1st – 16th Nov- Opua & Whangarei

1st – 16th Nov- Opua & Whangarei

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

17th Nov – 7th Dec – Varnish, walks, waterfalls, vistas & van.

17th Nov – 7th Dec – Varnish, walks, waterfalls, vistas & van.

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

17th Dec-  Around and about Whangarei

17th Dec- Around and about Whangarei

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

 

 

 

 

10th Jan  – Some New Zealand travels

10th Jan – Some New Zealand travels

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

January 29th Pictures from road trip North Island

January 29th Pictures from road trip North Island

I took the camper van for a little road trip up through the Far North. A mixture of forest visits for the magnificent Kauri trees, swims and walks along beautiful beaches, tramps through remote forest tracks. Lots of beautiful views.

View from St Pauls Rock Whangaroa harbour

Lane Cove, Whangaroa

A tramp along Wairakau Stream Track on way to Lane Cove

Mangonui from Rangikapiti Pa

Maitai Bay

Maitai Bay

90 mile Beach, Ahipara

On road from Kouto to Rawene

Hokianga Harbour

Hokianga North Head

Te Matua Ngahere, 2nd largest Kauri tree in Waipoua Forest.
With a girth of 16.4m reckoned to be about 2,000 yrs old

New Zealand – Feb – March

New Zealand – Feb – March

In February most delightfully, Wendy joined me again for a month, we planned a road trip in the camper van and to do some walks. We did not have much luck with the weather as the day after she arrived it rained and rained for the next 4 days, the tail end of a cyclone sweeping over NZ. It turned out that by the time I left 3 cyclones hit NZ, an unprecedented number this year. We had wanted to spend time in the Coromandel but the weather forecast was bad for North Island for weeks so we headed south where the weather promised to be better. It was not much fun driving down to the ferry at Wellington with the rain and mist and no views to be had but once across to Picton we had sun again. Did a lovely walk out to the end of The Snout, a long peninsular that stretches out from Picton into Queen Charlotte sound.

The Snout, Picton

Heading further south we stopped off at Kaikoura and had another delightful walk around the peninsular there.

Kaikoura penisnsular

We were heading for the Mt Cook area and another long drive took us via Fairlie across to Lake Pukaki and up it with the views getting better and better

Lake Pukaki

before arriving at the DOC campsite at the foot of the Hooker Valley.

Mount Cook

On the Hooker Valley track

It was a beautiful afternoon with no clouds so we grabbed the opportunity to walk the Hooker valley track up towards Mt Cook. A brief visit to the Tasman glacier next day and then we started to head over to the west coast. You have to head a way south and cross the Lindis Pass before you can turn west but the views over the lakes you pass are wonderful and we stayed by the side of Lake Wanaka, just a bit spoiled by the gale force winds we were experiencing.

We hit the west coast at Hasst, it really is the wild west out there and Haast a tiny little place. Unfortunately the weather was not good when we past by Fox glacier and Franz Joseph glacier areas with rain & the clouds very low so we pressed on up the coast to Greymouth

The weather news was that cyclone Gita was headed for NZ and on track to hit the top of south island on the day that we were booked on the ferry  back to North Island. We managed to change our ferry booking and hunkered down in Greymouth, staying in a holiday studio whilst the Cyclone passed over. It was nice to have a bit of luxury and it proved a wise decision as the road south of Greymouth and Fox glacier area  was cut off, there was extensive flooding and a camper van was rolled on the road.

Once Gita was past we headed on up to Nelson here we visited WOW, the museum of wearable art, walked up the hill to the centre of New Zealand and swam on the beach. We took the very scenic Queen Charlotte road which followed Pelorus sound and the Queen Charlotte sound back to Picton and the ferry back to Wellington.

Queen Charlotte sound

One of our big wants was to walk the Tongariro Alpine crossing and it looked like we had a small window of opportunity to do that so we drove up to Turangi. Early next morning were were picked up by the shuttle and taken to Mangatepopo for the start of the walk. It turned out to be a beautiful clear and sunny day but with a cold wind, but it is an amazing walk passing the volcanoes and craters.

 

Tongariri alpine crosssing

Tongariri alpine crosssing

Next day the cloud was down and there were no shuttle buses running so we really had managed to grab the chance.

On to Taupo and then to Rotorua, the campsite here having pools with volcanic heated water

The Te Puia geyser at Rotorua thermal park was another must see, it was a grey drizzly day but it didn’t matter so much, the geysers, the bubbling mud, the hot rocks were all worthwhile.

Te Puai geyser

The weather looked liked remaining wet and cold up on the plateau so we headed off to Whakatane. The weather precluded a boat out to White Island, NZ’s most active volcano,  but we did a great walk from Whakatane Heads along the coast to Ohope.

We revisited Mount Maunganui as earlier in our trip it had rained nonstop there, this time we walked up the mountain for great views and also walked around it.

On to the Coromandel where we did the short walk to Cathedral Cove, a popular spot this, but lovely despite the crowds.

Cathedral Cove

Escaping the crowds we visited the beautiful and deserted Otama beach, a beautiful place for a swim and then to the more popular but still fairly quiet New Chums beach

Otama beach

It was time for Wendy to return to UK  so we had a last day in Auckland to walk up Mt Eden and visit the art gallery. We had driven about 4,500 kms in  the camper van in our month together and we had had a wonderful time despite the weather.

Mt Eden thats how far I have come as crow flies but longer than that by sea

With Wendy’s departure I drove back up to Whangarei and next day I moved Sea Bear to Riverside Drive marina for a lift out. I spent a few days laying up Sea Bear then caught a plane back to UK. I have things I must do back there and it will be good to catch up with family and friends.

The haul out

I cannot pretend that the trip across the Pacific, single handed with all the reefs, squalls, storms and big seas did not take it out of me a bit. Yes I had some delightful times, some wondrous experiences but I don’t deny I found it hard at times.

I have decided to have a break from sailing for a while whilst I decide what to do next but will return to Sea Bear in due course, meanwhile this will be my last blog entry until then.