SAILING BUDD REEF

SAILING BUDD REEF

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We left for Budd Reef from Ra[m]bi with light winds. The reefs were good visible. But around the bottom-end of Ra[m]bi the bouncing currents and fluctuating winds made sailing a nightmare. In fact, we drifted in circles. We really should have just put the anchor down and waited. But we didn't, trusting that the wind will get firm in strength, which eventually it did. Just as we were out through the reef, a group of dolphins joined the ride across the Rabi Strait. It was hard to windward all the way. The reef at Budd Reef was not visible at all. Once inside, we had a good sail to School Bay, where we anchored for a couple of days. As the wind changed, we anchored in many bays around the islands of Budd Reef. We visited the Yanuca village and saw the meke twice. It was very good.

VISITING THE DATELINE

VISITING THE DATELINE

At Somosomo, on Taveuni, we anchored and went to town the next morning. Calm conditions. We took the taxi up the hill to the hospital where we waited in line for our turn to see the dentist. Fortunately it was a quiet day and just one lady patient infront of us. Skipper has lost a tooth filling the day before (probably due to some fresh coconut we ate which can be very hard), and we were lucky enough that Taveuni was a big island with medical facilities serving the communities of the many islands around it. The dental job went without fuss and was very afordable. Then it was time to play tourist again and we walked halfway down the steep hill, then accross a football field to get to the official 180 degrees meridian. And a few yards further, a complete tin shack church compound. It is one of those things that you know about and never think of since it's part of life. But standing physically with one foot in yesterday and with the other foot in today, came as a reality check about the amazing feats of the human race developement. Eelco has visited Greenwich in London many years ago and now also in the Southern Hemisphere. For him it was a completion of one event.

SAILING DIRECTIONS

We are in Fiji at the moment. After exploring some wonderful new bays and its people we sailed to Taveuni Island off the northeast of Vanua Levu, the northern big island. It was lovely weather - sunshine and a soft breeze. As soon as we were over the reef, the sails went up and we glided along in a seducing waltz. Our destination was just seven miles away and in view. Slowly but surely the tempo of the waltz decreased but we kept going. It was nice to be out 'sailing'. After lunch we had a look on our track and what do you know? We sailed at 1.2 knots backwards! The current in the strait was just so much more than the little wind there was. The old Volvo had to bring us where we wanted to be.

STORMS

We arrived back at MYLADY midst forecasted prolonged very wet weather. I raised against the odds to get all the big things washed and dried on the lines. Between squalls, skipper could finish up the underwater paint and other have-to's for our big splash. Very early in the morning during a dry spell, David and Kevin of the boatyard gently let MYLADY back into the water. How good to be floating again. And off we went, down river to the bay outside by the heads. There the sea and wind were not favourable so we dropped the hook next to the land-wall in an eddy out of the heavy current. It was a surprisingly comfortable 'uncharted' anchorage. 
When we heard 60 knots forecasted on the marine radio channel, with swell of up to 4 meters, we decided a nearby marina might be a more protected option. With haste we heaved anchor and motored back up-river for half-an-hour whilst the rain and wind increased. Pat and her husband took our lines and helped to settle us in Marsden Cove Marina. It blew and blew - the whole night through.  Our fenders got pushed out as MYLADY was squashed on her side to the pier. A jib on another boat ripped out and flapped like a turreting gun, to pieces.  Morning came and skipper put another line to shore to pull MYLADY off our pier. The storm intensified. According some locals, this was worse than the Lucy cyclone which came through about a month ago. Lunchtime weather improved to the point where we dared sticking our noses out from our covers. Today, a day later, we will leave once again for the bay at the heads to sail direction Great Barrier Island tomorrow.

Steering pedestal - refit on the go

Hello to you! No we didn't disappear of the face of the earth. We are just catching up with ourselves. Thanks for checking up on us. My trip to Texas visiting the children, was as good as I could have wished for. Eelco had enough time with mom in Holland after his duty of collecting freedom chips for us. And we both arrived back 'home' in New Zealand beginning of March. There were just sooooo many people at the airport going through customs. We almost missed our connecting bus to the town where our boat is. Running-running with luggage-loads bigger than ourselves, we made the bus with three minutes. Phew. In the midst of night we arrived at our dear MYLADY - home sweet home. 

Mylady is being loved and care for to no limits. Her owner scraped and scraped her bottom till she was clean and almost naked. Then he dressed her with layer upon layer of different qualities and colors of paint. She got a new coat on her hem above the waterline. If you listen good, you can hear her purr. Up and down he runs through her top shaking up the rigging and replacing with new. That the mast steps are showing signs of wear and tear, we shall not worry about now. Even her steering he did not forget. Never in thirty years, but this time for sure. Dug up from the deep dark, hidden below the pile of fenders and extra lines in the aft storage, came the steering rods and the what-have-you-nots. And this all started because the steering pedestal in the cockpit kept on naging about the salt corrosion creeping between it's base-rings. Skipper said solemnly, a bad foundation is no good, removed the steeringwheel, and forced the poor steering colom with brute force and seaman's vocabularly off its sealant-glued-fixture-base in the centre cockpit. Some time passed. At the moment he ever so gently sands and paints and carries that same heavyweight pededstal like a baby up and down the many steps of the very high and narrow ladder, refitting it proudly on its important place.  

Now that our hard earned freedom chips have been used up in a good way on good MYLADY, we are going to take a break for a few days to experience some more of New Zealand. On our return, we splash asap, go for a test sail and then leave for British Columbia.

Finalizing to leave for the Pacific Islands

The sailmaker from Willis Sails came onboard at the Stone Store to take the measurements for our new sails. Having fresh water available, we washed the old sails before stowing them.  It was ideal weather for it, lovely sunny and quiet water and Mylady sure looked different with all the cloth sausages draped from her mast. We frequently did the healthy uphill walk to town to buy provisions.  Being pushed down hill on the return trip with our heavily laden trolleys is always fun. And then the stowing dance to find space for everything.

We replaced our water tank with new. It was a thirty-four year old stainless steel. Twelve years ago it got a new bottom in Turkey and a baffle inside. All the crashing we do out on the oceans had the water rush slamming out this barrier and it made the worst noise you could think of.  We feared it would slam a hole in the tank. So we turned the boat inside out. The old water tank is out and the new solid plastic tank (not rubber) is in. All the connections and hoses to and from were also replaced. It was one of those typical jobs suppose to take a couple of days that turned into a fortnight drama.  

As always, never a dull moment and actually not much to show for all our being busy. It’s just us who will enjoy greater peace of mind in the knowledge of all the maintenance and improvements, and Mylady who smiles along.

It’s time for us to sail across the sea. We are off to some sunshine and warmth on the Pacific Islands of Tonga, Wallis and Fiji. 

Take care of yourselves and write us a note. 

On the move again

We have had a lovely time the last month in the Historic Stone Store Basin. Mylady had her anchor out with two aft lines to the shore. Our refit-on-the-go-project had us ended up in Kerikeri to get Craig of Willis Sails on board to measure our new sails. Then the township of Kerikeri was just so handy to do a few more jobs... We replaced the fresh water tank with new made by Hercules Tanks of Tauranga.   Sophie of Kerikeri pumps was ever so helpful in supplying all our hoses and connections and much more. Good weather prevailed with the big man crawling around in small spaces. The wind generator came down for some lubrication and check-up and now swings with less struggle.  Whilst I was rolling thumbs, the polish man came around and gave Mylady a super shine. Oh, and there was also time to meet new people and old friends. The motorman had two long days in the engine room changing all the old for new, supposedly she's 

purring perfect now.  We left the Kerikeri River on a run with lots of wind from behind. The new storm sail was tested and found to be good. And after coming on anchor the little riding sail immediately went up to keep Mylady steady in the wind. We are so happy with so many of our little this-and-that things. Like for instance the furling genoa cover which we finally figured out and now works good. Will be testing our new sails in the coming days.  Following is my easy bread baking on top of the gas stove demo.  Enjoy !

Back on Mylady on Kerikeri River, New Zealand

The crew of MYLADY are back on board in New Zealand.  I had a great time with my son and his family in Texas and Eelco had a good, productive time collecting freedom chips.  With the sheets and ropes and sails back on deck and in the rigging, we’re starting to feel and look like a sailboat again.  In the meantime the big man has started to demolish the boat from the inside in order to get to the main bulkhead under the floorboards where we have to do repairs.  Soon we’ll leave the Kerikeri River to go to Ashby’s Boatyard in Opua, Bay of Islands, where we’ll do most of the work.  Weather is good, chilly for us, but by all standards – good.

our backyard.