Felt a bit guilty getting a very good sail the last day into Whangarei. A number of boats we were talking to on the nets were stuck out in bad weather and seas close to New Zealand. We arrived in Marsden Cove Marina, Whangarei at 11:30 local time and were all checked in by Bruce […]

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Averaged 8.3 knots over ground for the last hour.  Half a knot of current helping us in that number.  A fabulous sail all night.  A near full moon made it all the better. Wind should hold now until we get in.  This should allow us to clear customs on Thursday at Marsden Cove, Whangarei.  If […]

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Great sail yesterday.  Mostly to windward tacking on the windshifts and Giselle going very well with one reef in 12-15 knots of SSE wind.  Died a bit at midnight so started motoring.  Expecting wind tonight from NW and then 20 knots or so from SW.  Well positioned to the west of Whangarei so should have […]

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Finally got to sail at Noon yesterday.  Fabulous run with the pink spinnaker up.  Left it up into 18 knots so was hard work to drop as the sock was stuck and didn’t come down over the sail. Then it was through the front at 02:20.  Only light rain and a modest wind increase.  Wind […]

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What’s the best thing about being past the halfway mark?  The glass is more than half full?  The glass is no longer half empty?  Its getting cooler by the day?  The fresh fruit and vegtables are getting scarce?  No, the best thing is I get to start my second bar of Chocolate.  We only got […]

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Cold enough on watch last night to need trousers. Very light breeze from the SE was enough to have us motor sailing most of the night.  The action is more comfortable and the fuel consumption lower.  68 miles to half way and we should have enough fuel for the whole trip if the light winds […]

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Salt water in the bilge spotted when doing the engine checks.  Cause was the engine raw water pump.  I repaired this one in the Marquesas Islands in June last year and Kirsty brought a new spare to Tahiti so this was fitted and away we went.  Next the battery monitor was showing no battery charge […]

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Managed to keep the boat speed up but with the light winds coming from where we want to go the true progress was slow. Wind has died now so motoring.  The forecasts have quite a bit of calm areas.  We have fuel to spare to repeat the current pattern of motoring and sailing – that […]

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Motored until we got to the front just south of Fiji at 18:00 last night.  This front comes off a low a long way south close to New Zealand!  Now got good winds and we are close hauled on the port tack heading off to the SW to get westing in before the wind shifts […]

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Tito at the customs in Savusavu took time out from his Church’s sports day to clear us out on Fiji Day (Monday 11th October).  We left at 15:00 and very little wind so far.  Red ferry from Savusavu came up close to see who we were in the middle of the night – I think […]

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