Letter From NZ
NORDLYS
David and Annette Ridout
Thu 8 Apr 2004 01:12
LETTER FROM NEW
ZEALAND
(with apologies to the late Alistair
Cook)
Great Barrier Island
8th April 2004
Yesterday morning at 0800hrs Nordlys said her
goodbyes to Riverside Drive Marina and headed down river on the last of the
flood. Mixed emotions, Whangarei had been a pleasant place to lay up in
and we had made friends there but we were also glad to get out of the yard
environment and be going to sea once again.
A biting gusty SW wind with many squalls was the
state of play. The visibility, when it was not raining, had that
beautiful sharp clarity that comes after the passing of a cold front. In
two hours we had done the thirteen miles to the entrance of the river and with
two reefs and a small area of genoa we set off on the forty odd miles to Great
Barrier Island. As squalls of tropical intensity but not tropical warmth
came endlessly through and with the wind well forward of the beam the old girl
was tested to the full for a first sail of the season. She passed with
only a few subjects failed and six hours later we dropped the hook in a
delightful wooded bay surrounded by quite magnificent scenery. As I write
this next morning we are quite happily well dug in and although the scene is
peaceful and the sky almost all blue we are awaiting a severe front with winds
up to forty knots according to the met men.
This brings me on to New Zealand in general.
As friends who visited wrote. 'A visit always prompts intense focus on a
location, and we have returned with an abiding interest in the country - its
future, past, Maori issues, "sheeps", wildlife problems, ... and a
plethora of other aspects which intrigued us'. Behind this sentence there lurks I expect the same thoughts as we have. A marvellous place but there is something missing. That something is very hard to put ones finger on. We are intending to come back to NZ for their next summer and cruise and travel around some more so perhaps we will be better able to describe the country this time next year.
plethora of other aspects which intrigued us'. Behind this sentence there lurks I expect the same thoughts as we have. A marvellous place but there is something missing. That something is very hard to put ones finger on. We are intending to come back to NZ for their next summer and cruise and travel around some more so perhaps we will be better able to describe the country this time next year.
A very happy Easter to all our friends who read
this. I leave you with the picture of a very rare New Zealand duck.
Several of them visited us this morning and were surprisingly tame.
Swimming near the boat and around the dinghy as I tried the outboard. No
doubt the generosity of yachties with their stale bread had something to do with
this. We do know what they are but will happily give a prize next
time we are home to any of you 'duck' enthusiasts who recognises
it.
Happy times
David and Annette
