Any advice on how to defrost two sailors from the coldest December on record in UK. Does a BBQ on a beach work in New Zealand work? Off back to Whangarei just north of Auckland on Monday 7th February.

What a fabulous time we have had visiting so many of our family and friends in Scotland and the South East of England. The snow may have been cold, well Baltic actually, but it was very pretty. Not many visitors from abroard will have seen the Highlands in its winter whites or Kew Gardens in a white out!

We have set up a virtual London landline telephone. This will cost you the normal cost of a call to a London landline and no more. Skype will transfer to the country we are in and forward to the mobile we set up in any new country (cost to us less than 20p a minute). Skype will ring the computer first and then the mobile and then return to the computer for voice mail so those wanting to leave a message may have to listen to a few rings. Number is up and running now and transferring to our UK Mobile. If you want the number tell us.

Trust you were all able to celebrate Tom Bawcocks Eve!  It’s a great way to get Christmas off to a good start on the 23rd – a day ahead of most people.

The image of Tom going out and battling the elements to catch fish so that the village of Mousehole didn’t starve for Christmas is perhaps a little extreme for us blue water cruisers.  You can make the pie and sing the song.

Andrew brought down some of the odd liqueurs that have accumulated in the cupboard over the years.  There was some grand marnier and galliano and these have been put to good use in Harvey Wallbangers and Mellow Yellow Birds! Recipes below. [Read more →]

Last year we were walking on a beach on Christmas day in shorts and a tee shirt. No chance of that this year! Those not in the UK will have seen the reports of the wonderful weather here. We have been lucky as the weather hasn’t got in the way of us moving around and we have seen many rare views of Scotland and England, Ben Nevis with a light dusting of snow down to sea level; still cold reflections in Loch Linhe; and snow storms in Kew Gardens, London.
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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.
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By now you all know my love hate relationship with airports, well I’m here waiting at the most laidback relaxed airport in the world when I see the “fire truck” creep forward till his bonnet is out of the shed, there’s a buzz in the air like a trapped bluebottle and out of the air drops down a little plane. It looks like a wind up machine, I know its not, and as lots of you will be able to tell me it’s a …….The door opens and out come the passengers bend almost double to prevent themselves from cracking their forehead, and there she is, Rebecca looking quite pale not from the flight but from the lack of sunlight.

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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 food shopping for the trip, we expect about ten days but plan for more of course. I do buy cup-a-soups just in case, but happy to say they stayed in their box, will do for the return trip perhaps.
So out of the shed Wednesday, mast up Friday, in water Monday and we sign out of New Zealand on Saturday and we’re off.

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 and Helen by 12:15. [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 we clear early morning we will go straight back out and get to Auckland just after dark.  If later in the day will wait and go to Auckland overnight.

Seeing the majestic albatrosses flying close by.  Came close to one sitting on the water – lets you see what a big bird they are.

Mary has been using the foods that will be taken off us when we go intro New Zealand.  Oven baked veg was on the menu last night – lots of garlic, pumpkin (courtesy of Jack Fisher, Viani bay) and aubergine (very cheap in Fiji)

Report may be delayed tomorrow if we are piloting into Marsden Cove and filling the numerous forms at this time.
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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 a fast romp of a sail in.  Expecting to make up enough time on the 5 knot ETA to clear customs on Thursday 21st October and then move on down to Auckland for Friday Morning.  Westhaven Marina has allocated us the same berth as last year – S73.
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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 from the south so were on starboard tack the rest of the night now on port as the wind has gone slightly east of south.  Progress will be slow until the wind goes more into the west.
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