Got through to the trade winds at 12:00 yesterday. Great run every since. We averaged 7.5 knots for the first 4 hours and 7.0 for the whole day. If we can make 6.3 overall average we get into Port Resolution on Wednesday before dark otherwise we’ll have another night at sea. Forecast is for the [...]

[Read more →]

Mixture of motoring and sailing. All sails up in squalls to sail, all sails down to stop flogging in lulls. Squalls were lasting 2 hours now a good bit longer – perhaps we have found the permanent wind. Got out the big reacher yesterday to try and sail in 10 knots of wind but the [...]

[Read more →]

We have the fans on in the cabin today. Nearly all blue sky so hot on deck. All the sails down and motoring as the 4m swell from the SW was just flapping the reefed main we usually leave up when motoring. I wonder if we saw our last Albatross yesterday. Today there is no [...]

[Read more →]

North of 30 now traditionally the end of the westerly airflow and start of the trades – not today! Typically though the depressions don’t bring gale force winds this far north. Gusts last night 20 to 25 so easily handled by the 2 reefs. Past the one third milestone. Discovered how to stop the mess [...]

[Read more →]

Sailing now since mid day Thursday. Initially a romp with the wind from the east then hard on the wind as it went slowly through the north and upto 25-30 knots for a while. Sea is confused with several 2m swells present but Giselle is getting through it with ease – long may that last. [...]

[Read more →]

For my birthday we had Albatrosses flying around us all day.  White bodied ones and black bodied ones always accompanied by a range of shearwaters.  In the morning they often swooped up just in front of the rising sun to give an even more dramatic picture.  But today none so far.  I have been told [...]

[Read more →]

The tradition at Hardrock Cafes is for all the staff to sing YMCA for any customer brave enough to annouce it’s their birthday.  I can report that so far this tradition has NOT found it’s way to the crew of Giselle for my birthday.  We will see if Andy is as lucky if we are [...]

[Read more →]

We are just about to fly back to the UK for Christmas. Be back in New Zealand in February to finish some jobs and get back on the water. Plan for 2011 at the moment is to get around to Thailand via Vanuatu, Solomon, Sail Indonesia rally from Darwin through Indonesia.

[Read more →]

Just fantastic to have Andrew with us, he gives us the jolt we need to get out of THE SHED, out of the yard and off to Fiji. Life in the yard is not much fun and getting out is great. Andrew helps with all the last minute bits and pieces and of course the [...]

[Read more →]

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 [...]

[Read more →]