+2

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The first job this morning was to fit the new Gipsy to the anchor winch. The lite rain didn’t help but it went on easy. We had just got everything ready for starting the hydraulic steering when Greg and his daughter Elo arrive to help. I checked the piping was connected as per the instructions and started to fill the system. B turned the the helm to port as Greg poured the hydraulic fluid into the helm. I was in the back releasing the bleed nipples. The port one was open but nothing happening? So I closed it and opened the starboard one. Big mistake. The fluid was under pressure, resulting in me getting a shower of fluid.

We stopped and checked. There was a misprint in the diagram. So I swapped the port and starboard pipes over and we started again. After filling the system and fixing a couple of joint that leaked under pressure we had steering.

Next we set up the Rockner Anchor on the new chain and Gipsy so it could easily be deployed. Then B drove Imagine forward while Greg and I manually pulled up the rope holding temporary anchor we had been using. Once up we headed out into the bay to do a few maneuvers to make sure the steering was working.

We then returned to our place of anchor and was able to use the winch to deploy the anchor with the new chain.

B and I spent the rest of the afternoon tidy up tools , cleaning the mess everywhere, reconnecting everything … A lot to do still before the arrival of some new crew this week but we are looking forward to it so we can stop working and get some sailing holiday.

Sorry no photos we were too busy.

+3

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B went back to Sydney (Austalia) for a week to see here daughters, the oldest being pregnant with the first grandchild. I carried on painting and changing cupboards on Imagine. 
We have nearly  finished the v-berth and it’s cupboards, painting, varnishing, and adding storage doors; made changes to the galley and changed the nav station. We are now recovering the seating in the saloon. 
Everything takes longer on the boat. We are governed by the weather. Cutting, sanding and painting timber for shelves has to be done between the rain and high winds. Getting things from the hardware shop or groceries takes a day each time. There is still lots to do, but we are slowly getting Imagine back into shape, ready for our next adventure.
Also, in between B is working on her new fashion jewellery Collection all based on natural and recycled materials. 

The weather hasn’t been great but we are back into the habit of early morning swim.
Cousin Linda and family came for a visit. A few other friends have also called in to see what we are up to.

+5

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Tuesday 14thWith rain coming, we finished up the jobs on deck and headed to Kawau for a rest. We have anchored in a nice sheltered bay that we hadn’t been in before.
After dark and we had just finished dinner when there was splashing and rocking of the boat. We rushed up on deck to see two Orcas cruising past and out of the bay. They must have been after stingrays for dinner.
This morning started with a swim in 15 degree water. We did a few jobs. Then we lowered the dinghy into the water and went fishing. B caught two and I caught one snapper. Fresh snapper for lunch and this evening B prepared snapper pan fried in butter on a bed of shaved zucchini with a side of rice. 

+3

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Sunday 12th

By the time we have dinghied ashore and either gone to the supermarket or hardware store, the day has gone by the time we return to Imagine. After several trips and having purchased a lot of things for the boat we have now started to work on Imagine. We have painted and relined the Vberth. B has sanded and painted the storage chests on the foredeck and sanded and painted part of the toe rail. I have emptied the chain locker, sanded and painted it and I mounted cleats in the chain locker to make it easier to get the mooring lines out.  B cleaned the fenders. The old vent horns have been replaced with new ones on the fore deck. The stove has a new aluminum surround.
We have been busy and there’s more to do.

+4

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it’s been 6 days since we have posted a blog, sorry.

We only spent a day in Deep Water before the wind changed and we could head south. We sailed as far as Whangarei where we spent the night. The next day we sailed all the way to Whanaparaoa, seeing dolphins on the way.

On Wednesday we fueled up in Gulf Harbour before sailing around to Tindalls Bay. Wednesday afternoon and Thursday we borrowed a car from my brother and did some shopping for groceries and parts for the boat.

As there is a big storm coming on Friday we sailed across to Kawau Island. We anchored in Two House Bay next to Mansion House Bay. We weren’t here long before two other boats anchored in Mansion House and a third joined us this morning. All three are the same boats that we sheltered with back in February when the cyclone hit Auckland.

Today we have been busy fitting new parts to Imagine. Replacing the Vberth vents with sealeable ones. Replaced the Vberth hatch, as the old one leaked. B was busy cleaning the ceiling panels and cleaning up the mess as I was working.

Everything is calm and silent. The calm before the storm.

+2

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The fuel pump at Opua has been out of order since we got here, so we have been busy, doing the laundry, buying boat parts and fitting new main halyard. We checked again today and it’s still out of order and we have been told that we may have to wait next week  for reopening. The anchorage in Opua is not very comfortable (particularly when the tide is against the wind, being in the middle of the river channel), so we hauled anchor and moved to Russell. We aren’t able to get Imagine into the fuel dock here, instead we have reverted to filling our 20ltr jerrycan. We have already done several trips back and forth with the dinghy today and we will do more tomorrow. We only need 750ltrs to fill up Hahaha… We will only put a little more fuel in and fill up when we get to Auckland.
The weather looks like we will be able to head to Auckland on Tuesday.

+3

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Monday 16th

We had big ideas of getting up early and going across to Russel and do some shopping before going back to Opua and fuel up. Nobody woke up early. When we awoke the water was like glass, not even a whisper of wind. We had breakfast in the cockpit then hauled anchor and headed to Opua while there was no wind.

We had to wait a few minutes outside the marina for a boat to move off the fuel dock. Then we glided in and tied off Imagine. Thats when we discovered a sign on the pump saying out of order. We had waisted time and fuel motoring back to Opua to find we can’t fill up.

We pulled out of the marina and motored across to Robertson island. During the day there was a few tourist boats came and went leaving us the bay/island to ourselves. We went ashore to walk the beach and climb to the lookout before returning to Imagine to do a little fishing, play cards and watch a movie.

+1

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Yesterday was a big day. We went to Nadi to get fresh fruit and veggies for the trip. The bus we took to Nadi had a sign saying the bus is registered to carry 31 passengers and didn’t quite have that many. The coming back had the sign missing. That must mean there is no limit and that’s what he did. I counted 63 people onboard.

We met Austin back in Denarau and all climbed into the dinghy to head back to Imagine. Imagine wasn’t where we had left her and there was a couple of guys on her. Imagine had dragged and they were putting out more chain. We anchored in 3m of water and had put on 30m of chain and had dragged. We reanchored this time with 60m of chain out. We had just settled down when there was another boat dragging. It collected the anchor of another boat and now both heading towards us. Austin and I jumped in the dinghy and went to help. Others joined in as the first dragging boat had nobody onboard. After an hour we were able to get the anchors untangled, just in time for the owners to come back. Over the next few hours several boats started to drag and then moved out of the bay.

While we were in Denarau I went to customs to book out but they wouldnt let us book out and leave in the middle of the night when the wind died down a little.

+4

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This morning was spent setting up the boat ready for the sail to NZ. Setting up Jack lines, the drouge, fastening everything down, etc. This afternoon we headed back to Denarau where we will pick up Austin in the morning and get fresh fruit and veggies for the trip. On the way to Denarau, B made a banana bread (we have to wait till tomorrow to try it).

This evening B took lots of photos of the beautiful sunset.

+6

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As high tide was this morning, so we went across the reef to shore and walked around to Musket Cove. Julia caught up with a couple on a boat that she had thought about joining before Imagine. Then we all had showers before having a drink at the coffee shop. On the way back we got three coconuts from a palm tree.

The afternoon consisted of resting, reading and doing a few jobs getting the boat ready for the journey to New Zealand on Friday.