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Cruising NZ
  • Nathan Laurie
  • Vela Huang

Cruising NZ

Sailing a 45ft sailboat around NZ, exploring islands, diving, and sharing our experience with mates along the way Read more
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  • Trip start
    November 27, 2023
    Cruising NZ
    Leaving Auckland
    Approaching TiriPicnic at TiriApproaching KawauHappy SailorsEmoji IslandEmoji IslandSafely at anchorProvisioning

    Auckland - Kawau

    November 27, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    After a delaying leaving Auckland by a day as Nathan managed to catch a cold, we finally set off on our round NZ adventure!

    With the boat fully stocked (more noodles, wine and beer than we've seen in our lives) and the water tanks brimmed, we pulled out of Westhaven this morning. We cruised past the CBD as everyone else would have been just getting to the office, morning coffees in hand. With a very light 5kt SW wind, we pulled out the mainsail and genoa and drifted out of the harbor with the tide.

    Rounding north head the breeze steadily built until we were rapidly approaching Whangaparaoa at 8.5 knots. Vela nearly started an international incident with the NZ Navy, receiving 5 blasts on the horn from a naval patrol boat - the boating equivalent of "get the #&@% out of my way."

    We made a quick pitstop at Tiritiri Matangi for lunch before we continued over to Kawau, maxing out at 9.7 knots of boat speed.

    All anchored up in Bon Accord harbor for the night and looking forward to some fishing adventures tomorrow!    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Morning view
    Mansion HouseSnapper!Frying up the snapperReady to assemble!Fish wrapsGloomy weather incoming

    Kawau

    November 28, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Bit of a chill day. Started off with a beautiful calm morning before Vela got stuck into her new remote working routine, while Nathan pumped up the paddleboard and went for a lap around the bay.

    After lunch we popped out into the channel where Nathan caught a couple of small (but legal) snapper - which got turned into delicious fish wraps for dinner in mansionhouse bay.

    We parked up further down Bon Accord harbor for the night, bit bumpy in here with not much protection from the 20kt westerly, here's hoping the forecasted change in direction comes through and it settles down for us to get some sleep.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Enjoying the sun
    Leaving Snell's BeachVela's mobile officeSide quest to Snell'sLittle BarrierMint tea2Jupiter rising

    Kawau - Leigh

    November 29, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Small side quest to Snell's Beach today before sailing around the corner to anchor in Omaha Cove for the night. A nice 15-20kt westerly was blowing us along at up to 7 knots with just the headsail up. Very relaxing sailing with a great view of little barrier in the background.

    A lackluster effort on the fishing by Nathan meant chicken stir fry for dinner - not as good as last night's snapper.

    Anchorage is a little bit rolly with the waves bending around the point, but the wind is supposed to die out overnight so hoping we'll still get a good night's sleep. A little bit of star gazing before bed with a clear view of Jupiter overhead.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Paddleboarding at Omaha Cove
    PohutukawaMoody cloudsNice Kahawai!Working on the sideGetting ready for hotpotHotpot!After dinner show!

    Leigh - Hen & Chicks

    November 30, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Pretty special day today. Vela started her day with a paddleboard around Omaha Cove, before we finally left the Auckland region, bound for Northland.

    Today we had a very light SW breeze, no more than 5kt, which meant a lot of motoring. But we were greeted by two separate pods of dolphins on the way which was pretty neat.

    We approached the Hen & Chicks with the aim of finding some kaimoana, and immediately found a small boil up on the surface. Throwing the lure out behind the boat, we quickly landed two very fat kahawai (Vela made sure to point out that hers was bigger than Nathan's).

    One fish for the freezer, and the other went into the hot pot at dinner time.

    After dinner, we had an awesome treat as a pod of dolphins circled the boat, putting on a special private show, just for us! Jumps, flips and tail slaps were all on display as the sun set behind the mainland. We could even hear them talking to each other while underwater.

    A very special day indeed!    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Paddleboarding at the Hen & Chicks
    Paddleboarding at the Hen and ChicksLess sharky spotCalm spotThis'll do for tonightSpearfishing attempt #2 (paddleboard for safety)Success! Porae & LeatherjacketRewardYum!

    Hen and Chicks

    December 1, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    This morning we awoke to a beautiful calm bay. After firing up the espresso machine, Nathan pulled on his wetsuit with Vela's help (the wetsuit must have shrunk...) and jumped in the water. Hopes were high for shooting a butterfish or finding some crayfish.

    Vela must have been thinking of how amazing and efficient her husband is at hunting in the ocean when he returned after just five minutes... But unfortunately he was scared out of the water by a 2m bronze whaler shark. While bronzeys are not typically aggressive sharks, Nathan wasn't particularly keen to tempt fate, particularly while diving solo.

    Instead, we upped anchor and found a spot on the southern side of the chicks to shelter from the north easterly wind forecast to build overnight. While here, Nathan suited up again and took the paddleboard over to the rocks. More success this time, with a porae and a leatherjacket both getting bagged.

    Vela turned the porae into a delicious stir fry for dinner while Nathan enjoyed a beer for his hunting efforts.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Cool as a cucumber
    Approaching TutukakaMade it!Heading ashoreTutukaka marketSweet treatsTreats (less sweet)The main courseEnjoying the sweet treatsHow good!

    Hen and Chicks - Tutukaka

    December 2, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Today we made another little hop up the coast. With a forecast of strong northerlies coming, we thought it best to make our move north from the Hen and Chicks this morning while we still had a 10-15kt easterly.

    It was perfect sailing with a near-flat sea state, and with Vela on the wheel we made quick work of the trip.

    We ventured ashore to have a look around, and turns out it was the monthly local market! So we loaded up with some freshly picked strawberries, smoked cheese and sweet treats before heading to dinner at Schnappa Rock. We had some of the freshest oysters we've ever tasted, a delicious smoked venison entree, and Vela ordered a confit duck for her main while Nathan stuck to his roots with a steak burger.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Pancakes with fresh strawberries
    Tucked in for the eveningNice to see some grass for a changeMarina libraryTutukaka marinaTutukaka marinaTutukaka marinaCute laundry tokensOysters again!Pizza!

    Tutukaka

    December 3, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Crap weather today. We started our day with pancakes before giving Starling a thorough clean on the inside.

    After this, we hung around Tutukaka and decided to rent a berth for the night. This meant we could do a proper load of washing (cute tokens for the machines), have proper showers, and fill up our water tanks. Chicken liver pate, fried oysters, and wood fired pizza for dinner at the marina kitchen.

    Tutukaka is a beautiful, peaceful little marina, and we're looking forward to a good night's sleep before heading out to the poor knights tomorrow morning!    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Essentials
    Poor Knights infoPoor Knights infoPoor Knights infoPoor Knights infoPoor Knights infoLovely weatherToo coolBack at Tutukaka

    Tutukaka - Tutukaka (via Poor Knights)

    December 4, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Today was a good lesson in planning, and the weather. The forecast the previous evening was for next to no wind, which had us very optimistic about getting out to the Poor Knights for a snorkel (one of the big things we want to tick off on this trip). Unfortunately the forecast this morning had changed, with a 10-15kt northerly coming through instead, coupled with a 1m northerly swell. Given the geography of the Poor Knights this was unlikely to give us anywhere sheltered to explore and snorkel.

    After a couple of coffees from the local barista, we were optimistic and thought we'd go and have a look anyway.

    On our sail out, we thought it a little strange we couldn't see the islands, but we had our heading from the charts and continued. The sea state and wind slowly built as we approached (there were definitely some 2m swells out there, and we saw 20kt on our wind gear which we think under-reads). About 5 miles out from the islands, we still couldn't see them, which was beginning to feel truly bizarre.

    Quite suddenly we were engulfed in fog. It was a very eerie feeling. Fog in summer is very unusual, but even more strange with 15-20kt of wind. Vela and I checked in with each other, and while we were both a bit disconcerted, we chose to carry on.

    About a mile out from the islands the fog cleared, but there was still a low cloud hanging around. The sea state had not improved and neither had the wind. We had picked that our most likely spot to find any shelter would be Nursery Cove, nestled in the middle of the island group, but the swell appeared to be funneling right in. We got close enough for a look, then made the call that today wasn't the day.

    We turned back, and after checking the forecast for the rest of the week, thought Wednesday might present another opportunity to get out and explore this bucket-list destination. So we sailed back through the fog towards Tutukaka. With Nathan on the helm through some rain squalls, we anchored up again in the bay.

    A delicious, nutritious dinner made by Vela capped off today's adventure.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Yuck
    Heading ashoreFridge is stockedFound him!

    Tutukaka (again)

    December 5, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Bit of a rubbish day today.

    Crap wind. Crap rain. Crap.

    We spent the day hibernating onboard, Vela working, Nathan attempting to learn Mandarin.

    In the evening we went ashore during a break in the weather and bumped into our good mate Jamie! Who just so happened to have his sleeping bag and gear with him, so we welcomed him aboard. Good thing we restocked the fridge this morning.

    Plan is to have another crack at getting out to the Poor Knights tomorrow. Fingers crossed the weather holds... 🤞    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Bland Bay
    Bland BayLove the water when it's like thisBland BayBland Bay paddleboardingPorae curry for dinner - come get it Vela!Pink sunsetPretty prettyPink sunsetPorae on the rod as the sun was going down

    Tutukaka - Bland Bay

    December 6, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Well that was the worst night's sleep we've ever had on a boat. During the night, the wind changed direction and meant we ended up lying side-on to the swell coming through the entrance to Tutukaka. Although everything was reasonably tidy, we could hear kitchen items flying around the sink as the boat rocked through about 60 degrees of heel (that may even be understated).

    We all got about 2 hours of sleep (if that) and as soon as it was light enough, we pulled anchor and got out of there.

    Conditions outside the harbour weren't much better. The 25kt SE wind overnight left a very confused and rough sea state, with some of the bigger waves over 2m. We were ever optimistic about getting out to the Poor Knights however, so we set our course and soldiered on.

    As we approached the islands, we could tell that there wouldn't be any shelter there again. The forecast was for an easterly swell, but it was significantly further south than that, making many of the anchorages unsuitable. We pulled the pin a couple of miles out. It clearly wasn't meant to be at this stage of our trip, but we might have a go at coming back towards the end, weather and time permitting.

    Instead we made a plan to find a much more sheltered spot to catch up on some sleep. We headed off to Bland Bay, and upon arriving around lunchtime, we were greeted with a beautiful flat anchorage. We were able to tuck around behind the islands enough to get shelter from the swell coming into the bay.

    After a lazy afternoon, Nathan jumped in the water with his spear gun to have a look around the rocks, but visibility was poor and there wasn't much fish life around. After dinner (Thai green curry with the remainder of the kahawai we caught at the Hen & Chicks) Nathan managed to hook a fat Porae on a soft bait. We'll figure out how we're going to cook that for dinner tomorrow!    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Jamie in his happy place
    Approaching Cape BrettWe're in the BOI!Kahawai sashimiYum!R Tucker Thompson in Oke BayMore Porae for dinnerOke Bay sunsetR Tucker Thompson

    Bland Bay - Oke Bay

    December 7, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Today we made it to home waters.

    After some running repairs were made to a couple of small tears in the mainsail, we left Bland Bay to head into the Bay of Islands.

    Almost immediately the wind dropped away to nothing, so unfortunately there was a bit of motoring again today. We made a plan to stop on the southern side of Cape Brett to go for a fish and maybe a dive. As we approached the spot we had picked, we noticed some birds working the water. A quick change of direction and we were straight into some fish.

    We trolled for some kahawai and quickly pulled in 5 decent fish. We then thought we'd try a couple of deeper lures to see what might be underneath this massive ball of fish we had found. We pulled up a couple of small snapper before Nathan hooked something significantly bigger, unfortunately it broke off so we didn't get to identify what it was, but our best guess was either a large snapper or a small Kingy. Jamie hooked a nice little pan sized snapper and with a boat full of fish we called it a day.

    We motor sailed around Cape Brett into Deepwater Cove where we planned to spend the night. We had one of the smallest kahawai for Sashimi, while three have been prepped to go into dad's smoker tomorrow (one gifted to mum and dad of course), while the rest were filleted and have gone into the fridge.

    We moved spots down to Oke Bay after the South Westerly wind came in and made Deepwater Cove a bit uncomfortable. Vela cooked up the Porae from last night Chinese style with some courgettes and other goodies for dinner, and we watched the sun set with the R Tucker Thompson providing a pretty backdrop.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Black Rocks
    Hard at workApproaching TapekaDelicious snack boardHeading ashorePohutukawaPohutukawa sunsetStarling on the mooring as the sun sets

    BOI Day 1 (the beginning)

    December 8, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    We started today by ticking off a maintenance item. We pulled the mainsail down - something which hadn't been done since the boat was bought three years ago as it has an in-mast furler. After we figured out how to get it down, we motored across to Doves Bay (getting a bit of office work done on the way) where we met up with Nathan's parents.

    We received a delivery of essentials (beer, milk and some fresh fruit and veg) and handed over the mainsail to be delivered to a local sailmaker for some repairs and upkeep.

    An unexpected side-effect of dropping the mainsail was the foil (the piece which the sail rolls around) clattering around inside the mast. After a little bit of problem solving we managed to stop this for the most part - otherwise there would have been no sleep on the boat - and we headed off to find a spot for a fish and a dive.

    We pulled into the Black Rocks, but unfortunately nothing was going on there for us, just a few undersized snapper on the rod. Nathan jumped in with his spear gun for a look around, but was only greeted with schools of Parore, two spot Demezel, and a couple of red Moki (which you aren't supposed to shoot as they're long lived and mate for life), and no sign of any crayfish.

    Vela put together a delicious snack platter, and we cruised over to Tapeka to meet up with James, the owner of the boat for dinner. James, his family and friends have a bach booked for the week, and it handily comes with a mooring for Starling.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Granddaddy Hapuka
    Setting outGetting stuck inSwarms of ParoreSwarms of ParoreTrophy fishPig fish and rock codFull binSteamed pink Maomao

    BOI Day 2 (the fish)

    December 9, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Today was all about the fishing.

    An early alarm to get James' fishing boat in the water to see what kaimoana we could find. After a quick stop in Russell for some fuel, we set off. Target for the day - kingfish! And hoping to augment the catch with snapper and some other fish.

    Our first main stop was out at the nine-pin, where we were greeted with absolute scenes - masses of Parore on the surface feeding. We dropped our lines to the bottom in search of snapper, but only found fish just on the 30cm mark which weren't worth keeping. We did catch a number of rock cod (apparently a delicacy in China, but thrown away in NZ) Grandaddy Hapuka (delicious!) and also three eels (also something I'd usually throw back but James and his family were keen to keep).

    We tried a couple of lures after we saw a kingfish chasing a sinker back to boat, but still no luck on that one.

    Sick of catching baby snapper, and keen to show a bit more of the bay to the visitors, we shot over to bird rock to see what was on the other side. We found amazing blue water on this side, so we parked up. Here we caught a few blue Maumau, a brace of pink Maumau, a couple more Grandaddy Hapuka, but we were still plagued by 30cm snapper. In hindsight, Nathan wishes he'd jumped in the water here with his spear gun to have a look around given how beautiful the water was.

    With a colorful bin full of fish (and empty of bait) we called it a day and went back to base.

    We spent the afternoon cleaning and eating the fish (in a range of different dishes) and playing on the beach and in the water. Ready for bed and a Sunday sleep in!    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Finned friends
    Finned friendsAmbushed in the dinghyFinned friendsOff on the bikesOff on the boatAt "The Gap"Porae and ParoreThe other finned friendsParore wrapsMerry Christmas!

    BOI Day 3 (the finned friends)

    December 10, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Today was about making finned friends.

    We started the day by splitting up. Vela went for a bike ride with James and his family, while Nathan and Jamie opted for a more chilled day on the boat. As Vela was leaving, a pod of dolphins came and played around the boat for about 30 minutes (are we lucky or what?!)

    The boat set sail for the sheltered area between Motukiekie and Moturua islands (fondly referred to by us as "the gap") and cruised there at about 4kt - no rush, we had all day! We were greeted with tropical scenery and beautiful water.

    We went for a swim with the speargun and found another big fat Porae, and Nathan also decided to take a Parore to try - as we had seen them everywhere but didn't know if they were any good to eat. After about an hour in the water, Nathan and Jamie were knackered so swam back to the boat. On the way, Nathan gathered a few kina for the team back on shore to try.

    Before leaving, Nathan dealt to the fish and we were greeted by some very cool (and a little scary) bronze whalers.

    A late lunch of Parore wraps (delicious by the way) and we headed for home. James' girls had made a pretty awesome little sand sculpture (got to remember not to fall in when we walk back to the boat later).

    Dinner was more fish from yesterday's efforts, including the eel (yum but a little finicky with all the bones) and the rock cod which were also pretty good. Full credit to the chefs!    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Top of Roberton
    At Roberton IslandExploring the lagoonsEveryone at the top!Beauty and the beastGood catch!Scoping dive locationsPohutukawa on UrupukapukaUrupukapuka wharfFound the legal snapper!Chilling on the way home

    BOI Day 4 (island hopping)

    December 11, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    Today was a bit of a family day. The three families (boat family, James' family, and Jordi's family) split themselves between the yacht and the power boat and headed off to Roberton island (Motuarohia) for a picnic and an explore.

    When the yacht arrived, they found that the powerboat had been parked a bit close to shore and with the outgoing tide was a little bit beached. A slight learning curve still for James, but a pretty painless lesson really.

    After a quick snack on the beach, we split into two groups, one group walked up to the view point, while the other group explored the rocks. When the summit group returned, the rock explorers had found some decent sized crabs, which led to 30 minutes or so hunting crabs for tonight's hotpot.

    Afterwards we moved on to Otehei Bay on Urupukapuka Island for a drink and some lunch. After a quick walk to another viewpoint, and checking out the schools of Snapper, Trevally and Parore around the wharf, we departed. We dropped a group back to the yacht while the main group headed for home base on the powerboat.

    The yacht group enjoyed a pleasant sail back in about 10kt of wind. A delicious hotpot for dinner which used up the rest of the fish from the other day, followed by a couple hands of poker to round out the day.

    Forecast for the next couple days is for stronger wind, so we might be looking at some shore based activities.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Windy towards the Black Rocks
    Kemp HouseRainbow FallsSebastien!Best sweet corn!

    BOI Day 5 (The Tour)

    December 12, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    Very windy day today. So we left the boats where they were and had a little tour of Kerikeri.

    Nathan took the team to the Stone Store and Kemp house, and we went to the Plough & Feather for lunch. Afterwards we went for a walk around rainbow falls, then stopped in at Nathan's parents house to say hi to the cats.

    Finally we went up Pungaere Road to KeriCorn to get some fresh fruit and veg before heading back to base for dinner.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Fishing at the Black Rocks
    At Spot XAnother whopper!

    BOI Day 6 (Go Away Wind)

    December 13, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    Another quiet day, trying to hide from the wind. Nathan's parents came over to Russell for lunch and to take Vela to the airport (off to Christchurch for her work Christmas party).

    After lunch, we set up a crayfish pot at the Black Rocks and left it to soak overnight before heading up the inlets looking for some shelter. We found a Blue Maomao and a legal snapper but that was all we managed.

    Early night.

    One small    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Early morning God rays
    Setting sailApproaching RobertonGraceful divingBlub blubSuccessful returnThe preferred dropRunning back to the islandsPeaceful fishing at "The Gap"Awesome sunset

    BOI Day 7 (Return to Roberton)

    December 14, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Last full day today with James and his family and friends. Nathan and James shot out for an early morning fish targeting kingfish - no luck - before returning to pick up the rest of the clan to head back to Roberton Island for the afternoon.

    James had a fish from the rocks while Nathan went for a dive. Nathan came out the winner, shooting a Parore and a Leather Jacket for dinner.

    Afterwards, everyone said their goodbyes (there is a chance we'll see everyone briefly again tomorrow, but just in case) and Nathan and Jamie headed back out to Moturua Island to spend the night.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Jamie getting stuck in
    PeacefulSmoked Kahawai for lunchMotuterarakihi (no Tarakihi to be found)Healthy dinnerSunsetIt's pink!Early evening stargazing

    BOI Day 8 (Legal Snapper)

    December 15, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Well it took us a week to find them, but finally we managed to locate some legal snapper.

    We started the day slow, but after the sun came out we headed over to the northern half of the BOI for some fishing. After not much luck (more baby snapper) we took a break for some smoked kahawai sandwiches (YUM! Thanks dad!).

    Rather than waste the skin, we thought we'd try it out on a hook. This quickly resulted in a legal (but still small) snapper being pulled on board. We also pulled in a blue Maomao, which we kept for bait.

    We parked up for the evening in front of Marsden Cross, and while we ate the earlier snapper for dinner (delicious salad courtesy of Jamie), the snapper came on the bite. We pulled in an extra three snapper, with the largest measuring 37cm. We also bagged a small kahawai which will be perfect as tomorrow's bait.

    We finished off watching the sunset and enjoying being back in the wild.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Reliving his youth
    Breakfast viewingStacked!Late Christmas breakfastYum!Woohoo!Teams racingNot sure what he's doing at the back...Family photoWe're outta here!Approaching Whale Bay

    BOI Day 9 (Team Racing)

    December 16, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    Today started pretty overcast and glassy. Nathan and Jamie motored Starling up the Kerikeri inlet where they spotted the Kerikeri Cruising Club 420s heading out for a sail. Nathan's old high-school coach, Reuben, invited Nathan to jump in for a sail later on (which got Nathan fizzing).

    But first, we popped into the marina to grab Vela as well as Nathan's parents. We parked back out in the inlet and cooked up a pancake brunch with the 420s teams racing behind for some entertainment.

    After brunch, Nathan jumped in a 420 for a couple of races, winding back the clock to his high school teams racing days. Nathan's team managed a couple of wins (despite Nathan getting penalized on the start line - incorrectly according to Nathan) but once the exhibition teams were put together, Reuben and his team had the edge and made a clean sweep.

    Thank you to Kerikeri Cruising Club, it was great fun jumping back in the little boats!

    Afterwards, we dropped Nathan's parents back at the marina, topped up with some fuel, and headed out to Whale Bay for the night. Smoked kahawai and veg for dinner.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Patched mainsail
    Hanging out2Leaving the bayReally love the water like thisSails up!Starling parked at Waiiti BayBraving the shark infested waterHazy time!What a guyYum!Waiiti Bay sunset

    The "Main" Event

    December 18, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Today was big for a number of reasons.

    Firstly, while dodging rain showers, Nathan and Jamie hooked the repaired mainsail (thanks to Willis Sails) back up to the mast furler. This was a very fiddly job, trying to feed the sail through a small slot in the mast and tighten shackles inside the mast through tiny peep holes with pliers. But we managed and once again we have a mainsail on board!

    After this, we fired up the engine in the glassy conditions and finally escaped the BOI! This feels like a big milestone on our trip as we've never taken Starling this far north before. We took an obligatory selfie with the Nine Pin on our way past. Now the real adventure can begin!

    After passing the Nine Pin, we were greeted with a bit of breeze so we quickly pulled out our like-new mainsail and took off towards the Cavalli Islands. We stopped for lunch (smoked fish wraps & sandwiches) at Kahangaro island before continuing on to our overnight anchorage at Waiiti Bay on Motukawanui.

    While preparing to get in the water for a snorkel, Nathan spotted a shark off the back of the boat, so delayed this excursion. Vela put her drone up (still learning, but a stunning photo regardless). And we also pulled the 360 camera out and braved the sharky waters for a test run.

    A little bit of paddleboarding, and another dip in the water to refresh, before spotting the shark cruising past again (a very big fish, 2m+, most likely a Bronze Whaler). Then Vela put together a delicious meal of snapper fillets, chili & garlic noodles, and some fried potatoes.

    We settled in for the evening watching the sunset.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Welcome Daniel!
    Ready to goAll kitted outPlaying with the MaomaoNearly, but not quiteThat's a bit betterGood day outDoing the deedYum!Licked the pot clean

    Cavalli Islands

    December 18, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    An early morning visit into Matauri Bay this morning and we found our good friend Daniel waiting on the beach with his dive gear. So we picked Daniel up and headed out to the Cavalli's to check out what was going on.

    In the water for about 5 minutes and Nathan had popped a decent blue Maomao and Daniel had a fat little kahawai. The place was teeming with fish! Nathan had his new 3mm wetsuit which made a massive difference to being able to get deep and take a full breath (compared to the 6.5mm suit). We headed in to the rocks to look for crayfish.

    The first spot didn't yield any crayfish, but Daniel found a big pig fish and Nathan shot a fat Parore and another Maomao. Vela and Jamie jumped in for a dip as well and we played with the 360 camera amongst the schools of blue Maomao.

    The second spot produced better results for crayfish. After finding some females in berry (with eggs), Nathan found the first potentially legal one and took it back to the boat to measure. While it looks large, it's a packhorse so the tail has to be 216mm long. We one fell just shy of the mark. After some more searching, Daniel yelled out that he had found a monster, and it really was! Nathan also ran into a big Porae to add to the freezer.

    After a bit of figuring out how to deal to the cray, Vela cooked up an absolute feast. Looking forward to finding some more of these delicious treats over the coming weeks!    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Awesome sunrise over the Bay
    Today's rideGlassyStunning clear waterModern cruising lifestyleOff on a mission2Not much luck, but fun all the same!

    Gamefish & Chill

    December 19, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Today the team split up.

    Vela and Jamie chose to stay on the yacht to chill out, while Daniel and Nathan headed back to the BOI to go gamefishing with one of Daniel's friends.

    After trying for kingfish (unsuccessfully), we headed out wide to find an early season marlin, but unfortunately no big fish today. We did see a couple of Sunfish chilling on the surface which was neat.

    Determined not to go home empty handed, we stopped at the Nine Pin for some Kahawai and Snapper. The team are planning to reconvene on the yacht tomorrow for some more adventures.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Introducing Pinchy!
    Exploring the reefHazy hourWhat a sunset!

    Regroup at the Cavalli's

    December 20, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    After running some errands in town and stocking up on some essentials (cooking gas, beers etc) Nathan and Daniel rejoined Jamie and Vela in Matauri Bay. After a quick lunch of smoked fish wraps we headed back out to the Cavalli's for a dive.

    Nathan was feeling decidedly average (possibly a minor concussion from hitting his head while packing up the gamefishing boat) so he stayed on the boat while everyone else went for a dip. Daniel managed to pull another nice legal packhorse crayfish which is being kept for dinner tomorrow night. The video shows Daniel grabbing and releasing a female packhorse crayfish, which was unfortunately in berry and then Vela showing us how beautiful the underwater landscape is in NZ.

    We returned to Waiiti Bay overnight and had a big feed of fish thanks to Vela (we're nearly through everything we shot/caught the other day now). Even through the overcast skies we had a sweet sunset to watch before turning in for the night.    Read more

  • Cruising NZ
    Couple of bugs
    Ready to goNo (cray)fish is safe from usYahoo!Pinchy is the big one on the endHazy timeYum!Nothing is wastedMore reef exploring

    Crayfish Craze

    December 21, 2023 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Today we found a good Crayfish spot at the Cavalli's (sorry it's a long one)

    But first, we left our anchorage at Waiiti Bay to explore more of the Cavalli Islands. On our way to the northern end of the island group, we passed the rainbow warrior wreck. Unsure whether we'd be able to see it, we threw Daniel in the water to have a look. While he could get down far enough to see the seabed, he couldn't spot any sign of the wreck. Given the sea was pretty lumpy in that area, we pulled out and headed for some calmer dive spots.

    We found a likely looking spot, and Daniel and Jamie headed off while Vela and Nathan chilled out and had some lunch. A pair of very successful divers returned with 3 legal red crayfish (the 3 smallest in the photo).

    Nathan and Vela jumped in next. Nathan headed straight for the reef (Vela was still getting ready) but in about 2 meters of water saw the silhouette of a shark just on the edge of his vision. After a calm swim back to the boat we spotted the shark again as it circled the boat a couple of times before losing interest and swimming off. Not sure if Nathan has bad luck or just smells good (Sharkbait hoo ha ha).

    The team regrouped and Vela, Nathan and Daniel braved the water again. The spot was mint with awesome visibility and fish all over the place. Nathan and Vela were playing with the fish just 50m off the back of the boat while Daniel went hunting for more crayfish. There were Sandager's Wrasse, Butterfish, Leatherjackets, Parore, 2-spot Demezel, Black Angelfish, Red Moki, Eagle Rays and more! Nathan and Vela fed the friendly Wrasse a couple of kina.

    On the way back to the boat, Daniel found one last Red Crayfish (the second one from the right, the big one is the Packhorse from yesterday). Nathan's trigger finger felt a bit itchy and there was a Leatherjacket that was taunting him, so that got speared and brought back for a post dive snack.

    A plan was made for the Crayfish (we had a few favors owing) and the Packhorse, affectionately nicknamed "Pinchy" was selected for dinner. While Vela was whipping up a feast, Jamie dropped Nathan and Daniel back in the water for a dive back towards the boat.

    Nathan ticked another species off his hit list, spearing a nice pig fish which will go well with Daniel's Butterfish from earlier.

    Vela cooked an epic feed, cooking rice noodles in the crayfish head with a garlic sauce for an entree followed by a Japanese curry with the rest of the cray.    Read more

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