Monthly Archives: March 2020

Beach Harbour, Breaksea Sound, Fiordland Monday 9 March 2020  CAPTAIN COOK, Second Voyage, March 1773Cook’s Journal, Dusky Sound: “The almost continual rains may be reckoned another evil attending this bay, though, perhaps, this may only happen at this season of the year; nevertheless, the situation of the country, the vast height, and nearness of theContinue reading “Rain Equals Waterfalls”

Pickersgill Harbour, Dusky Sound, Fiordland  Sunday 8 March 2020  CAPTAIN COOK, Second Voyage, 28th March 1773 Cook’s Journal, Pickersgill Harbour: “In the PM hauled the Sloop into a small creek and moored her head and stern to the trees and so near the Shore as to reach it with the brow or stage which nature hadContinue reading “Dusky Dreaming”

Lake Cove, Chalky Sound, Fiordland  Saturday 7 March 2020  It was a particularly lazy start to the day, knowing we’d be here all day and for a second night, with no particular place to go, but maybe ashore in the dinghy briefly to explore the local waterfall and lake.  This we did around 11:15am, motoringContinue reading “A Day of Rest”

Lake Cove, Chalky Sound, Fiordland Friday 6 March 2020  CAPTAIN COOK, Second Voyage, 25 Match 1773: After sailing 117 days without sight of land, covering thousands of miles across the Southern Ocean, as far south as 60 degrees south, Captain James Cook made landfall at Chalky Inlet, which he mistook for Dusky Sound (just aContinue reading “Cook’s Legacy for Us All”

Cascade Basin, Long Sound, Fiordland  Thursday 5 March 2020  Despite the constant, but diminishing, swell that entered Otago’s Retreat, our anchorage, close to the entrance, worked out to be a remarkably still place to drop the pick.  As expected, it was a lazy start all-round and it wasn’t until at least 10:00am that we motoredContinue reading “Sounds of Majestic Grandeur”

Otago’s Retreat, Preservation Inlet, FIORDLAND !  Wednesday 4 March 2020  It was always going to be a close-run thing. Sailing from Port William on Stewart Island to Preservation Inlet in Fiordland – a distance of roughly 80 miles – in daylight hours.   The worst of the 40-50 knot gale had passed overnight. We’d had aContinue reading “A Big Day*!”

Port William, Stewart Island  Tuesday 3 March 2020  As planned, we got away from Lord’s River early, catching the light, off shore wind, before the forecasted all-out gale arrived around lunchtime  Our speed was good, and it was a comfortable ride, with a slight tilt to the starboard side. Our arrival at Port William aroundContinue reading “Race to Beat the Gale”

APOLOGIES FOR THE TEMPORARY BREAK IN COMMUNICATION Owing to the fact that we are now out of internet and phone range and are relying on SatPhone emails and the kindest of friend, Mike Clarke, to post messages on our behalf (Currently no photos unfortunately – these will be added in a couple of weeks when weContinue reading “Now That Looks Tight”

Faith, Hope & Charity Sunday 1 March 2020 Whilst our goal and “sailing itinerary” for the next 14 days was to … “… proceed forthwith to the Fiordland-region, located at the further-est corner of New Zealand’s South Island and once there to explore its waterways and environs…” … the Chimere-cruise travel brochure always made referenceContinue reading “Weather or Not”