Monthly Archives: April 2020

Pan Pacific Hotel, Rm 1214 (Melbourne) Thursday 30 April 2020 Given that this blog is titled “NZ 2020 – In the Wake of Captain Cook” I must start with an apology for overlooking the commemoration of the famous man’s landing at Botany Bay, NSW, 250 years ago, on April 28, just two days ago. HavingContinue reading “The Groceries Came Through !”

Pan Pacific Hotel, Rm 1214 (Melbourne) Wednesday 29 April 2020 It’s hard to believe that this time last week I was sailing with Keith and Adam around into Wellington Harbour – and in the process, setting a Chimere world speed record of 15.2 knots. Certainly, a lot of things have happened in the past 7Continue reading “Doing My Time”

Pan Pacific Hotel, Rm 1214 (Melbourne) Tuesday 28 April 2020 Like a lab-rat in a new enclosure, I’ve checked out every cupboard, draw, shelf, ledge and complimentary soap in the place.   The whole “studio-apartment” is 10 metres by 5 metres… there’s an iron, an ironing board, lots of towels and pillows, TWO spare rolls ofContinue reading “Where’s the Wally”

Pan Pacific Hotel, Rm 1214 (Melbourne) Monday 27 April 2020 If the past 30 days of self-isolation in New Zealand aboard Chimere had each day kind-of blurring into the next, then today was one of those days that, how shall we say … really stood out. It started out ordinary enough.  Retracing my steps fromContinue reading “Won’t Forget This Day in a Hurry”

Ibis Budget Hotel (Auckland Airport) Sunday 26 April 2020 It’s been a big day, with one thing and another.  Up at 6:00 … taxi at 9:30 … plane at 10:45 … hotel at 12:30 … supermarket at 5:00 … now I’m starting to fade.  The weather has been glorious, with my window seat on theContinue reading “Plans Take Flight – Finally”

Chaffers Marina (Wellington, NZ) Saturday 25 April 2020 It’ll be a short blog tonight, I promise.  ‘Cos as John Denver sang all those years ago … “all my bags are packed, I’m ready to go …” and I really do need to get a reasonable night’s sleep. The ban on community gatherings meant that AnzacContinue reading “ANZAC Day in Wellington”

Chaffers Marina (Wellington, NZ) Friday 24 April 2020 My phone doesn’t ring that often.  When it does, it’s usually Keith, Gary, Theresa, or maybe Adam.  But late this morning it rang and before answering I noticed it said “Auckland” … now who do I know in Auckland, I thought. Quickly, my mind scanned all it’sContinue reading “Cancelled Again”

Chaffers Marina (Wellington, NZ) Thursday 23 April 2020 Was it really only yesterday that we sailed down the west coast, around the corner, and up into Wellington.  From what I could see of today’s weather – mostly from inside my warm and cozy saloon through the small coach-house windows – I think we picked theContinue reading “Getting to Know Wellington”

Chaffers Marina (in Wellington) Wednesday 22 April 2020 The sleep seemed so brief.  No sooner had I turned out the light, than the six o’clock alarm sounded.  But pretty soon I was working through the list of final tasks – breakfast being one of them It was around this time that the wind started pickingContinue reading “Welcome to Wellington”

Mana Marina (near Wellington) Tuesday 21 April 2020 In looking at the calendar, I see that John and I arrived here into Mana, direct from the West Coast town of Westport, on Friday 20th March … that was exactly one month ago yesterday.  Of course, we all know what’s happened over the past 30 daysContinue reading “Last Night at Mana”