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January - February 2008
New Zealand
By late January we were preparing to sail south. We
were delayed a week trying to find enough crew to make
up 2 watches. With 2 yachtie friends Jim & Martine and
two back packers Derick and Nacho we started sailing
south on the 2nd of Feb. It was an overnight passage
to Great Barrier Island. After anchoring in Port
Fitzroy we were 5 days waiting for a sou’easterly gale
to blow it’s self out and then for a fair wind. During
that time the crew went tramping off to mountain tops,
beaches and hot springs.
With fair winds and sunny skies we had the nicest
passage of the sailing season the first 3 days out of
the Barrier. But by the time we got to the Mahia
Peninsula we were met by a wet sou’easter. Spent a
couple of days tacking into rain filled headwinds.
Then the wind shifted to the north. We had a pleasant
over night sail across Hawke Bay to Napier.
We arrived just in time for Art Deco Weekend. The town
was filled with vintage cars and people dressed in
1930’s styles. That Saturday the new cruise ship the
“Queen Victoria” docked there. At 294 metres and
90,000 tons she was the largest ship to visit Napier.
While in Napier, Christina from Sweden and Augustine
from Argentina, joined the crew.
We departed Napier with an easy following sea and had
a fine run down the Wairarapa coast. By the second
afternoon we were closing with Cape Palliser, the
southern most tip of North Island.
There were fresh northerly wind predicted by Met
Service. This meant we would not be able to sail
through Cook Strait. So, we reefed the sails, hove to
and tacked off shore to wait for a wind shift. The
next three days were gale force winds at 35 to 40
knots and gusting to 50 knots. The sea was 6 meters
and breaking.
We blew out the gaff main just above the first reef
point and so pulled the second reef. The gaff fore
began to show some damage in the leech so we furled
the sail.
We were 50 miles south of Cape Palliser after the
fourth day. The wind began to ease and back to the
north west. We waited another day for the wind and sea
to ease until we had nearly calm weather.
We fired up the “iron top’sl” and began to motor
toward Cook Strait with a forecast of southerly winds
to help push us through. The next day in Cook Strait
was sunny and calm with a escort of curious albatross
flying around the boat and landing to watch us motor
past. It took all night to stem the current past Cape
Jackson, then with a fair tide we sailed across the
north end of the Marlborough Sounds and through French
Pass by late afternoon.
We arrived at Port Nelson at two in the morning and so
anchored 5 miles off shore to wait for berthing
instructions from the slipway crew.
Andy and Spunky were waiting on the Marara to catch
dock lines. We had to raft outside Marara until they
could clear space alongside. Not to worry, shore power
is on, the fridge is working and the showers are hot.
There was a warm welcome from the people in Port
Nelson and around town. There were many jokes about
being lost at sea and smiling faces saying it is good
to have us back.. All in all it was good to be back
among so many friendly faces.
Looking ahead we have 5 weeks to get ready for the
start of the 2008 sailing season. There is a long list
of jobs to be done, it will be a busy time.
We plan to be underway for Fiji by the 8th of April.
After a few days in Suva we will be sailing to the
Mamanuthas on the west side of Vite Levu before
sailing for Vanuatu.
We plan to arrive in Port Vila the last week in June.
In July we will be working on the water system at
Banam Bay, Malekula. During August and September we
will be working out of Luganville helping with eye
screening and malaria prevention along the west side
of Big Bay on the north coast of Santo.
This 2008 sailing season will be the last season
working with Project MARC. Dr. Henk and Nelleke will
be retiring after this year. It has been wonderful
working with them and being able to help people in the
outer islands of Vanuatu.
We would like to extend a welcome to any and all who
would like to help us rebuild the water system at
Banam Bay or help our doctors and nurses visit
villages on Santo where the children haven’t seen
white people before. Our rates this year are still
$200 USD per week. Contact us at: alvei@yahoo.com to
reserve a berth this season.
Evan Logan – Master schooner Alvei