There was a storm predicted to hit Auckland this afternoon (Friday) through to Saturday, so we made the most of the nice morning. Starting with a swim before breakfast. We then piled into the dinghy and headed ashore to check out the town. We caught the bus from Onetangi to Onerowa (Waihekes city).
It only took an hour to visit all the shops in Onerowa, so we stayed for lunch at a restaurant overlooking the bay. By the time we had got back to the beach and dinghy, the storm had started. This made getting back to Imagine fun. We all stripped down to our undies and launched the dinghy into the 1m waves rolling onto the beach. We were waist high in water before we could climb on board. Even on board we weren’t safe from the waves as some crashed over the bow, filling the dinghy. We made it back to Imagine, laughing all the way. It had been such a nice calm morning.
The wind had stayed the same direction but the swell was now curving around the point making it uncomfortable as Imagine rocked from side to side. Once again we hauled anchor and headed for a more sheltered bay. All the bays on the eastern side were full of boats but we managed to get into Huse bay and be out of the wide for the night.
Saturday we went ashore with blue sky above us. In the few minutes it took to get to shore a big rain cloud came over the hill and drenched us. That put an end to the walk on the beach. With the storm still blowing hard and predicting to turn south, we decided to head for another bay. When we reached Chamberlains bay there was only four other boats there. By evening there were twenty.
This morning we set sail without having a morning swim. The sky was blue and 10kts of wind off the beam,so making it a nice sail to Coromandel. We stopped just off Rangipukea Island for some fishing, but only caught small undersized snapper. We moved on and have anchored off Whanganui island. Swims and sunbathing were the order of the afternoon.
