HEADING NORTH

Ready at last!

After a lot of extra work meeting New Zealand safety regulations, and a fair bit of money spent on safety gear that is not entirely relevant for singlehanders (who will be there to throw me the dan buoy, or to search for its automatic light?  I believe cruisers should clip on all the time they are on deck offshore, and that goes double for singlehanders) we have passed the thorough safety inspection - thanks to Kevin Johnson for two trips to the boat and at least four hours of his time inspecting steering gear, chainplates, rig, flares, fire extinguishers, and everything else, and to Doyle sails for making a trysail and making, anodising and fitting a track for it in ten days.  Ready to go, and the wind is northerly 25 to 30 - straight from our first stop at Opua.  Thursday the wind goes around to the southwest, and Chris and I struggle to get "Hanne Danske" off the marina and onto the fuel dock in 30 knot side winds and showers.
a wave to Chris and I motor off the fuel dock before setting sail for Kawau 30 miles North- it was nice to have my Uncle Brian and Mary at the end of Devonport wharf with Chris to wave as I sailed past.
A good fast sail to Kawau, and up early in the morning to sail north to Whangaruru harbour another 70 miles further north.   In perfect reaching weather it was a great sail, and I had the unusual experience of being buzzed by customs in a light plane who asked me to spell boat name, home port, destination etc all in phonetic alphabet.  At dusk I could see cape Brett and considered carrying on to the bay of islands - but nearby Whangaruru was too tempting and we slipped in between the reefs to a quiet anchorage off the beach.


Next morning, with forecast Westerly 20 - 25 I headed out for the short sail to Cape Bett in sheltered water, using little danger rock as a good target to adjust the radar heading as we sailed past it.  At the cape, lots of messy steep waves and shifty winds in the shadow of  the cliffs, so I headed outside the island and found the wind blowing strongly out of the bay - dead on the nose and 20-25.  A fairly wet  bash to weather before dropping sails in the shelter of Urupukapuka island.   As I sailed in there were several yachts heading out to sea - was I missing a weathyer window to head up to Fiji?  I decided to head straight in to Opua where there would be internet to pick up the latest weather forecast.  As we anchored in the serene waters off the marina in perfect sunshine and light breeze, it loooked like the weather couldnt be better.  But the forecast showed a deepening low heading over - a fast yacht might get  north of it if they left that morning, as it seems some did - but I couldn't clear customs and head off before Sunday - and sailing handed I would not be sailing as fast as usual, so this is not the time to go.  A relief in a way - it gives me time to sort out radio scheds, setup radar alarms etc.  But it is also a shame - the weather is getting colder,  winter storms are coming on, and it is an anxious wait hoping for the weather to come right and hoping for a good trip.  How will I cope with singlehanding a possibly rough trip to Fiji?
And it is not helpful, checking out the Russel Radio scheds as yachts report in, to hear some tired yachties fed up with strong head winds, torn sails and gear, and gale warnings for the sea area to the North and West.
Hopefully I will have better luck with the weather - It was so much simpler sailing the trades in the tropics!
After deciding I was here for a few days, I tidied up the boat, and found a stowaway - a little lizard hiding under a sail track looking cold and miserable.  I took him ashore and let him go in a warm sunny spot in a rock garden.  I don,t think he would have liked the trip - especially not on deck!

So I'm catching up on some rest, doing odd jobs, and getting ready. And what a lovely place to be doing that, as I look around the still anchorage.