From: zoonie {CHANGE TO AT} mailasail {DOT} com

Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2017 8:59 PM

To: Darren Phillips ; Torsten Knaussmann ; Richard White ; Charly white ; greg chapman ; Hille Knaussmann ; Jonathan White ; marg simon ; Jane Teen ; julie munday ; Torsten Knaussmann ; Bubbles

Cc: Mark Woodcock ; Paul mills ; Sandra Mennem ; Stein Larsen ; stewart pedge ; Tracey Bull/Phillipps ; Susan Green ; Sue Singer ; Mark Woodcock

Subject: Zoonie is fine

Hi Everyone,

 

We gather you have heard about Cyclone Cook which followed pretty swiftly on from Cyclone Debbie and both have made history in coming so far south of the normal cyclone track, after all us yachties in big numbers came south on one of the world’s most tricky passages to avoid them!

 

Zoonie is now awaiting the repairs to her electrics after her flooding in March and we have just returned yesterday from an 8 day camping tour with our family around the central North Island to find that she had only two pints of water in her bilge. This was due to Michelle checking her daily and pumping the bilge with the hand pump twice while we were away, bless her. Also the marina staff kept a close eye on her, after her near sinking before.

 

I will be catching up on the blog soon to give you a full account of the near disaster that was averted by the good people of Whangarei, our cruiser friends and Sharron and Brian at the marina.

 

Cyclone Cook passed over us as we were camping and we scurried out of the Coromandel Peninsular having sat in our own carefully dug hot pools on the beach, just before it was closed again and hundreds of people had to leave their flooding homes for the second time in two months. We were in Taupo when the worst of the rain hit and Rob and I rented a little cottage in our campsite for two luxurious nights. Must hang up the tent in a minute to dry it out.

 

They say the worst cyclones come at the end of the season so lets hope that for all those who have suffered as a result there will be no more until next season.

 

Due to Zoonie’s damaged electrics we will be here for another year and have had to apply for an extension to our visa, with chest xrays, blood tests and a full medical check up, not covered by Zoonie’s insurance. But hey its a beautiful country to be holed up in.

 

Happy Easter.

 

Barb and Rob xx