Cruising in New Zealand is a lot of fun. The weather is very pleasant, mainly sunny  with a few windy spells once and a while. We are still exploring the North with so many beautiful anchorages to chose from.

People we meet are very friendly and helpful.

We also drove down to the capital, Auckland, the first big city since Panama and we can safely say that city life is too overwhelming for us.

There are a few hundred photos to sort out before we can put them on the blog. Hopefully we can get this done soon.

Meanwhile we are preparing to sail out again, where phone connections and internet are intermittent. A time to relax, keep boat maintenance, paperwork (tax return) and creative work flowing, as well as finishing the good books we are both reading right now.

                                    Russell Boat Club, Tall ship Race day and Hangi

                                  With John and Jenny from ‘Oyarah’ (UK)

                                                                                                                                                Look at the size of the mussels!

                Whangaroa: Views on the way up to St Paul’s Mount  

                                                                Catherine climbing up St Paul’s Mount, still smiling, but really feeling the terror of vertigo at the drop underneath.

                                                                Kahia anchored outside Whangaroa Marina, seen from the top of Mt St Paul