Author Archives: freedomsail

Bay of Islands Marina, Opua, North Island Monday 28 June 2021 Having been in the marina berth for the past few days it seemed somehow strange to be backing out and actually driving away.  Like being let off our leash … albeit a self-imposed leash … But today was special.  It was an opportunity toContinue reading “Day Sail – There and Back Again”

Bay of Islands Marina, Opua, North Island Sunday 27 June 2021 As a day of rest, this one was true to label.  Pretty much nothing happened.  Apart from a walk around the coast, an afternoon nap and, oh, I cooked eggs and bacon for breakfast.  We also saw a few interesting birds, plus a 1Continue reading “Lazy, Rainy, Day of Rest”

Bay of Islands Marina, Opua, North Island Saturday 26 June 2021 The latest stage of our NZ20/21 adventure came to an end with Nicola saying her good-bye yesterday morning – off on the morning bus south to Auckland.  Today, it was Martyn and Annette’s turn, picked up by Gary and Theresa a bit after 7:00amContinue reading “The Days of Good-Byes”

It’s been a slow day in many respects, but with the werather still fine we took the opportunity to catch up on some boat maintenance – including finally getting a final top coat of grey on the foredeck, complete with grippy grit to make it less like an ice skating rink. For the past 11Continue reading “The OTHER First Mate Arrives”

Bay of Islands Marina, Opua, North Island Thursday 24 June 2021 After a restful night in the calm, yet expansive Bland Bay, a small indent on the coast a bit further north of here beckoned … uniquely named Whangamumu Harbour; phonetically written as…  Fonga-moo-moo. As it turns out, Bland Bay was just a short walkContinue reading “Whangamumu (Funga-moo-moo) … I Just Like Saying It”

Bland Bay, North Island Wednesday 23 June 2021 There’s something very nice about sailing WITH the wind.  The last few days it’s been blowing from the West, the South West and the South … all quite wonderful when you consider we’ve been poking our way north, and today north east out to Poor Knights, thenContinue reading “Our Last Night Together”

Tutakaka Harbour, North Island Tuesday 22 June 2021 The strong wind overnight, coming across the bay and down from the nearby hill had as swinging in an arch on our anchor all night.  I was pretty sure we were well dug in, but when Nicola’s friend, and local resident, mentioned during his visit aboard yesterdayContinue reading “Instant Calmer”

Urquhart’s Bay, Opposite Marsdens Point, near Whangarei, North Island Monday 21 June 2021 It was an easy task of letting go the mooring line and weaving our way out of North Cove, making sure not to run over the other mooring buoys which lay on the surface here and there between the many boats. TheContinue reading “Shortest Day, Fastest Sail”

Private Mooring, North Cove, Kawau Island, North Island Sunday 20 June 2021 It seemed to rain all night, but by morning it was clear, sunny and fine. Being tied up to a freshwater source, at the Kawau Boating Club, and with the generator having run for an hour or so – which heats our waterContinue reading “Sunday of Rest & Recreation”

Kawau Boating Club Wharf, Bon Accord Harbour, Kawau Island, North Island Saturday 19 June 2021 Despite the howling wind and driving rain that descended on us in the early hours of the morning, our anchorage at Wairahi Bay remained still and calm.  After giving us a good shake-up, the storm-system moved onto the Auckland regionContinue reading “Really Didn’t Think We’d Be Sailing Today”