Thursday May 1, Day 1: And they are off……off to Fiji!!!! Yesterday was one of those days where everything was just plain harder than it should have been…. Weather: Kathy and I had been studying the weather for many weeks now….looking for that ideal trawler like weather window….the calmest conditions possible. For a week now … Read More →
Captain’s Log: Mardsen to Opua; Next is Savusavu, Fiji
Hi, We are finally in Opua. This has been our goal to be here and stage for Fiji for a month or so and we finally made it. Mystic is in pretty good shape…..just need a few minor chores like changing the transmission fluid and some clean up and she is ready for her 6+ … Read More →
CATCH-UP……The Kingdom of Tonga
Things have been very eventful since our return to New Zealand on the 27th of February! We almost immediately moved the boat to Auckland, got our boat work started, and then flew to the South Island and spent 10 wonderful days in Fjordland and Queenstown. After our return to Auckland from the Southland, we … Read More →
Working on Mystic Moon in New Zealand
Hi All, Here is a more detailed description of all the work we did on Mystic Moon these past few months……and the list continues: Transmission: We decided to remove the transmission since we lost the transmission oil cooler on the way to New Zealand from Tonga at the end of last season. This was the … Read More →
Captain’s Log: Great Barrier Island to Marsden Cove
Tuesday April 15, 2014: This post is several days late as we have been very busy and just now getting some time to work on the blog!! Did you hear us whining half way across the world? We got spanked hard the other day…..from Great Barrier Island to Marsden…..supposed to be 15-20G25 kts, seas 3-5′ … Read More →
Captain’s Log: Auckland to Great Barrier Island
Hi All, Saturday April 12, 2014: WE DID IT!!!!!! We have left Auckland…..FINALLY!!!!!! We were in Auckland almost 6 weeks (about 2 weeks more than planned)….2 weeks were for pleasure as we went to the Fiordlands on Ian and Agi Graham’s boat, m/v Corybas, a Selene 57 and also Queenstown while we were in South … Read More →
Captain’s Log: Marsden Cove to Auckland
Monday, March 3, 2013 9:00am: Wow….we are back and on the water…..seems a bit surreal!!!! As I write this blog update (the first in about 4 months) we are making the 75 nm passage from Marsden Cove to Viaduct Marina in Auckland…..so far it is a trawler like day…winds around 10 kts, seas not much … Read More →
Final Stats on our South Pacific Crossing
Final Stats on our South Pacific Crossing: Just the facts ma’am (John’s): – 285 days; almost 10 months; from January 5th when we transited the Panama Canal to October 18th when we arrived in Marsden Cove New Zealand – traveled 8,366 nm…that’s a lot of miles!!!! – 1214 engine hours; we now have 4400 total … Read More →
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 … Read More →
Tonga to New Zealand, Day 6
Friday 10/18, Day 6 Wow o wow…..this incredible South Pacific journey is almost over…..very mixed emotions….on the one hand we are pretty tired, not just from this passage but for the entire past 11 months…..so many new places, cultures, sights, ocean miles, navigation, repairs, new friends et al that comes with cruising new places….not seeing … Read More →
