In and out of Whangarei

Serenity of Swanwick
Phil and Sarah Tadd
Sun 13 May 2018 07:30

The last couple of weeks have been spent between the town basin in Whangarei and the bays off the Hatea River, between the town and the sea.

 

We stayed in town long enough to go out with Whangarei Hash House Harriers and to go to a friend’s 60th birthday party.  The party was held on the pontoon and was a reminder that it is autumn now.  It was cold! 

 

When we left we had hoped to sail to Great Barrier Island, 40 miles from the bottom of the river, so we anchored in Urquhart’s Bay ready for an early getaway.  The next day brought the promised high pressure and a beautiful, but flat calm, day so we stayed where we were and had a quiet day on board, Sarah getting on with her sewing and Phil polishing fibreglass. 

 

Evening at Urquhart’s Bay

 

Then the forecast changed to stronger winds, not good for a 40 mile passage in colder weather, but it was going to be blowing straight into our anchorage so we had to go somewhere.  The answer was back up the river to the almost landlocked Parua Bay to join Blue Lilley and She San at anchor there.  We stayed a few nights, only going ashore once (there is nothing there!) before it was time to return to the town for Sarah’s next blood tests.

 

Parua Bay

 

We were tied up in the town basin in time to go to the Whangarei Marine Services farewell do for visiting cruisers, even though we aren’t leaving yet, but the blood tests showed that Sarah is improving rapidly, so there is a glimmer of hope for this season.

 

Its been wet and windy over the weekend, but is improving next week, so we may have another crack at Great Barrier Island.

 

Making the covers for the seat back cushions

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10