Thoughts from abroad
Zepher
Chris & Lyn Darch
Sat 2 May 2009 05:19
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Hi Folks,
Yes I'm back on the keyboards again, well after a
few nights on the pop wishing all our sailing friends a good trip north, the
buggers are still here, a low has passed more southerly than forecast so the
fleet sits like a Spanish armada in the anchorage at Opua, the southerly has
really gained momentum today and after six months they are reluctant to lift the
hook and escape the camaraderie of there friends and the though of a few days of
cold wet conditions has curbed there ardour for the one
thousand two hundred mile journey north to the warmer climbs, personally I would
have been away and picked this lot up the rear put the twin heads up, a bit of a
roller coaster for a few days but if the blast in the Atlantic was anything to
go by we would have been doing 8 to 10 knt's and the warmer climbs would have
been getting nearer sooner, unfortunately the "bar" anchor is holding most of
them back, our Austrian friends are waiting at the heads to go so will be out of
the gate first, I don't blame them for not going as the swell heights will be 3m
which will be very uncomfortable for such a small cat as there's .
As we have found on the three occasions that we
have been in this situation the colonial cozs seem to talk for a long time about
all the options, our European coz's huddle for a group decision, the brits tend
to go and say bollock to it, so are usually first out of the starting gate, the
conditions here are no worse than the Biscay scenario, deep water to shallow
that's the situation from here to Fiji it just goes on a bit
longer .
I can say all this being tucked up inside, rocking
on my supports overlooking the fleet, but in my heart wishing I was going, the
bug has not gone folks but I have to look at the long term, there will be other
Mays and thoughts of sun and islands to come, the reality is getting established
here, boat refurbs and daily life and all of us who remain wish them fair winds
and safe passage to there destinations.
We are down to the last coat of paint when this
blow abates, the newly refurbed steering box is ready for installation and
the mechanical front is nearly complete sub sea sided .
Our friends on Rhythm have been hauled out and are
having a mini refit before they set off in Mid June for Tonga and beyond so we
will be seeing them for a few more weeks at least .
Don't feel left out there in Europe, the Swine
fever is here two, the plane landed and the health slapped them all in
quarantined, three were confirmed and twenty are under observation, the
government have released the drugs to the pharmacy's for distribution at a cost
of course, 120 NZD there's no free ride here if you want it buy it,
unfortunately nobody's taking the bate it such a small place that if you fart in
Auckland its like an earth quake in Wellington, the kiwis aren't easily panicked
either it must be the Scots in them, more pragmatic in the view, as they are
with the economic situation the bars are still full here on a weekend and life
goes on as it has oblivious to the rest of the worlds doom and gloom , its quite
uplifting, after looking a a brit paper in the supermarket .
On the agro front, apparently there has been a glut
of kiwi fruit this seson, if your wondering why the cost hasn't gone down and
wont in Tescos those cunning Kiwis play the supermarkets at there own game, here
the big fruit co-ops dump the produce to control the world prices up to
the forgian supermarkets so Tescos and there hard sell doesn't work when these
huge Co-ops they have seen what has happen in the UK with farmers and are
determined not to get caught out by them, they do it with all NZ produce farm
goods and that includes the meat, we cannot buy Lamb any cheaper than you guys
.
Good night from you correspondent down under .
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