December 29, 2018
We made it! We’re in New Zealand. For those that haven’t seen our passage posts on YIT, here they are, from earliest to latest…
Wed Dec 19 14:37 2018 NZDT
Run: 1.3nm (2.4km)
18 16.42S 178 04.15E
Bula from Fiji, and “from” Fiji we shall try to go. We are leaving tonight around 5 PM local time, bound for Opua, New Zealand. Good bye Fiji. We love you!
Thu Dec 20 9:45 2018 NZDT
Speed: 5.8knts
Run: 107.9nm (195.3km)
Avg: 5.6knts
24hr: 135.4nm
19 39.859s 177 19.157e
Weather: wind ESE 7, seas SE 1m, cloud 80%, bar 1015.
This was a really nice start to the passage. Last night we motor sailed in light winds and we’re still at it this morning. So far, we managed to miss the SPCZ that was descending down on Fiji, with only a few drops of rain and occasional lightning far off in the distance over Viti Levu.
Fri Dec 21 8:06 2018 NZDT
Speed: 5.8knts
Run: 149.9nm (271.3km)
Avg: 6.7knts
24hr: 161nm
21 36.645s 176 17.851e
Weather: wind ESE 8, seas ESE 1m, cloud 20%, bar 1013
Still motor sailing in really pleasant conditions. The sky has cleared quite a bit, the sun is warm but not too hot (yet) and the seas pretty flat. Request: Lets just leave the conditions like this for the rest of the passage, but maybe with 15 knot winds so we can turn off the engine!
Sat Dec 22 8:15 2018 NZDT
Speed: 5.8knts
Run: 521.8nm (944.5km)
Avg: 21.6knts
24hr: 518.6nm
23 58.61s 175 55.405s
Weather: wind ENE 7, seas mixed 1m, cloud 5%, bar 1014
Still motor sailing in very nice conditions. Passed the Tropic of Capricorn so maybe it’ll be little cooler today (it was hot yesterday). We’re making very good time with almost a six knot average for the trip so far. Helped out by a nice current yesterday that turned a bit against us this morning. Oh well. We’re doing very well on fuel making over 11 nautical miles per gallon (sorry metric people!). We can’t motor all the way to Opua, but we won’t need to, wind is coming, maybe tomorrow.
Sun Dec 23 7:27 2018 NZDT
Speed: 6.0knts
Run: 577.8nm (1045.8km)
Avg: 24.9knts
24hr: 597.7nm
26 21.777s 175 13.226e
Weather: wind NNE 11, seas N 1.5m, cloud 20%, bar 1015
Another nice passage day motor sailing in light wind and calm seas. It’s getting a little rougher now as the north swell has built a bit. We’d probably be sailing if it wasn’t for the rolling around that dumps the air from the sails. I thought the sky was clouding up last night in advance of the front ahead but it’s cleared this morning. The full moon has been amazing, as bright as I’ve ever seen it. We’re making great time. It looks like we might be in late on the 26th or early the 27th. Fingers crossed.
Mon Dec 24 6:48 2018 NZDT
Speed: 6.1knts
Run: 158nm (286km)
Avg: 6.8knts
24hr: 162.4nm
28 31.050s 174 21.680e
Weather: wind NNE 13, seas N 1m, cloud 100%, bar 1014.
Still motor sailing even though the wind is up a bit, but it’s right behind us. It’s clouded up and been raining quite a bit the last few hours. It’s a little rolly with the still small swell right behind us. We could probably gybe and sail but we have the fuel to motor sail and it’s nice to keep our speed up. We will be glad to have some quiet once we finally turn the engine off though.
Tue Dec 25 7:57 2018 NZDT
Speed: 6.5knts
Run: 158.7nm (287.2km)
Avg: 6.3knts
24hr: 151.4nm
30 43.496s 173 38.120e
Weather: wind 23 WNW, seas 2m W, cloud 10%, bar 1012
Merry Christmas Everyone!!! Well, our days of pleasant motor sailing are over. We had about eight ours of pleasant sailing yesterday, then the front crossed us. Wind went form 20 knots from the north to a 20 knot southerly within about 5 mintues. This made for interesting seas! Flying along now in very uncomfortable seas, heading for North Cape to try to get in the lee of some of the wind and seas. It’s 220 miles ahead still. We hope to make Opua the morning of the 27th. We’ll see if that happens.
Wed Dec 26 7:48 2018 NZDT
Speed: 6.5knts
Run: 156.9nm (284km)
Avg: 6.6knts
24hr: 157.9nm
32 53.122s 174 27.379e
Weather: wind SW 18, seas 2 meters and confused, cloud 100%, bar 1013.
It wasn’t my best Christmas ever. Maybe worse than the time I got a turtle-keck sweater from my parents instead of the erector set I wanted! It seems to be getting better now with the wind dropping and the seas confused but calming a bit. We have 137 miles to go to the Bay of Islands area.
Thu Dec 27 6:57 2018 NZDT
Speed: 6.2knts
Run: 110.1nm (199.3km)
Avg: 4.8knts
24hr: 114.1nm
34 28.606s 174 21.212e
Weather: wind S 15, seas S 1m, cloud 20%, bar 1017
Sailing Sucks!!! I hate boats!!!
Thu Dec 27 23:06 2018 NZDT
Run: 59.4nm (107.5km)
Avg: 3.7knts
24hr: 88.2nm
35 18.901S 174 7.36E
We’re in and tied up but I have to say, we’re not happy to be back in New Zealand! We had the worst customs experience ever. This lady just seemed to have it in for us.
New Zealand, what’s up? You seem determined to make it harder for cruisers to visit (and spend their money here) while Australia is opening the welcome wagon. I am regretting the decision to come back to NZ (a place we have always loved!).
And what a horrific passage. Yep, there were five nice days off motor sailing but the last three days were really terrible. As weather windows go, we choose poorly! (And to make all that effort to get here, only to be treated so incredibly bad by the customs official!)
More soon on the passage and the customs official who was so awful on our NZ arrival.
Happy New Year everyone!
