The new boat

Just for those who may be interested, here's dad's new boat, Rising Star, up on the hard at the marina in Whitianga on the Coromandel. He found that the flying bridge was pretty rotten, so got a few pingas knocked off the final price. One of the local boat builders is to build him a new one over the winter, which NZ's slipping into. To help with getting around, dad's younger brother Allan helped put in a new capstan, which can be operated from the flying bridge and the internal steering console. At 87, all these tricks keep you out on the water longer!

Adventure arising

My brother Rob has a wonderful adventure coming up in the next few days. Dad, who turned 87 in April, recently sold his 32ft keeler to him, as dad's bought a 36ft launch. We appreciate that this is a big mind set change for dad, but he realised that if he's to keep out on the water, then bowing to power rather than sail may be the best move for him.

But dad lives in Whitianga on the Coromandel in the North Island, and Rob and his family live in Nelson at the top of the South Island (west of Picton on the map above). Today, Rob's flying north to spend a few days provisioning the boat up, and then sailing it home. Rob's a very competent sailor (here’s a story he wrote on a trip to Fiji from NZ), and joining him will be two equally competent yachties: Tina and Andrew Troup–siblings from Christchurch. Tina’s sailed to Antarctica and other antipodean islands, and Andrew’s building his own yacht (alloy) and has crossed the Pacific, among other trips.

This will be a heck of a trip. So they don't have to cross the notorious Cook Strait between the North and South Islands, they'll be sailing north up the east coast from the Coromandel, up and over Cape Reinga–which can be very turbulent and has often been named the worst bit of ocean in the world–and down the west coast. This is not a trip for the faint hearted! Once down the west coast, there's hardly a decent bar-less port to duck into.

They should also be well covered for safety gear–Andrew’s bringing his sextant–and they'll have a PLB, two VHF, two GPS, liferaft (hired) and an inflatable dinghy.

I am quite envious!

I scream, you scream...

Ice cream’s a big deal in New Zealand. Kiwis are amongst the highest per capita consumers of ice cream in the world—lying either 2nd or 3rd (with Australia) behind the USA. In fact, Kiwis each eat on average around 18 litres of ice cream per annum.

One of the first things I do when I get back home is to get my tongue around either a blueberry or a hokey pokey ice cream cone—hokey pokey being our national icon ice cream. Or perhaps a rum and raisin…

So much so is it a big thing that this year's annual New Zealand Ice Cream Awards attracted a record 206 entries.

International judging guidelines are followed, with each ice cream being awarded a maximum 100 points, with points deducted for imperfections in appearance, body and texture, flavour and melting defects.

Interestingly, the mainstay of ice cream flavours—vanilla—won the top prize, beating the more unusual flavours of peanut butter, bacon and egg and Mexican. Entered by Invercargill business Deep South, the standard vanilla flavour impressed judges more than a raft of other more exotic choices. Deep South was also named as winner of the Best in Category prize for their standard chocolate and hokey pokey ice creams.

But what makes me feel good about eating ice cream, is that ice cream is about 50% air by volume—so shouldn’t that mean half the calories?

Don't leave your boat

A few blog pasts back, in March, I covered a story on accountant Bill Heritage, who was forced to abandon his 7.9m sloop Air Apparent about 90 nautical miles west of New Zealand's Kaipara Harbour, when his inexperienced crew ignored his orders and set off the yacht's emergency locator beacon. Much to Heritage's chagrin they were subsequently picked up by rescue helicopter.

Yesterday, the boat was found drifting about 210 nautical miles (389km) off North Cape, upright and drifting with its mast intact and its sail dragging in the water.

The decision on whether to salvage the abandoned yacht now rests with the insurance company, which had finally paid out after much haggling. Interestingly, the "mutineers" have donated $14,000 to the helicopter services that saved them, to help cover the $20,000 rescue costs.

But the moral of the story here, is that in pretty much most conditions, don't leave your boat! Which means that to head off to sea, in any size craft, we need the skills, equipment and know-how to use that equipment to ensure that we come back in one piece.

Where did you find that?

One of our favourite sayings we heard from our grandfather, Gramp, was, "Where did you find that? Floating down the river on a log?" (I use it often now with the WeeOne.) And seeing this wonderful sleep concept from Okooko (which means "to cradle in arms" in Maori) just brought this old saying to mind. Heaven knows why...

Okooko is a New Zealand company with a new store just opened in Philly, of all places. "Float," as above, was launched at NZ's Furniture Fashion in May last year, and voted by the public as 'Best piece of bedroom furniture' in the NZ made competition.

Designer David Trubridge has worked from boatbuilding to furniture making, and sailed through the Caribbean and the Pacific with his family in Hornpipe. He sees “Sleep is a voyage through dreams when we wholly give ourselves up in trust, lying curled up in our bed vessel feeling safe and cosy. It can be ten minutes in the office, an hour on the lawn or all night in any place we pull our cradle to.”

Personally, if we could all kayak in something like Float, imagine what a happy world this would be!

Of course, I also love the photo as it's taken from the beach in front of the marina in Tauranga, my home town. That's the famous "Mount" across the harbour - Mount Maunganui - many a time have we sailed out that entrance on a new voyage, or walked up the Mount's summit and marvelled at the view across the Bay of Plenty. Sigh.

Old man and the sea

Happy birthday, Dad!

Cheers to 87 years.

Sinking of the Wahine

It's the 40th anniversary of New Zealand's worst maritime disaster, the sinking of the inter-island ferry the Wahine, on April 10, 1968. I was only six at the time, but I still remember the news. And the photos taken then have been firmly engrained in most Kiwis' consciousness.

Since most Kiwis are only separated by two or three degrees of separation, we probably also knew someone who had been on the ferry that fateful day - the mother of an old friend of mine when I lived in Christchurch was one.

The weather was pretty much to blame - one of those perfect storms. And of the 734 men, women and children aboard, 53 lost their lives. Many of those who died were in the first lifeboat away, which swamped soon after launching.

What is interesting, is that only recently have Kiwis started talking about the disaster. As the New Zealand Herald's editorial stated, "They were undoubtedly encouraged in this by attitudes pervading New Zealand society 40 years ago. This was not a time for what might be thought unnecessary fuss. Survivors were given a cup of tea and sent home. In most cases, there was no talk of compensation. No Government medals for heroism were awarded. The message was to get on with life....

"The answer may lie in a further change emanating, in part, from the 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre. The survivors were encouraged to express their feelings. The firefighters who perished were lionised. In the midst of disaster, America looked for and found heroes.

"New Zealand is also paying ever more heed to its own heroes. The thousands who queued for hours to pay their last respects to Sir Edmund Hillary attest to that. So do the increasing attendances at Anzac Day commemorations. We have, as a society, become more sentimental."

Little wheels

I get all warm and furry when I see "older" folks doing great things. Gives me hope for when I start "getting that way."

I've just found the Web site of Barbara and Wally, Canadians cycling around New Zealand on recumbants this summer. They're first off traveling around the South Island, and their tales and photos are well worth keeping an eye on.

It's summer somewhere...

Stuck way up here in the wintery Northern Hemisphere I sometimes forget that it's summer downunder, or New Zealand in this case. Everyone's off school for nearly two months for the summer holidays, and most of the country closes down from Christmas Day for a fortnight, to pack up all the whanau and head off to the bach and beach for a good ol' wind down.

The New Zealand Herald has been posting holiday photos from its readers (two lots now, here and here), which are more than enough to bring a sigh to an ex-pat's heart, and encourage those that haven't yet visited Godzone to think seriously about packing their togs and making their own voyage downunder.

Back home

It was a magical sail back to Whitianga, and we took two days over it, trying to prolong the time away. Practically no wind at all from Barrier to Mercury Bay, so we motor-sailed along with sails up on auto pilot, watching the view, having a cuppa and reading away.

Then the dolphins found us. I'd never seen so many this year, as well as NZ's wee blue penguin. Always an absolute delight to see them all popping up everywhere. Penguins are smaller in size the further north you go - with the warmer waters - so New Zealand's are quite tiny creatures, compared with Antarctica's beauties.

A day after returning to Whitianga and enjoying the garden and views for the last time, we drove to my sister Clio's in the Waikato for an early Christmas, after visiting mum's memorial stone on the way, and then up to Auckland to fly away home. Rather special was that my mum's three older sisters, all living in Auckland, crammed into the car and saw me off at Auckland International. A few more obligatory tears. They're all in their 80s as well, widows, one with severe MS, and you just don't know if you'll get to hug them again.

I arrived in Los Angeles before I'd left Auckland; and 24 hours after leaving NZ, I was sneaking into bed, at midnight, with the family fast asleep. Home's fine.

Sailing away

Nearly a week after I arrived, dad and I packed up the boat and headed off from the marina. The forecast wasn't brilliant - stiff westerlies to nor'westerlies - but we were keen to get away. A following wind took us out Mercury Bay (so-called by Captain James Cook as this was where he observed the transit of Mercury) and around the point. We decided to reef with some good looking swells and white caps charging across between the point and Great Mercury Island, our destination. We were plastered! A tight board with 35-40 knots, we were glad of the extra reefs as the spray flew. And typically, we loved every minute of it.

We spent the next six days stooging around the island, before we headed north to Great Barrier Island. Nary a fish, cray, paua or mussel passed our lips - so much for my plans to live off the seas - with high springs and a metre easterly swell, the best laid rocks and plans didn't quite work out. But amazing what one can do with potatoes, carrots, kumara, pumpkin, eggs, a tin of salmon and a pinch of curry powder. And some wine...

Time with the whanau

Just returned from a few weeks back in Aoteoroa visiting whanau, primarily dad to check up on a few health issues, and then hopefully a week or so out on the boat up the coast. My sister Clio very kindly picked me up from Auckland International, after the obligatory few tears as the big wheels touched town, and drove me to dad's, tucked away in Whitianga on the Coromandel Peninsula. We spent a few days resting up, visiting the clinic, listening to the ever-wonderful Kim Hill on National Radio, and soaking up a few rays. For someone born in 1921, the old man's looking remarkably spry (with a local friend who sometimes comes to visit).

I'll post a few tales and photos of the trip over the next few days, but to wet your whistle, here's a panorama from the deck of the house, overlooking Mercury Bay and Whitianga township.

Paradise.

Me too!

Okay, that’s it. I’ve had enough of all these sheilas heading off to NZ and paddling in MY waters. I’m going too, tomorrow. To Aoteoroa, the land of Minties, Jaffas, Pineapple Lumps, real chocolate, hokey pokey ice cream and the best vino. And spring.

For the first time dad’s admitted that he’s starting to feel his age. Not bad for 86. But if I could just get him to lay down the chain saw for his winter season’s supply of firewood and pay someone to lug all the rolls up the bank, I reckon he’d feel a lot better, and perhaps even reduce what he calls his “cardiac incidents”. But it’s hard to convince someone of this who indignantly proclaims that he’s always done every thing for himself, ALWAYS!

So I’m leaving the family and paddle at home – we’ll take his new grandson back some time next year, when he’s crawling and really creating havoc – and spending a few weeks to catch up. And hopefully we’ll even get away up the coast in the boat for a week or so.

So this ol’ blog will probably be a bit quiet until after Thanksgiving. But dad and I’ll raise a glass to you all.

And the photo? That’s dad’s home built sander, out in his workshop.

NZ's the place to be

Just amazing. No woman has ever paddled around New Zealand's South Island, and only three men have, and now three sheilas are making a go of it, all within the next few months.

I mentioned Freya Hoffmeister's journey a few posts back, and now the renowned Justine Curgenven (Wales) and to me unknown Barbro Lindman (Sweden) are also taking up the challenge.

My responses are entirely irrational:

• One was fine, now three are 'competing', and I'm not one of them
• Three sheilas and not one of them is a Kiwi, and I'm not one of them (but I'm a Kiwi)
• This trip is probably one of the most challenging any paddler could make, and I'm not one of them
• With the most beautiful scenery to view, and I'm not one of them
  

Kia Kaha!

Freya to NZ

Well, here's a biggie. Freya Hoffmeister declared yesterday on her blog, that in October she'll be paddling solo around New Zealand's South Island. This will be one hell of an adventure, which could take four months or more, feeling more like paddling open ocean rather than just following a coast line. Following closely on the heels of her circumnavigation of Iceland just a few months ago, she's having a great year. No mention of whether she'll be supported or not, but even with, this is a hell of a trip, and one I'm sure she's up to.

I understand the circumnavigation of the South Island's only been done twice - by our own Kiwi, Paul Caffyn (in a Grahame Sisson, I would like to add;), and the American, Chris Duff. Both wrote books about their adventure, Obscured by Waves, and Southern Exposure, respectively. Both are great reads, and will give some idea of the enormity of the task.

She'll have some amazing scenery to both shoulders as she paddles. The east coast is usually the calmer of the two, sometimes protected from the oft-breezy fohns coming down from the Alps. There'll be slightly easier beach landings, with a mixture of rock and sand. She'll definitely have to stop in Kaikoura for cray, and I had the best burger there many years ago. Christchurch and Lyttelton will be excellent ports of call, as will Dunedin and Invercargill. After that, she's going to be pretty much on her own until she hits Westport and Greymouth on the west coast, and those harbours have notorious bars to cross. Probably the most scenic and restful part of the trip will be along the top through Abel Tasman National Park and the Malborough Sounds - she'll have the most magnificent scenery and wildlife to play along with her. And my brother and his family will wave as she passes Nelson. In fact, she'll just have to say kia ora to them in Nelson.

I look forward to following her progress!