Author Archives: freedomsail

Ibis Budget Hotel (Auckland Airport) Sunday 26 April 2020 It’s been a big day, with one thing and another.  Up at 6:00 … taxi at 9:30 … plane at 10:45 … hotel at 12:30 … supermarket at 5:00 … now I’m starting to fade.  The weather has been glorious, with my window seat on theContinue reading “Plans Take Flight – Finally”

Chaffers Marina (Wellington, NZ) Saturday 25 April 2020 It’ll be a short blog tonight, I promise.  ‘Cos as John Denver sang all those years ago … “all my bags are packed, I’m ready to go …” and I really do need to get a reasonable night’s sleep. The ban on community gatherings meant that AnzacContinue reading “ANZAC Day in Wellington”

Chaffers Marina (Wellington, NZ) Friday 24 April 2020 My phone doesn’t ring that often.  When it does, it’s usually Keith, Gary, Theresa, or maybe Adam.  But late this morning it rang and before answering I noticed it said “Auckland” … now who do I know in Auckland, I thought. Quickly, my mind scanned all it’sContinue reading “Cancelled Again”

Chaffers Marina (Wellington, NZ) Thursday 23 April 2020 Was it really only yesterday that we sailed down the west coast, around the corner, and up into Wellington.  From what I could see of today’s weather – mostly from inside my warm and cozy saloon through the small coach-house windows – I think we picked theContinue reading “Getting to Know Wellington”

Chaffers Marina (in Wellington) Wednesday 22 April 2020 The sleep seemed so brief.  No sooner had I turned out the light, than the six o’clock alarm sounded.  But pretty soon I was working through the list of final tasks – breakfast being one of them It was around this time that the wind started pickingContinue reading “Welcome to Wellington”

Mana Marina (near Wellington) Tuesday 21 April 2020 In looking at the calendar, I see that John and I arrived here into Mana, direct from the West Coast town of Westport, on Friday 20th March … that was exactly one month ago yesterday.  Of course, we all know what’s happened over the past 30 daysContinue reading “Last Night at Mana”

Mana Marina (near Wellington) Monday 20 April 2020 After nearly four weeks of “lockdown” … the much anticipated COVID-19 announcement by the New Zealand Prime Minister occurred today.  And as reported earlier this evening … “Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced the level 4 lockdown will continue for one more week with it coming toContinue reading “Green Light From The Authorities”

Mana Marina (near Wellington) Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 April 2020 Having put aside social-networking – in search of crew members – I suddenly have all this time on my hands!  Who would have thought spending time on Facebook could consume so much of the day …??!! It’s not that I was making many “Comments”,Continue reading “Countdown to Departure”

Mana Marina (near Wellington) Thursday 16 & Friday 17 April 2020 It was an early start, well, at least by recent – time-has-no-meaning-in-isolation – standards.  Having got down to the last slice of bread (okay, one slice and one crust) and the only thing left in the “fresh” category being half a dozen potatoes, IContinue reading “‘Twas An Early Start”

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’llContinue reading “NZ2021 – Unfinished Business”