Tonga to New Zealand, Day 6.5

Friday 10/18, Day 6.5

We did it…..we are here tied up to the Customs dock at 8:05!!!!! First passage beer popped at 8:06 and champagne and tequila soon followed!!!! Unfortunately we are locked in on this customs/quarantine dock so we could not go anywhere or meet anyone so we just partied with Mystic!!!!

And it was a good thing we got in right at dark as it was a bit tricky to find the small channel leading into the marina the first time. Fortunately for us, Ian Grahm on Corybas, a Selene 57, had come down from Aukland and was fishing in the area and met us outside the harbor channel and led us in. They are staying overnight in the marina so when we get out of “jail” we will have another celebration with them. Pretty cool to meet a fellow Selene here in New Zealand….Mystic was strutting her stuff until she remembered how salty she was….she’s such a girl 🙂 )))

And, what a worldly friend we have in Jo and Aide on Wandering Star (who btw are partying down on Catalina Island for Cruisers Weekend). They have a friend here in New Zealand who met us outside the customs gate with a bottle of tequila, limes and shot glasses….oh wow, that was just so special and touching….we could feel the love 10,000 miles away….just typing this the tears begin again…..really touched us in a very very special way!!!!! There is a story behind the tradition of having tequila shots after a “death defying” passage which is too long for this blog but let’s just say it involved Jo and Aide, Les and Rose and us in Mexico….enough said right 🙂 ))))

The weather for the last day was perfect trawler weather…..5-8kts wind S clocking to W and seas 4′ calming to <1′. Kathy wants this kind of weather when we go up to Fiji next Fall….ok, Admiral we will dial it in 🙂 )))) We had a slight favorable current most of the way in…actually a cross current but around 20 miles out no current effect!!

Boat Stuff:

Kathy’s method on the Big Bay computer worked….can you believe that….she just showed it the hammer and the spare computer…..but, it’s ornery and about 10 miles out…..when you really want a good chart and the AIS it shot craps again……arghhhhhhh!!!!!!

So ends a very long passage – 80% boredom; 15% exhilaration; 5% terror and it’s the last part that will stick for a bit. I will post a blog on the oil cooler incident in a few days…..as they say…..now, the rest of the story!!!!!

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Stats:

Position: 35 50S 174 28E

Traveled: 103nm today: 1060nm traveled for the trip

Course: 200M COG

Wind: 6-8 kts S

Waves: 1-4′ SSW

Speed: we sped up all day to arrive right at dark; avg for the day was 7.9 kts; avg for trip was 7.16 kts; 1750 rpm for the day; 1300-1800 rpm range for the trip

Weather: 0% cloud cover this am; sea temp 62.7 deg F – brrrrrr

Boat sightings: too many to count as we approached Whangarei but only 1 boat sighted all passage

Fishing: no way, too cold and we still have some bacon and jimmy dean sausage to eat 🙂 )))

Sail: down for the count

Fuel burn: 1.1 npmg and 7.2 gph at the higher rpm, 1.24 nmpg and 6.0 gph for the trip; 812 gal for the trip

Hope all is well!

John
Mystic Moon