Thurday we were out of the wind and swell, tucked nicely in Farmer bay. B was able to finished off sewing the cushions on the starboard side of the saloon.
Friday we ventured out and around the corner to do some fishing. B caught a nice snapper for dinner, before we returned to Farmer bay where it was still more shelter from the wind and swell.
Sunday we moved to Motuketekete island where B was brave enough to swim in cold water ashore to collect more shells. If anyone has a spare 12 million dollars the island and its two bedroom cottage is up for sale.
Monday we made our way back to Tindalls Bay, Whangaparaoa. It took us a while as we had diverted our course to help a kayaker who had called on channel 16, asking for help as he fell in the water about 1 mile offshore of Army bay and couldn’t get back on his kayak. The coast guard arrived just in front us and so he no longer required our assistance.
In the afternoon we borrowed Darrens jeep to go to do some grocery shopping and in anticipation of high winds we moved across to Swan Bay for the night.
Sunday morning everything was still. The water was like glass as we departed Whangaruru. With a very lite wind behind us and a sunny sky we headed south. We started by setting the sails in a butterfly configuration (main one side and headsail the other). It wasn’t long before the wind changed. The wind was getting stronger as the day went on so we stopped at Tutukaka.
Tutakaka is a well sheltered harbour with a little bay and a marina. Monday we ventured ashore and walked along the peninsular to the lighthouse. The views were stunning. Tuesday we loaded the laundry into the dinghy and went into the marina. The Marina has a few shops and cafes, so we stayed for lunch.
Wednesday we headed further south. With the wind on the nose we motorsailed most of the way. We were escorted by a pod of dolphins for part of the way. As we cruised past we also spotted a couple of whales and a seal which was obvouisly asleep with its fins up above water . We made it all the way to Kauwau Island by 6pm and anchored in Farmer bay.
We have spent the a few days in Araawaroa Bay on Moturua Island recovering and doing a few repairs. I have put a temporary pully at the top of the mast to hoist the main sail because the pully for the main halyard has seized. The dinghy has been repatched, so it might stay inflated now. B has been working on recovering the cushions in the saloon.
Tuesday we went to Pahia to do the laundry and more shopping, planning to start heading south to Auckland. By midday we were done and went and anchored in Otaio bay on One of the biggest islands of Bay of islands. We were thinking of doing a big hike on the island on Wednesday afternoon. However the night had been a bit windy and uncomfortable and despite the light winds forecasted for the day it seems to increased already so after our walk on the beach (actually on the 3 little beaches that surrounding the bay) we decided to head back to Awaawaroa bay for more shelter. It had been a rainy afternoon anyway and hiking wouldn’t have been fun.
Wednesday it was an early morning start ( early for us in this cold weather is 10am !). We motored around Cape Brett with a flat sea and no wind. We saw a lot of little penguins and thousands of birds sitting on the water flying away as we were going through them. By 1pm we anchored in Whangamumu harbour for a sheltered afternoon and night.
Friday morning we went ashore to check out the old whaling station and then took a long walk to the top of the surrounding hills. Whangamumu is a stunning uninhibited bay surrounded by high bush covered hills well known for some good nice hiking tracks. In the afternoon we fished off the back of Imagine and caught a snapper for dinner.
This morning we set off south again, stopping at Whangaruru. It’s not as sheltered here in the South westerly wind, but we are out of the swell.
We have made it to New Zealand! The trip was great with light winds and sea. We made good time and arrived in Opua at 3am Wednesday, which means we made it in seven and a half days. It took untill lunch time to clear customs and rain and high winds had set in. We went across to the marina chandlery for glue to repair the dinghy, then we headed across to Russel for shelter and to sleep.
We got up late on Thursday. B bailed out the dinghy before we went ashore to get some groceries. We then motored to Awaawaroa Bay where we will spend a few days here recovering from the trip.
Tuesday morning there was no wind, so we had to motor all the way to Denarau. We anchored, had lunch then ventured ashore in the dinghy. We called at Customs to see if we could check out and leave early hours of the morning. No. We had to book an appointment a day in advance. So we booked an appointment for as soon as they opened at 8am Wednesday. We then went and did a little grocery shopping and returned to Imagine.
We were up bright and early this morning and was at the customs office at 8am. It was 9.30 when we phoned the number on the door. The customs guy said he didn’t think anyone was going to leave today, so he wasn’t going to come into work today. After explaining we had booked with him for 8am he said he will come in about an hour. He turned up at 11.45.
We are now on our way to New Zealand. We will have limited internet untill we get there, so no more pictures till then.
Sunday morning we headed south again. The chart showed two little islands that were out of the wind and should give us protection from both the south westerly and the easterly swells. Vanu Livu and Navadra island looked ideal, but as we got closer the south westerly swell turned more westerly. When we got into the bay there was a small swell finding it’s way around the island and into the bay. We dropped anchor anyway as we were hot and wanted a swim. By the time the anchor was set we were surrounded by eight black tip reef sharks ranging from 1 to 1.3 meter long. That was when we realised we weren’t really that hot and didn’t need a swim. They circled Imagine for about half an hour. We have swam in bays with one or two reef shark there, but eight was too many. We hauled anchor and headed further south to Malolo Lailai island (opposite Musket Cove marina far enough from the crowd). We have been here many times before and knew it is a good anchorage.
Monday morning we dinghied across to Musket Cove marina to do drop off the laundry. When we got back we cleaned the hull (for NZ biosecurity) . We went back to the Marina for lunch, picked up the laundry and filled the jerrycans with fuel. We spent the afternoon relaxing.
Wednesday 18th. As the sun rose we followed Honeycomb (a catamaran) out of the bay and headed to the Yasawa island. With the wind almost behind us we left the main sail down and just used the headsail. We were surprised that it didn’t take long before we overtook Honeycomb. Catamaran are usually faster then monohulls going down wind.
We had the easterly swell and wind behind us all the way to Yasawa, but when we went around the top of the island we discovered there was a south westerly swell coming in the west side of the island. The low island didn’t provide a lot of shelter from the easterly wind, which meant the bay wasn’t the most comfortable place to stay.
The wind seems to funnel between Fijis’ two main islands Vanau Levu and Viti Levu, blowing a constant strong easterly wind through the 6 or 7 Yasawa group of islands. We spent Thursday there before heading south to get out of the wind and swell.
Naviti island was where the wind started to ease off so we stopped in a sheltered bay at Korokulu point. The passing ferry stops in the bay to drop-off and pick up guests from the resort. The guests are transferred from the ferry to the resorts dinghy, which takes them ashore.
On Saturday we went ashore and talked to some resort guests before going for a walk along the beach. Again the swell came in the bay at high tide. We moved to the south end of the bay for a little more shelter overnight.
Monday morning we awoke to a beautiful sunrise. The Sea was so still all day that sometimes the reflection of the clouds made it hard to see where the ocean met the sky.
With the bay so calm went up the mast with B holding the safety line, to check everything. I discovered the main halyard pully was damaged and has the risk of slicing the Halyard. I changed over the Topping lift and the Halyard as a temporary fix. Next I replaced the deck lights and brackets that had rusted. We had noticed that the stitching on part of the Staysail had unstitched, so we pulled the Staysail down off the furler and got the sewing machine out. With the sail spread across the foredeck we were able to repair the sail. In the meantime B repaired the fraying flag.The wind was just starting to blow a small breeze as we finished hoisting the sail back up the furler.
This morning was quiet again so we took the time to go for a snorkel. The reef was in good shape with an array of corral species. This also meant an abundance of fish life. That was one of the best snorkelling so far.
This afternoon two small yachts came in the Harbour and anchored nearby and crafted together. Four o’clock a squall hit. The two boats didn’t have time to unraft and we’re only held by the anchor of one of them. They dragged a little bit towards us and then seemed to hold. Our concern was they were now very close to where we layed our anchor. We didn’t want them to hook our chain and pull our anchor out of the sand. Both them and us watched the boats movements closely for the next hour and a half. The wind and rain died down a little an the boats separated, one moving off to anchor on his own.
It was a nice calm morning for going into the marina and filling up with diesel. There were several boats booked in ahead of us, so it was 10am by the time we got to the fuel dock. There were guys at the fuel dock to help us tie off to the dock and pump fuel. Phillips seems to be the Manager and genuinely helped with a smile.
When we left the fuel dock we headed out of the bay and back through the pass we had come in. It was totally different to the conditions a week ago. Its gone from 10m waves to 1m. We headed North West along the edge of the reef. By late afternoon we reached a narrow pass through the Reef which lead us to what looked on the chart as a nice sheltered bay. It was sheltered but because of the reef we had to anchor faraway from the shore and we were quite exposedto the wind, anyway we were out of the swell and spent the night there.
The Saturday morning we continued north up the coast to the next sheltered bay. This one was surrounded by mangroves, which meant mosquitoes, so again we stayed away from the shore. As the next sheltered bay was another 40 nautical miles and it was already mid afternoon we anchored there and had a swim despite the choppy water. When we woke up at sunrise for our morning swim we were very disappointed by the dirty, cloudy water( the tide was going out and being surrounded by mangroves and reefs we assume that was all the seaweed and mud flowing out) so we hauled anchor thinking of going to the next bay up north of Vanua levu island.
After a second thought, checking the map and weather forecasts we decided to head to Yadua island which was our next stop plan before crossing to Yasawa group. It seems that going up north means more mangroves , dirty water and mosquitoes.
On the way we put out the fishing lure and caught a decent size Spanish Mackerel. B made a very nice Sunday fish lunch and dinner. We anchored in in the South Eastern bay and went ashore. Like a lot of beaches throughout the Pacific Islands this beach was covered in plastic bottles and other plastic rubbish that had been washed up in storms. By the time we got back to Imagine the wind was coming in the bay so we moved around the corner to Cokuvou Harbour. This bay is very sheltered.
