts of the island.
Fiji mountains
Another day I took the bus out to the Copra pressing plant where they extract coconut oil from the copra. Unfortunately they weren’t pressing oil that day so I could not see the whole process. Had a long hot walk back.
Coconut plants
Extracting copra
Fiji village
Meanwhile my friends Jan & Richard had arrived from New Zealand in Morpheus. They had had a rough and worrying passage and trouble with their engine so they arrived under tow.
The weather has been unsettled with lots of dark clouds and rain and strong winds so I am waiting for an improvement before heading off anywhere else. Because of all the extensive and largely unmarked reefs in Fiji, navigation is a bit of a challenge and you need good light and visibility so you can see the reefs underwater.
Kava drying on roof
Another walk took me over the hill behind the town and down to the south coast. The tide was out so the sea a long way from the beach over the reef, but I love these wanders looking at the house and villages.
by chris ayres | Jul 2019 | UK to New Zealand
At first I was the only yacht anchored off Vacaia Bay, Taveuni, but later more yachts joined me there including a family I had met in Katherine bay. They had caught a Mai mai that morning and like me and unusual these days had no fridge so they gave me some generous sized fillets. Good eating this. It was a beautiful spot here. I walked to the supermarket past the airstrip at the tip of the island for bread and stopped for a beer on the way back sitting on a lovely veranda overlooking the bay.
Vacaia bay
Ilil who I had briefly meet in NZ and then bumped into again, joined me for a couple of days as I said I would give her a lift to Qamea. Had a good sail around the north of Taveuni but just as we were about to go through the reefs to Qamea the cloud mist and rain came down. Fortunately it only lasted a little while. According to the charts the reefs were supposed to be marked with beacons but they were missing, probably wiped out by one of the cyclones. Anyway safely through we proceeded until we could safely turn into Naviivi bay. The reefs halfway in are at least marked and we could anchor beyond them. Two guys in a boat came out to talk to us, went away then returned shortly with a note from his Mum who was an Auntie of someone on Taveuni that Ilil had got to know. We were invited to visit so putting on my sulu and grabbing a bundle of kava we were ferried ashore in the school boat, made sevusevu with the headman of the village and then went to visit Angela and family.
There are no roads on this island and the children go to school by boat.
Naviivi Bay
Next day on the way for a walk towards another village we past a group of 7th day adventists who had just finished their morning service. They invited us to lunch with them and would brook no refusal. So we sat down in the shade of their church cum shelter crosslegged around some big straw matts with vast bowls of Fijian fare. Resuming our walk was up a steep narrow overgrown and very muddy track, plenty of slipping and sliding. I turned and and returned at the top of the hill.
Naviivi bay from on high
Ilil left to stay at another village and I set off for the long trip to the island of Nairai. The winds were light and sometimes non-existent for this 90 mile passage so it took me over 30 hours .
I anchored off the village of Tuvo Lailai in Green Mound bay. Next day I went ashore to make my sevusevu with the headman. This the main village on the island was very small and there are no roads or vehicles on the island at all. They live by farming and fishing.
Green mound bay, Nairai
The day turned out rather miserable, completely overcast sky high winds and rain and kept that way all night and into the next morning. The anchor had dragged a little in the night so I wasn’t happy at this anchorage. Late morning the weather looked to be clearing a little so I took the opportunity to weigh anchor exit the reef and head over the the nearby island of Gau where after entering the reef at the middle passage I anchored in Heralds bay.
Herald bay, Gau
This might be some version of paradise, crystal clear waters yellow coral sand beaches, coconut palms and a steep hillside behind. I saw turtles and you didn’t need to snorkel to see the brightly coloured fish and soft corals – just row to the beach.
Coconut point, Gau from Herald bay
No-one lives in this bay though they visit it to fish or gather coconuts. The village of Sawayake lies in the next bay around the corner. Next morning I found the track that led there through the forest. Once again dressed in my sulu I made sevusevu with the headman and was welcomed to the village. The headman had lived in England a while, at Catterick camp when he was with the Royal Signal Corps.
Sawayake village Gau
Wandering about I was invited in for tea and many people wanted to talk to me. Walking back I was thrilled to see my first Fiji parrot close up, brilliant red and green. Back on the beach with the dinghy was a man and two of his sons. We sat and chatted and they gave me green coconuts to drink, delicious and refreshing. Some women were fishing from their bamboo raft. It was a glorious day.
Fishing from bamboo raft
All change in the night, high winds and rain and from the S or SW so bringing some swell into the bay so the boat had swung through 180 degrees. It was unpleasant and slightly worrying. All next day overcast sky, wind and occasional rain.
Neither of these bad weather spells had showed up on the long range forecast, all these while it was supposed to be fine – so much for forecasts.
Next morning there was some breaks in the cloud and the wind had eased a little though still strong. I had had no bread for days and was right out of fresh vegetables being away from shops for so long and anyway it was time to head west so I weighed anchor and headed for Ovalua. I still had 20 -23 knots of wind at first and moderate to rough seas but with the wind on the beam, 2 reefs in the main , staysail and partly furled yankee Sea Bear made good speed. I thought the 30 mile passage might take 7 hours or more but within 6 we were in through the reef at Levuka and safely at anchor.
Levuka, Ovalau