Setting Sights on Home

Bay Of Islands Marina, Opua, North Island

Saturday 10 July 2021

It was an early, not to mention sad, start to the day, with the inevitable departure … first of Matt and Cathy, then James and Eva.

Matt and Cathy’s taxi arrived at 5:00am for the ride to the Kerikeri airport and from there by plane onto Melbourne via Auckland.  It seemed such a “normal” travel itinerary, just for a minute there was a sensation that this COVID “situation” was a thing of the past.  But I suppose if you believe that then you truly ARE in a bubble.

Another taxi arrived around 7:15am to take James and Eva off, with them heading off to Paihia, and from there by bus to Auckland, where they hired a car for a few day’s touring

Linda, who was supposed to head back to Australia with Matt and Cathy today, has remained aboard, a least until tomorrow.  Still feeling unwell, but on the improve, Linda deferred her flight till sometime next week.  Until then she will head ashore for a couple of nights – to a Paihia AirB&B establishment – to enable me and my (hopefully) arriving crew, to focus on the work ahead. 

This includes getting Chimere ready for sea, but also understanding and then negotiating, the myriad of ever-changing COVID rules and regulations    

As a simple example … I received this from the Australian Borderforce today …

“Green lane travel arrangements between Australia and New Zealand currently only apply to air arrivals. As Australian citizens you do not require an ABF exemption to enter Australia, but you will still require an exemption from State Health authorities to avoid the 14 days quarantine requirement upon arrival in Australia”.

If only obtaining an exemption from “State Health authorities” was that easy?!  It might be, if you are travelling an a commercial jet, into a recognised airport – but given there aren’t many people arriving in Australia on private yachts, even if it is from our “bubble-buddies” New Zealand, I’m suspecting I fall into the “too hard” basket.  But, ever hopeful, I’m more than happy to be proved wrong.   

Having fallen foul of the online Exemption Application form on one particular State’s health department website, I made an online … “We Value Your Inquiry” … inquiry, and received the confirmation message back … “Thanks for your enquiry Robert – we’ll be back to you within a week” … wouldn’t ask them to send me an ambulance that’s for sure.

Suffice to say, much of today was spent completing and lodging departure documents for the New Zealand Customs, arrival forms for the Australian Borderforce and a “Blue Water” insurance application for the boat’s insurer.   Each multi-page document required me to write much the same details concerning the vessel and crew members etc etc etc, so now my big focus is on getting an answer from the Health Departments in both NSW and Victoria, because without that … in particular the one for NSW, it’s hardly worth setting sail

My preference would be to stop briefly at Lord Howe Island on the way home and from there travel onto Coffs Harbour, or Eden in order to complete the clearance formalities. After that, to THEN proceed to Westernport in Victoria. 

All sounds very simple, but, again, there seems to be something about arriving on a boat.  Better to arrive with 200 others, all crammed in a plane for 3 hours, breathing the same air – albeit filtered – than to arrive with three others after spending 7-10 days exposed to the sea air; essentially isolated from the world and hopefully alive and fighting fit.

You might have come across this comedian, Jimmy Rees … well worth a look … at the moment I’m starting to feel like I could write a script for his next skit …

Australia Right Now!!

‘The Guy Who Decides COVID Restrictions’  

The Guy Who Decides Covid Restrictions’ *PART 2*

I’m sure there’ll be more events to record tomorrow … at the moment I need to lie down before I fall down … getting up at 4:30 this morning to see Matt and Cath off is starting to take its toll

Smooth seas, fair breeze and setting sights on home

Rob Latimer