March 7 & 8, 2013
We didn’t think anything of it when the wind picked up later as afternoon breezes are common. Afternoon turned to evening, and the wind still wasn’t dying down and in fact seemed to be picking up. We were only partly protected in this bay, but felt protected enough. Still, I was worried that these might be the predicted winds arriving a few days early.
Earlier today when we anchored, Rich wanted to use our latest purchase, a dome-shaped weight thing called an Anchor Buddy. Rich bought it in Opua from the guy who makes them, Lou West. It’s basically a sophisticated kellett – a lead weight that slides down the anchor chain and creates a better angle of pull on the anchor thus making it more secure. It also seems to change the way the boat rides at anchor, probably due to the greater curve in the anchor chain which seems create a spring or cushioning effect. We had some friends who had bought one and raved about it, and Rich was excited to try it. I was not as excited about it; I did not think our anchor needed a friend. The thing weighs 35 lbs, and since I’m the one who deploys the anchor and sets it, it would also be my job to lift this thing over the railing and bend way over and attach it to our chain. This takes all my strength and then some.
As the evening wore on, the winds picked up even more. Whitecaps covered the water just outside the bay, and we started to get some swell and wind gusts in our anchorage. At this point, we usually do one or a combination of three things: worry, stay up and keep an anchor watch, or move. Tonight, though, I noticed a difference: Legacy moved gently in the swell, hardly seeming to notice it, and thus we felt very secure. We both went to sleep, waking up to the wind alarm notifying us that the wind had hit 25 knots. Still, Legacy wasn’t moving much and felt secure. Rich set the alarm up higher, and we went back to sleep.
It will come as no surprise that by morning, I had become a fan of that Anchor Buddy. Where we normally would have been tired and edgy after a long uncomfortable night, we were calm and rested and ready to decide what to do next. The winds had not died down; so we decided to head on over to the deep and well-protected Whangaroa Harbor and then try Motukawanui Island again when we headed back south. The trip to the pass into the harbor would take about 2 hours, but the wind was from behind us so it wasn’t uncomfortable.
As for the Anchor Buddy, we now use it all the time. It’s still heavy; so Rich has taken over the task of taking it on and off the chain. I can do it, but it’s easier for him. We both feel it’s well worth the effort in that the Anchor Buddy has given us many calmer nights and a greater feeling of security than we would have had without it. –Cyndi
