Bridge Marina, Tauranga, North Island
Saturday 12 June 2021
As we enter the final countdown to departure the list of remaining “important tasks” is getting shorter – which is a good thing.
There’s the ongoing work on painting the deck, and I’m very happy to report that we completed the second top coat of grey on the foredeck this afternoon. All that’s left is the taping and painting of a nice sharp edge each side; which we will do tomorrow (we hope)
Completing the foredeck was important because it’s where the big dinghy sits, and is therefore inaccessible most of the time, so it’s been good to put that task to bed. We are now working our way aft and would like to get one top coat on everything by lunchtime tomorrow, however, the weather forecast might have another idea. Showers are predicted … starting overnight, so that will literally put a dampener on things I suspect.
In order to make maximum use of time, John is currently out in the cockpit applying a top coat to the undercover areas around the wheel. At least no one is going to be walking around there through the night – at least we hope – and it should be reasonably dry by morning. John’s last brush strokes will probably be done while standing inside on the companionway ladder, because after that it will be tricky to step anywhere out there without leaving your mark.
It was a special thrill to be able to host David and Susan aboard today for morning tea and lunch. They timed their visit to coincide with other business they were doing in Tauranga, and like me the other day, got stuck in traffic. Something you might expect on a Friday afternoon, but not on a Saturday morning. Not in these parts. Although judging by the official reports, it’s not getting better any time soon. (Refer to link below)
Having been in touch with David for so long now, there was a feeling that he and Susan MUST have been aboard Chimere some time in the past. But not so. No doubt he was very familiar with her from all the photos etc, but it was great to give them a firsthand tour. They even brought some tasty homemade cookies for the voyage … although having traded their US citizenship for New Zealand, I’m sure they would now call them Biscuits … they actually look ANZAC Biscuits; which would be most appropriate.
With just two sleeps till we depart, the extra crew will be arriving tomorrow afternoon. In fact it’s our “carry-over-champions” from March last year – Gary, Annette and Martyn – who’s voyage north on the Wellington to the Bay of Islands leg was cut short by the COVID19 Pandemic. At the time they didn’t even get to spend a single night on the boat. Having moved into their cabins in the afternoon, they were moving off and back home later that same evening. So, here we are, less than one day away from getting the former “gang” back together again.
Now of course there is an additional crew member – Nicola – who will join us, possibly on Thursday, a little further north near Auckland. Actually, on the island of Kawau, where we intend to drop anchor for a night or two. Primarily to meet up with someone – a fellow sailor, Lin Pardey – we got to know briefly in January last year before leaving Melbourne. As we waved good-bye to her and her friend David, she invited us to drop by their place on Kawau Island, if we happened to be in the area.
As for food … well John and I have been getting by quite well to date on old ships stores, plus the occasional visit to the supermarket for basics. Although, if truth be told, we’ve done very well at other’s expense this past week or so … Out at David and Susan’s place, the Maketu Rotary Club, YWAM Ships, Trish and Barry Muir’s, plus outings to buy fish and chips and tonight’s Vietnamese fare down off The Strand; where we went for a stroll as the evening’s dew put a halt to painting.
But we’ll have a saloon table meeting when Gary, Annette and Martyn arrive tomorrow to sort out a serious shopping list for the next 10 days or so. Fortunately, we still have a lend of David and Susan’s car till Monday morning!
To all those friends and family back in Melbourne, and Victoria, without electricity, nearly 5 days after the “big storm” … I certainly hope things are back to normal soon. At least the latest COVID lockdown restrictions are being eased tonight. (Apparently thousands of trees have come down, many through the middle of homes, or on powerlines, as the photos illustrate)
Smooth seas, fair breeze and two sleeps to go
Rob Latimer
Tauranga City Council: Investment needed to cope with population growth
Tauranga’s population has grown by an average of 25,000 people every 10 years since 1980, and that this growth was expected to continue for at least the next two decades.
Meanwhile, the city had fallen behind in its infrastructure investments, creating problems such as traffic congestion, a lack of quality community facilities and a housing shortage, it said.
The meeting heard that significant investment was required to:
• address a worsening shortage of space for homes and businesses
• mitigate traffic congestion
• improve public transport
• revitalise the city centre
• improve parks, reserves, walkways, theatres and other community facilities.
NZ2020 