Mana Marina (near Wellington)
Wednesday 15 April 2020
There are many life-lessons and everyday things that can be neatly described using a sailing idiom or metaphor.
We’ve all heard them, maybe used them … Battening down the hatches … Choc a block … High and dry … Hold your course … Under way … I’ll take it on board … down in the doldrums … sailing too close to the wind … oh, I’ve got lots more…
And of course, there are times when … “Full steam ahead” … is appropriate, and then there are other times when is best to simply … “Ride at anchor” … waiting for things to “blow over”.
One thing for certain, is that if you don’t have a course charted – one of your choosing – whether on a boat, or in life, then pretty soon a course will be imposed. One that’s a function of wind, tides, currents … whatever … that may well have you in a bad place. On the rocks … all at sea … or, beached as, bro … see, I told you I had more.
The past few weeks have been a challenging time for everyone. No more “plain sailing” (ok, I’ll stop with the sailing metaphors now) and of course there’s a sense in which we have all lost control … to the extent that we ever had control I suppose.
In my situation of course, I can’t find a suitable crew, so I’ve been stuck here for roughly four weeks now and will be for the foreseeable future. Not quite adrift, but …
Fortunately, as I mentioned the other day, I have “Plan B” … which is an airline ticket back to Melbourne. Two tickets actually … the first from Wellington to Auckland, and the second from Auckland to Melbourne. Despite the lockdown, there are a few specific travel exemptions that apply to us “foreigners” … which, at the end of the day I suppose I am. Here’s what the official website says …
International flights: Auckland Airport is urging travellers to stay at home unless they are confirmed to depart from the international terminal within three hours. Only passengers with a valid passport and proof of confirmed ticket booking are permitted to enter the International Terminal.
Domestic flights: Foreign nationals in New Zealand can drive, or take domestic flights, in order to connect with commercial, or chartered, international flights to their home country. Find out more about the specific rules and criteria for domestic travel on the New Zealand Government COVID-19 website or check with your airline to confirm your eligibility to take a domestic flight within New Zealand.
Returning home is only one piece of the puzzle of course. The other pieces of the puzzle naturally include safe and secure “accommodation” for Chimere, plus a future plan to bring her home sometime in the future.
And that’s where the current adventure, titled … “NZ2020 – In the wake of Captain Cook”, is being re-envisaged as “NZ2021 – Unfinished Business” … as I set about “charting a new course” … (sorry, I promised didn’t I?!)
The plan so far (weather AND global pandemic willing of course) will see the next Chimere sailing adventure pick up, pretty much where this one left off – from mid-January 2021. Including more time spent over in the Marlborough Sounds, plus the Nelson and Golden Bay regions. Then up the east coast again, into Tauranga, plus a lazy time heading up to the Bay of Islands – and an even lazier time once there. The return to Australia will then start around this time next year.
Early bookings for this … “Cruise of a Lifetime” … are already being taken, with priority given to “carry-over-non-starter-champions” Annette, Martyn and Gary – plus Theresa too maybe??? – with John Land looking as keen-as bro, to step aboard once more.
The plan has already been run past “Domestic High Command” and we have the GREEN LIGHT.
Having made the decision, the next 10 days will now be spent getting everything in order aboard Chimere for a planned and orderly retreat by me, on the 25 April; a significant date for this sort of manoeuvre, to be sure.
I’m even quietly looking forward to experiencing two weeks of luxury, city, hotel, self-isolation accommodation, compliments of the Australian Government … although in 10 days’ time they might be putting arrivals up at the North Melton Motor Park … maybe I can book it in advance on Trivago?!
In other news, my Goldair 7-Fin Oil Column Heater arrived today. YES!! I ordered it online last week – something known currently as an “Essential Product” – and Gary and Theresa kindly agreed to be my drop-off point for what was described on the Mitre10 website as a … “Contactless Delivery”.
In placing my order, I considered filling out the “Delivery Address” section with … “Mana Marina … A-Row … End of Pier … Port side railing” … but it’s starting to get cold here in the mornings, and I wanted to eliminate the possibility of delays.
So, not only did ground-crew, Gary and Theresa drop off the heater this afternoon, but Theresa also returned all my (once) dirty washing, neatly dried and folded in two plastic bags. No cake, beer and magazines today … but hey, is this good service or what?! Thank you so much!!
Smooth seas, fair breeze and NZ2021 – Unfinished Business
Rob Latimer
NZ2020 