Decision Time

Mana Marina (near Wellington)

Sunday 22, Monday 23, Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 March 2020

If Saturday’s blog was titled “Rest and Recreation”, then the blog of the past four days could be titled anything but.  I settled on “Decision Time” because that’s essentially what has been happening as information was received and processed, and a suitable response made.

I was already aware that no friends or family would be coming over to join the adventure.  This included crew who had booked to help sail Chimere back to Australia.

Annette, Martyn and Gary moved aboard Sunday evening, with the plan being to sail for 7-10 days over in the Marlborough Sounds, rather than to Opua in Northland as was previously arranged.  It was thought that by sailing locally, it would give us time to re-assess things and for me to find a new crew to essentially sail straight back to Australia as soon as possible.

That plan was rapidly set aside as we sat down for dinner on Sunday night when John received a phone call to say that his elderly father had just died.  He had been found, presumed drowned, near to where he and members of the family live, in Northland.  It was naturally a massive shock, and I’ll include my Facebook post from Monday (23/3)  morning to explain things further …

(Facebook Post, Mon 23/3/20)

Coming Home

Thank you again to everyone for your kind and supportive comments

There’s definitely something about ignorance being bliss. A state John and I had enjoyed for the past couple of months – as we’d sailed around the stunning waters of New Zealand, a world apart from the unfolding global pandemic madness elsewhere.

At least that was until we returned to port … and “civilisation”… on Friday

Yesterday afternoon, (Sunday) instead of continuing north to Opua, as planned, we (that is, myself, John and the new crew of Annette, Martyn and Gary) decided to spend the next 7 – 10 days sailing Marlborough Sounds, just 20 miles across Cook Strait. This would have kept us close to “base” and at the same time enable me to (hopefully) find crew to assist me in sailing back to Melbourne in early April (from Wellington)

We were planning to leave Mana Marina this morning, (Monday) after fueling up – having already re provisioned over the past two days, with all five of us aboard. We were having dinner in the saloon, excited by the prospect of what lay ahead.

Then, John received a phone call to say that his father had only just passed away, suddenly and unexpectedly. It was naturally devastating news and so please uphold John and their whole family in your thoughts and prayers.

Soon after hearing the news, Annette, Martyn and Gary quietly and respectfully returned ashore to Gary and his wife Theresa’s home in the nearby suburb of Whitby.

John and I then said our emotional farewells a short time later, as he departed to assume his family responsibilities and face what lay ahead; having been picked up by his sister Sarah, who’d driven down from Otaki, just north of here

The boat was then very quiet, but the decision was then made, I’ll sail back to Melbourne as soon as possible, hopefully in the next few days, once I can find suitable crew. “Suitable crew” would seem to be limited to Aussie passport holders, already in New Zealand, who want to return to Australia – and who also know something about sailing

Again, your encouragement and support has been really appreciated. Please now uphold John and his family at this really difficult time.

Smooth seas, fair breeze and coming home

Rob

Flights out of New Zealand, and into Australia were filling up and likely to stop before too long.  After initially reserving a seat on Qantas, with a view to leaving Chimere here at the marina, I reverted to remaining on board because there were no long term berths available, meaning that I’d need to be here for when my time in this temporary berth is up. 

The option of lifting Chimere out of the water and up onto the dry was also considered, but there was only one driver, he was apparently over 70 and confined to home, and in any case the marina office and everything else was closing for the foreseeable future.

My key focus then turned to sailing home to Melbourne – Westernport – as soon as possible. 

The search for a new crew, therefore began almost immediately.  But of course, I couldn’t recruit just anyone.  They needed to be permanent residents of Australia, who already happen to be in New Zealand … and who also knew something about sailing – a real advantage. 

Added to this was the new, and half-expected, additional limitation based on the NZ Government’s decision to “Lock Down” the country to all transport, travel and non-essential service in 48 hours.  So, assuming I could find crew, they would need to be on board Chimere before midnight Wednesday 25^th, that’s today

In amongst my crew web-search and social networking, Gary kindly drove me to the bank and the supermarket yesterday – just briefly, you understand, but that was enough to bring me around to what has become the new reality for most, and now for me.  I’ll start at the bank …

… the lady wearing rubber gloves at the entrance to the closed doors of the Westpac bank naturally wanted to know my business.  I started explaining that I needed to change some Australian cash, and … “you from overseas?”, she interrupted … “yes, I came on a yacht two months ago, into Picton…”, I started … “can you prove it?” she demanded … “yes, I have my entry form here, it’s dated 5 February…” I started again … “we’re not accepting overseas currency, you’ll need to use the ATM if you want cash”,  to which she pointed to her left, my right, to the ATM that was on the wall between us.    

I somehow got the feeling she wasn’t really interested in seeing my yellow Picton entry form, from 5 February.  And while she took up the new task of verbally castigating an elderly man, (probably close to 90)  who’d walked in off the street, starting with  … “you’re supposed to be at home in isolation!”   “That’s where I’m going”, he feebly replied … I decided that a swift cash withdrawal from the ATM was a pretty good option after all.

The visit to the supermarket was slightly more uplifting.  The shelves seemed reasonably well stocked and there were signs here and there asking you to … “respect the needs of others by only buying what you need”.  It was curious that none of the foam hand sanitizer dispensers at the entrance worked, or were empty, and there was a definite tension in the air.  No sound of a cough anywhere, although I did notice one guy near me cough out loud, but I think he got away with it … at least that time. 

Walking around picking this and that off the shelves, looking at the concerned faces, the masks, and then being corrected by security for having placed items on the empty conveyor belt at the check-out, before the previous customer, 3 metres or more away, had paid and walked away … I started to think “I’ve been at sea too long … or maybe not long enough”.

And there was this funny sensation in my throat as I thought about the risk of getting sick, the concern of everyone else around me getting sick and then each person looking at the other wondering … “are you sick??”  … maybe my throat is feel a bit sore.  Or maybe I’m just imagining it.     

Back, safely aboard Chimere without incident, my crew-search quest continued, while at the same time I made inquiries with NZ Customs to gain clearance and notified the Australian Border Force of my intentions.

Again, all I needed was a crew, but by late Monday, with no interest, I’d become resolved to remaining here, aboard in the marina for as long as it takes.

Then, in the early evening on Monday I received a simple Reply on the “Sailboat Hitchhikers and Crew Connection” Facebook site, saying simply … “I’m keen” … from a Fijian national who also holds both Australian and New Zealand residency.   He was going to bring a friend, but that didn’t work out, so as of now, my new crew member is on a bus coming down from Northland – about 12 hours away – and will be on the boat around 9:00pm tonight.

So, in short, the current plan will see me completing the NZ Customs clearance formality here at Mana Marina tomorrow morning around 11:00, before heading out on the high tide, as I start the journey home to Westernport.

I am extremely grateful to the NZ Customs for kindly agreeing to visit me hear to do the formalities, rather than require me to travel all the way around to Wellington.

In the meantime, I’ll fill Chimere up with diesel, top up the water tanks – although the water maker is now fully operational – and attend to final matters aboard, planning and online.

Thank you to everyone for your support your encouragement and your prayers.  Sorry that communication has been non-existent from me since John and I arrived last Friday.  I’ve now been dragged into the “new world” and have been a bit pre-occupied.

I hope to maintain some form of ongoing communication, on this website.  Not likely to be any more pictures for a while, but with the assistance of Matt Latimer, I should be able to get a short message up from time to time via satphone email.

Smooth seas, fair breeze and decision time

Rob Latimer