Mana Marina (near Wellington)
Good Friday 10 April 2020 &
Saturday 11 April 2020
This would have to be the quietest Easter Week-End on record. That’s my assessment, based on the lack of activity here and around the country at what would otherwise be a time of family fun and school holiday activity – the last out-door hurrah, before the early signs of winter start appearing in earnest.
Catching up on bits of online news, here and there, it’s good to read that most people are continuing to self-isolate … resisting the urge to escape to the beach, the bush, holiday house, or anywhere really. Apparently, the police have taken to setting up road blocks and in some parts it’s felt there might be more police and media on the roads at the moment than actual motorists.
I understand the police have been pretty good natured about it, as any viewer of the NZ TV series, Motorway Patrol will know https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/motorway-patrol issuing mostly warnings and “go homes” … but it’s always good to hear some of the excuses from motorists:
“I’m going to the supermarket” … when everyone knows on Good Friday they were closed
“Going up north for a surf, bro” … quite a few of these apparently
“Off to walk my dog” … 20 minutes drive from their home
Which are a little different to some of the excuses offered for Speeding in the past … according to the NZ Police …
Crash driver: ‘I was looking at a rainbow.’
Clocked at 131kmh: ‘I gotta get home. My home D starts at 7.’
Speedster clocked at 119kmh: ‘My shoe wasn’t on properly and when I lifted my foot up, it stayed on the pedal; I had to pass that car in front of me or I would’ve crashed into it!”
Speedster running up his driveway: ‘I need to take a sh– (throws his wallet at police).’
Speedster: “The car just kept going faster and faster and if I used the brake pedal, I would lose control.”
Police: “Sir, Is there any reason for your speed?” Driver: “My wife’s gone into labour and we’re rushing to the hospital.” Police: “Sir, you’re alone in the vehicle.” Driver: “Shit! I left her at home.”
“I was going to run out of gas.”
Police: “Did you not see the checkpoint?” Driver: “No, sorry, I was looking at my phone.”
https://www.facebook.com/NZPolice/videos/651445329010970/
After attending the online Good Friday church service at North Ringwood (Melbourne) yesterday, the rest of the day was spent working on the computer and “social conferencing” with friends and family. I was even able to link in with my New Zealand Latimer family via a Zoom “conference” session … with cousins, Keith, Pearl, Pam and Judy and their families – who mostly live nearby.
It was a lively session, as dogs, cats, kids and grown-ups rotated through the 5 or 6 screen-locations – each person reporting in on their news and activities. Whilst I know my first cousins, it was really good to be able to put a face to the other names the next two generations down – all part of my “New Zealand Clan” … who I’m keen to get to know better.
Due to all my uploading of video and screen time over the past two weeks, one problem I’ve encountered is that my “Unlimited Data Plan” is … technically “unlimited” … but in reality, when you exceed 40GB for the month, it slows down … quite a bit really … which meant I didn’t always hear what everyone said in the family conference, and it stopped and started a few times. So now I’m mostly using the audio function. At least until the plan’s monthly rollover in about 12 day’s time.
Since there has been very little to report from my little “bubble” … it’s been fun to look back over the voyage so far … before it came to a grinding hold when it hit the “brick wall”, of our new reality on the 20th March; the day John and I arrived here at Mana
Would you believe that on this day two months ago, friends Dean, Sandy and their daughter Samantha … also a friend … woke up to their first morning aboard Chimere, in the one-and-only … Ship Cove.
They’d traveled from Melbourne and we were just starting the Picton to Akaroa leg; having officially checked into New Zealand six days earlier on the 5th February. https://nz2020.travel.blog/2020/02/11/cloudy-bay-really-is-cloudy/
The 11th February 2020 seems a lifetime away … from where we sit here and now on the 11th April … but every few days I look again at the short film Dean produced of that stage; the link being at the top of this website.
It brings it all back again! Great memories
Looking just one month back, on the 11th March 2020 … it is, however, a very different story.
On that day we were heading north along the Fiordland coast, bound for Alice Falls anchorage in George Sound. And what should we spy off our port side … not one, but two cruise ships on their way south … the Ruby Princess and the Silver Muse. Not only could we see them on our chart plotter, as large AIS images, but we could also see them over the calm seas, little more than 5-7 miles away. I even tried to take a photo.
https://nz2020.travel.blog/2020/03/11/another-day-another-fiord/
They say that two weeks is a long time in politics. Well, the two weeks since the 11th March would have to be the longest and most devastating 14 days in the cruise ship industry’s history.
As it turns out, that very Ruby Princess, which passed us by so gracefully in the sun on the 11th March, has now been implicated in spreading the COVID-19 virus to more than 600 people – across New Zealand and Australia, plus the deaths of at least 15 people. Just a tragic set of circumstances, that is likely to play-out for some time to come.
It certainly puts in sharp focus the captain’s ultimate duty-of-care, over their vessel, and all who sail in her … and that includes those onshore who might be infected on account of passengers being released prematurely.
Check out the following links for more of the sad details …
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/120967482/the-illfated-journey-of-cruise-ship-the-ruby-princess
https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ships/ru-ruby-princess/
Between social networking and chatting on sailing forums, work on the production of the “Chimere Operations Manual” continues. Set to become Chimere’s, and my, Magnus Opus … it’s a document that has been near-on 14 years in the making. Many of the components have already been written. I have them on the computer hard drive, it’s now a case of bringing it all together and maintaining the momentum. I at least have the time now … so there can’t be any excuses.
In trying to clarify the different self-isolation procedures between the Australian Border Force and the Department of Health (Vic), I put up a brief Post on an international cruising forum, and whether it’s the interest in the topic, the fact that so many people have so much time on their hands – or maybe a combination of both – I’m currently up to 1,414 “Views” and have 19 “Replies”.
Some replies, grant it, were so far off my original question … “Has anyone out there cleared into Melbourne and have firsthand experience of the self-isolation regulation enforcement in Victoria, for yachts and small craft” … that if I was a teacher marking their assignments, I could really only give points for effort, and empathy … not content. There was certainly a lot of content, it’s just that it related to pretty much every place except Victoria. But there are certainly a lot of yachties sitting at anchor, on a mooring, or in a marina berth, twiddling their thumbs and making new “To Do” lists … and tapped into sailing forums, like me.
I’ve had a few people ask about dad’s, and his brother Ted’s, 1947 Milford adventure and having mastered the art of uploading video to You tube, without breaking the internet, I can include the link here if you’re interested …
Late today, as the setting sun shot a beam of light through the starboard saloon window, straight into my eyes, at pretty much the same time it did yesterday (and the day before), it occurred to me … I need to get up and block that window. Next, thing that occurred to me was … “I haven’t been outside today and I need to go for a walk”.
That’s how I took the following photos. It’s pretty much the same scenes from the photos I’ve taken several times before, but with slightly different lighting.
With the new video editing skills I’ve been learning, of course, I now know how to alter the colouring and contrast of photos. Which basically means I can simply re-colour old photos and pass them off as new shots, taken today.
But of course, the bonus in going outside for a walk, is that I get some exercise … which is even more important now that my supply of chocolate has been taking a pounding. After all, you can’t just have a coffee on its own …
Smooth seas, fair breeze and Easter at Mana
Rob Latimer
NZ2020 
Loved the NZ police video – brilliant!!!!
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