Bay of Islands Marina, Opua, North Island
Saturday 3 July 2021
After all our travels together, there’s every chance that today was John’s last sail aboard Chimere. Makes me sad just thinking about it.
John, my old university flatmate (1980 & 1981) first stepped aboard Chimere in 2013. He’d flown over from New Zealand to assist with sailing Chimere from Melbourne to Sydney and from there to Port Vila, as part of that year’s Medical Sailing Ministries health outreach transport mission
Next, it was in early 2019 when he participated in my circumnavigation of Tasmania, joining us on the Hobart to Melbourne leg, up the rugged West Coast. I’ll include a few choice photos that will give you an idea of nautical-John in action. (Tassie Voyage HERE)
In some ways the Tasmanian experience was an apprenticeship for this more serious and ambitions, New Zealand voyage. But it was John who was quick to put up his hand to be aboard throughout – flying to Melbourne for the sail over in January last year, then remaining as First Mate for every stage since.
It’s been a very positive, supportive – and as John explained a while ago … “symbiotic” arrangement. From my side, I’ve had someone to help me fulfill some of my sailing dreams, and from John’s side it’s been an opportunity for him to pursue his love of adventure and “being out on the water”.
Today was another Land family Day-Sail experience, and it was John’s sister Mara who asked the probing question over lunch … “have you two guys ever had a big bust-up, or argument out at sea?” … “What? … you mean me and Linda?, I asked “NO, you and John” returned Mara
And on reflection, I couldn’t think of a time. Maybe if the boat was smaller, it might be different. The beauty of Chimere is that everyone, mostly, has their private space, or cabin, then there’s the “social” spaces … in the saloon, cockpit and up on deck. I think we also value and respect each other’s skills and contributions. I know I greatly value the way John can fix most things with Number 8 wire and when he can’t, he’ll nearly always find an alternative.
So, again, today was John’s last sail on Chimere … and it was also going to be his last night sleeping aboard, but this morning, as we prepared to welcome another clutch of the Land family, we discovered that John’s car had been broken into overnight, with an intention to steal it. Consequently, John was reluctant to leave it in the public carpark overnight, for fear of the burglars returning to complete their work.
Talk about disappointing! It’s the last thing we expected, but, on the bright side, whilst the side window was broken and the key mechanism and mounding under the steering wheel pulled apart … the car wasn’t actually stolen and it could still be started and driven like normal. So after dinner of fish and chips (again) John decided to head off 15 minutes down the road to spend the night with one of his sons Ben (and his family) Fortunately, we haven’t seen the last of John, he will return again for breakfast in the morning and we’ll do a few jobs together aboard before he kindly takes Linda grocery shopping AND picks up Matt and Cathy from nearby Paihia – very exciting!!
Setting aside all of the above, today was ALSO a great opportunity for John to share the sailing experience with his son Sam, wife Lou and their four children Ivy, Dusty, Haven and tiny little 3-month-old Rosie. Also onboard was Mara, one of John’s three sisters, who, along with her partner, owns her own yacht, moored a short distance from here near Kerikeri.
In summary, the day was an amazing success, helped in large part by the weather, which was sunny and still, with just enough breeze to make things interesting and not too much as to make things challenging. Sam’s wife Lou was particularly courageous, taking charge for most of the day of little Rosie, who seemed happy enough to drink milk and sleep; dressed as she was in a range of knitted garments and wrapped up like a caterpillar.
Even though we started late, our course, mostly under sail took us to Urupukapuka – another one of those places you just like saying – for lunch and there was even a chance to go ashore and make sandcastles. The small indentation on the coast called Paradise Bay – where we anchored – was also the chosen spot for the training ship R.Tucker Thompson to drop the pick, with a range of activities underway, including climbing the mast.
By 5:30pm we were back in our berth, with our guests heading off on their one hour (plus) drive across the island, back to Mountain Road, Hokianga.
An update on the Latimer family news … Matt and Cathy come aboard tomorrow for six days, with James and Eva arriving from Canberra late on Tuesday evening, for three days. Not a long time, but given all that’s been happening, we’ll take what we can get – they’ll definitely be precious days!
On the trans-Tasman crew recruitment drive … it looks like I might have put together “my team” … a total of four, comprising me, a friend, Harm, from the Victorian Cruising Yacht Club … a young-ish bloke he knows called Sam, plus a more experienced old salt called Matt. At this stage – weather permitting – we will start the journey home to Australia around the 13th July … just 10 days from now. Not long when you say it like that!
Smooth seas, fair breeze and the start of good-bye
Rob Latimer
NZ2020 