Blog 2. Saturday 20 April. Awaawaroa Bay, Bay of Islands. 35.13.6S 174.11.9E
Alcedo
David Batten
Sat 20 Apr 2019 06:49
With help from another charming young engineer, new exhaust elbow installed and all the bits of generator decorating the floor replaced, the generator burst into life to cheers from the crew. So after a flurry of activity, we finally cast off with just a bit of ebb tide to help us down the river against the wind and headed for Urquart’s Bay and an afternoon of stowing and last minute jobs before we set sail for the first time in two years tomorrow.
Good Friday.
An early start dictated by the skippers wife and a brisk south easterly and lumpy sea, it is a bumpy ride round Whangarei Heads, but the sail north is just the job for testing the new Garmin display and Bill’s rapidly increasing sailing knowledge. He now understands the issues with putting up the big mainsail in a rough sea and how important it is to avoid involuntary gybes. He is also getting the measure of the Skipper’s wife and the her expectations of the boat being sailed on the magenta line and not in a wobbly line on either side of It! Altogether, it is a lovely day with the crew staying on the boat and the water staying out of the boat. Our thanks to the guys at Port Whangarei for re-installing the keel, refitting the rudders etc and making sure it all works and the nasty wet water stays outside the boat. We spend a peaceful night in Mimiwhangata Bay with quite a collection of other boats, mostly heading north.
Easter Saturday.
Rather a cloudy morning, but a good sail and a clearing sky with the wind aft of the beam again, enjoyed by all until we went between Cape Brett and Motukokako Island when the wind became very flukey and help from the iron topsail was required.
Approaching Cape Brett from the South, ?for the last time.
Then into the shelter of the Bay of Islands, along with all the other yachts enjoying the Easter break or waiting to go north. Hard to find a bay to oneself but at least we only had 2 other boats with us in Araawaroa at the time of writing.
Anchored in Araawaroa Bay, Bill setting about catching supper. The cat food is to encourage bait fish to the little hooks so that he can use them on the big hooks to catch a snapper. All very nasty as far as the fish are concerned!
Looking south east out of the anchorage.
And the view to the east.
The Skipper working on the paperwork for Indonesia.
So waiting for Bill to catch supper and then a few days of cruising in the Bay of Islands before going to Opua to meet the rest of the crew.
Happy Easter from Alcedo.
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