East Cape

Good run from Gisborne up to East Cape and on to the Great Barrier Is. Passed the volcanic Island of White Is..came up to Collville Passage inthe night and moored in Whangaparpara early morning. Easy passage, but its a long haul across the Bay of Plenty.


More later.....

Departed Wellington late in afternoon and had a lumpy ride across Palliser (is there any other way!) and wended our way up the Waiarapa coast with a light SE.Its a long way.Passed Napier the followig night and arrived Gisborne after lunch. Caught a few tuna on the coast, had to race a shark for one but got most of it in! Moored to visitors berth outside the Club-very expensive but we only planned 2 nites.Had to meet a fellow Brother of the Coast.Sunny clear weather........

So we departed Lyttleton towards Gisborne. However off the Kaikoura coast wind from NE and up to 25kts.Kept going at 1600 revs but dropped off a few waves and started to leak. Reefed the revs down to 1300 and speed down to 4kts and more in tune with the seas.But the leak stayed with us so we scrambled in to Wellington ahead of the southerly change.Pulled in to Seaview marina at 2am. Next day arranged for a haulout-what an obliging Marina!.Lifted in the Travellift for aday and spotted the leak. Actually hard to miss, looked like the Niagra Falls! Recaulked and tingled a few spots and back in and away that afternoon for Gisborne.One crew left due to time constraints.

To be cont........

While in Lyttleton saw this rather nice ex fishing boat.
The marina a bit of a deserted spot,still showing the ravages of the blow some years ago that decimated the marina.
More to follow......

After spending a few days in Akaroa we heard that Davey Jones on the "KELVIN" was enroute from the Marlborough Sounds where he has a property to Lyttleton for building supplies. He's always an inspiration and the "KELVIN" has one of my favourite motors, a Lister JP4. We motored around Banks Peninsula to Lyttleton for a meet up.......

On our way up the coast. No problems except off Dunedin the next morning-fuel blockage.All cleared and away again in half an hour.
First stop was Akaroa,small village on the south side of Banks Pen.French heritage.

This is an ongoing catchup stand by!.......

Ready to depart Bluff

After 2 weeks preparation we (3 mates) ready to depart fuel dock .Have on board 1700 lit for the ISUZU 6BD1 with 3:1 reduction gear.
Destination Whangarei, via East coast of New Zealand, distanced 1200 miles.

This catchup to be continued......