Safe and sound in Opua, New Zealand

Harmonie
Don and Anne Myers
Thu 23 Oct 2008 01:15
35:18.843S  174:07.289E
 
The rest of our trip was easy and uneventful as we sailed and sometimes motored through flat seas.  We slowed down as much as possible and arrived as planned at first light this morning (Thursday).  All is well.  Southern Princess arrived yesterday at noon, Storyteller last night at 10pm and Lady Kay at midnight.  We brought in the rear of our mini rally arriving at 7am this morning.
 
The welcome we have received so far beats any on record for Harmonie.  Customs and quarantine officials greeted us at 9:00 AM with an official Opua welcome pack filled with all kinds of good stuff including rum - all packaged in a hand woven bag.  Since when do customs and quarantine officials come bearing gifts?   These were the nicest and most efficient officials we've dealt with yet.  The quarantine guy was especially kind and only took one apple and a small bottle of honey away.  Good thing we chowed all the pork meat products on the way down though, if we hadn't they would have been confiscated for sure.  We offered up the can of Spam we have hiding in one of our food storage lockers to the quarantine guy (it was given to us as a joke before we left home), but he said Spam was safe for us to keep in New Zealand.  Too bad.  Also, the two women working in the marina office are happy, smiling and helpful.  Wow.  We think we are going to like this country.
 
We plan to stay in the Opua Marina for a couple of days until the ugly low pressure system that is hovering just to the west passes through.  I'm in heaven because there is a laundromat here at the marina.  First time since.....? that we'll be able to get our laundry done in a few of hours instead of the few days it usually takes when we do it in our tiny on-board machine and hang it out to dry.  After a few days at the marina and a few days cruising the Bay of Islands (the area surrounding Opua) we'll day sail our way south to Whangarei where we have space booked for the boat while we travel home.
 
More later about our stop in Norfolk Island (including pictures) and our Opua adventures.
Anne