Whangarei to Wellington

Well we finally got back in the water only to discover as we motored along the river to leave Whangarei a whining noise coming from our engines!!!! We stopped at a marina and the mechanic who had just done a pile of work for us on them drove down but has no idea what it is. He suggested we needed new plates for our gear boxes? –he could not locate any but a mechanic at Opua which was on our way to go north was able to get them.
We took a couple of days before going to Opua at the lovely bay at the end of the river and did some walking around the wonderful area. I am forever finding where I might live if life worked out so I could have half of me here, half on the boat, half in Salt Spring---hmmm not enough halves!!!! This is an area which one half could be. Golden sandy beaches and warm enough to grow bananas and oranges—there was a tennis club---$50 a year membership and on the notice board at the local store yoga classes were advertised. What more could you need.
The sights and sounds of NZ are so lovely that I sometimes wonder why I ever left. This year the flowers of the Pohutakawa trees were the most brilliant I have ever seen. These are the trees which are near the ocean all over the North Island which are covered in bright red flowers. They flower at Xmas and are known as NZ’s Xmas tree. California has taken to planting them and if they ever manage to get as many as they have here they will brighten up their lives. The flax has also been flowering and this usually has a resident Tui—the black bird with the white fluff under his chin that has a raucous call. The native bush is full of ferns and palms of all kinds and the sounds are alive with cicadas. As soon as the sun has set the Moreporc, an owl with a call that sounds like his name starts calling.
The quality of the produce, dairy and meat is great and it is hard to resist buying wine every time you go into the grocery store. The endless “specials” are amazing—a lot of good Australian, South African and NZ wines on for $9 99—that is equivalent to C$7 and includes taxes. I can see in Salt Spring we will be wine less as we will not be able to bring ourselves to pay the exorbitant BC liquor prices.
The lifestyle is casual and between the endless beaches and accessible bush is much attuned to the outdoors. People are amazingly friendly and many of our cruiser friends are trying to come up with a way to immigrate here. Perhaps we could persuade all of our family to move here and then I would not have to feel so split.
We then set off to Opua, our friends on “Que Barbara” were there so we had a lovely evening with them. The next day I grocery shopped in Pahia while Ken supervised the engine work. After many hours the plate was replaced on one engine and on inspection appeared to have nothing wrong with it and the whine is still there so we suspect it is the shaft seals the Whangarei mechanic had replaced. It can wait till Wellington now as we are totally frustrated with the whole affair/
We left Opua heading north to Whangaroa, a small harbour where Gaia Su” from PEI is waiting for us—we will buddy boat with them to Wellington. We anchored in yet another lovely bay for a few days kayaking and hiking in the bush trails.
We left to go the 35 miles north to Hauhora only to turn back after a few hours of beating into 30 knot head winds. It is one thing to be “at sea” and not have an alternative but there is no point beating your boat and yourself up if you can wait another day.
We anchored at the village so we could get bread and milk and discovered that this area is considered the game fishing capital of NZ. The huge trophies on the wall of massive tuna and swordfish make me nervous when Ken puts his line out in this area.
He has caught several albacore tunas which have been fairly small, apparently mahi mahi and marlin come down here at this time of year but we have not seen any.
The next day tried again and had a less stressful passage to Hauhora which is our “jumping off” place for our sail to Wellington.
The weather looked good so we left in the morning to light winds with Gaia Su; the forecast predicted a week of fine weather with not much wind so we anticipate a lot of motor sailing. We definitely prefer that option these days!!!
It was awesome to sail around North Cape—the northerly cape in NZ and then to Cape Reinga—our Xmas photo had been on land there. After rounding Cape Reinga we were rapidly brought back to reality with very confused lumpy seas and strong winds in our face. Oh well this life is definitely not for faint hearted.
Eight hours later the seas calmed and we had a great sail all through the next day.
At that stage the winds dropped and we were forced to start our engines.
Three days of motor sailing later we approached the dreaded Cook Strait.
Gaia Su was headed to Nelson so had left us and safely arrived but we had an extra day sailing.
We had been listening to gale warnings for this area constantly broadcast on the radio on our 4 day passage. Adverse currents and rips always occur in this notorious stretch of water and a gale would not be welcomed. Our option had always been to “hole up” in the Marlborough Sounds at the top of the South Island waiting for better conditions if necessary. We sail right by this area as it is actually north of Wellington.
There were winds forecast from 15-20 knots over the next day and a half so we decided to power up the engines some more and try and overcome all of the other issues which would present themselves. The winds had been 30-35 and would be again in two days so we were grateful for the opening.
27th Jan
Well what a difference a few hours make!!!
I had been writing this just before we got to the Cook Strait where we were having winds 10-15 knots behind us and were still having to motor sail to make the required 5 knots to hit the currents at the right time to get to Wellington.
The winds started building and building and building!!!! We had already been fairly well reefed to be ready for the 25+knots we may get but suddenly we were in 30-40 knots just as we hit what we now know is the roughest part of the passage. They call it the washing machine!!! Now the current had turned and we hit 14 knots of speed at one stage travelling east but now our issue was would we be able to turn north—directly into the wind to motor through the Heads into Wellington? The Heads are littered with the remains of many boats and ships which were unable to.
We called the Maritime Radio to get advice to see where we may be safely able to seek shelter but all she could tell me was that the forecast said there should be up to 20 knots of wind---hmm maybe she should have been out here!!
Finally it was suggested we call the marine police as they are more familiar with the area to advise what we should try and do. The police told us that another boat had turned and gone back to the Sounds earlier in the day. We turned to try and go back only to find that as we had timed our arrival with favorable currents to come we were only making 3 knots going back—a daunting prospect. We were envisioning all night out in these conditions.
The police then called us back and advised us that as we only had 4 miles to a bay north of us which would give us shelter we should see if we could make it. They also said they were coming out anyway to keep an eye on us---NOT OUR REQUEST!!!!--. We now turned to the bay and were bucking and dropping—felt like a downhill ski run—and with both engines pinned we were making around 2 knot—oh well only 2 more hours to go. Two ferries were approaching us --one eastbound and one westbound—we radioed them and both advised us that they saw us clearly and would change course to avoid us. Now the police arrived and we chatted with them as we rocked and rolled slowly towards shore. The seas calmed a little and now we were almost doing 3 knots. They said that it had not been as windy when they came through the heads so we decided we could probably get through so changed course to line up the approach.
We slowly made our way and eventually made our way into Wellington harbour complete with police escort—what a fitting way to return home!!!!! The winds never did abate but the seas did as we got closer.
Once we were in the harbour they left us and we continued to tack backwards and forwards the last 9 miles to the marina. It was very surreal to see the people at sheltered beaches swimming and sunbathing—did they not know there was a gale out there!!
Our friends Anne and Harvey—had been with us in Raratonga—came down and helped us tie up—another feat to overcome and we had to tie each bow to a piling as we backed in so we would not be blown onto the dock. With the wind still blowing it was difficult and we were very happy to finally be ashore and go to their house for pizza after the celebratory champagne they had bought down to share with us—we felt we had earned it!!
By 7pm the wind had calmed and the whole of the next day was calm—it appeared that the forecasting had been 8 hours off!!!
Anyway for all of our friends with their boats up north it may be easier to drive down!!!
We had used 20 gallons of fuel since we left Whangarei—included the river and going into Opua and all of our other stops and motor sailing a lot of the way to the Cook Strait but we then used another 20 gallons getting in!!!
Heaving to is not an option with the wicked currents as you would be washed either to South Africa or Australia so without an engine it would have been miserable.
We intend staying here for about 2 weeks and then will venture back out to sail across to the Marlborough Sounds when we get a good forecast—and can peep outside and make a decision before heading out.
My mom is happy we are here and we are trying to figure a way to get her on the boat to take her out on the harbour for a ride on a nice day. Her arthritis will make it difficult but she would love to come—a crane???
My brother and his boys are hoping for a fishing trip back out into the Straits but once again will have to wait till we can see it calm.
Nieces and nephews want to come to the Sounds and visit so all in all it will be nice to have the boat here.
The marina is great although we are on a new dock and they are still hooking up our power and water. The resident sea gulls come in by the hundreds every night and squawk and fight on the empty docks around us—as they fill up with boats will they find a new spot??
Hope all is well with all of you and now that we are safely tied up all is well with us.