Work at MaRe is progressing.

Today, the raw water pump of the PRT side engine returned. The leakage was caused by a groove, which developed at the shaft of the pump where one shaft seal is located. A softer material caused a groove on a harder one. Strange but true. John will get me additional spare parts that, if needed, I can replace all parts myself.

Also today Toby Scoones from Doyle NZ came by to pick up the genoa and the mainsail. I folded already the genoa but the mainsail we did together. A few days ago, I unmounted the mainsail already. Thus, it was ready for transport in a short time.

Even in IT work there is progress. I re-learned to access the server and found the folder where the construction site of the not published homepage is located. Since I worked on this homepage only on 2020 and maybe a bit in 2021, I forgot all. I hope now for a steep learning curve in writing html code. Keep fingers crossed for me.

Food shopping was on the schedule for today as well as starting dough to bake new bread.

And add a daily routine, emails…

BTW, yesterday was a hot pot Christmas Party at the marina. The marina sponsored beer, bratwurst, and steaks.
My contribution for the party was freshly baked 5 l’epis. They were gone pretty fast at the party. I even was asked if I bake bread for money…

For me, who grew up on the northern hemisphere, it was pretty unusual having a Christmas party with a barbeque, T-Shirt and shorts.

And at this party, I met a fellow sailor, who was in 2022 my neighbor in the Shelter Bay Marina in Panama. A nice surprise.

So far about the progress in work and what happened during the last days. Nothing exciting but now you are in the picture again.

Boh and her family are always good for a nice surprise. Yesterday she surprised me by visiting me with Terry, her grandfather. Boh brought me a glass can, exactly as the one we lost in the Minerva Reef and Terry had good news concerning the big salon windows.

But how did all start?

I sailed with my Japanese sailing friend Shigeo and it was clear that he needs to fly back to Tokyo from Vava’u and I planned and prepared myself already mentally to sail single handed until NZ. I mentioned this also in a mail to Ralf & Nora of the cat Barbarella.

Then in one of Ralf’s replies he mentioned that there is a lady in Vava’u who is looking for a boat back to NZ. He also got, from wherever I don’t know, the search ad of this Kiwi lady and forwarded it to me. This is what I got.

“Hi I’m Bohemia, I’m from New Zealand and I’m currently in vava’u where I have been working mainly as a housekeeper at a whalewatch resort. I’m looking to crew on a yacht back to nz. have been sailing for 8 years doing dingy racing and 6 years costal cruising and racing. I don’t have any offshore experience but I am very keen. I also have a STCW, day skippers and have been a learn to sail coach in nz. I’m very easy going and will give anything a go, and not a half bad cook and excellent dish washer
My WhatsApp is (64) 025169232 and email is bohsanders@gmail.com
Thank you!
Boh”

Racing dinghies… learn to sail coach … – that’s good because she must have a good understanding of wind, sails, and waves.

No offshore experience – that’s not much of a problem because she can sail dinghies, which require very quick and correct actions. On a cruiser all is a bit slower because all is a bit bigger than on a dinghy.

Easy going – every one can write this; it needs to be seen.

Not a half bad cook and excellent dish washer – that sounds honest and I’m sure I’ll survive.

My first impression: I would like to talk to her.

I send a reply to Ralf to contact her on Whatsapp that I want to meet her. I also send her a mail via Iridium.

Quick replies while I was still somewhere between American Samoa and Vava’u. The way she replied, left a further positive impression. We planned to meet in Vava’u.

After hooking up at a buoy of the restaurant Mango in the main Bay of Vava’u, Shigeo and I went ashore. On our way back to MaRe we saw another dinghy approaching MaRe. We met somewhere before MaRe and started talking. It turned out they are German sailors preparing for sailing to NZ. Christian and Renate wanted to take Boh back to NZ but then a crew, they planned earlier, arrived in Vava’u and they could not take Boh as considered. From Boh they learned about MaRe and me. That’s why they came to MaRe. Long story short. They recommended to take Boh with me as a crew member to NZ. This was a heavy weight recommendation!

Then, next day or so, Boh and I prepared to meet. I was waiting a MaRe for a sign or call to pick her up at the restaurant Mango, when dinghy came to MaRe. I recognized one or two crew members of the Irish boat next to us. It turned out they had Boh already in their dinghy. I welcome her on board and we sat down to talk.

Although I got some training in Kiwi-English (thanks Debbie for all the years you trained my ears!) I had problems to understand her. I’m also not a slow speaker but Boh’s speech is super- or even hypersonic. When she gets excited, because she loves something, I had the impression that she cuts words by 50 % to be fast enough to say all in the short period until the end of her life. And her life is very young compared to mine. It turned out she’s as old as my eldest grandson. For a short moment I thought about her age. However, I would sail always with my grandson, thus I can do it with Boh. My impression was positive and there was the recommendation of Christian and Renate, thus I told her she can sail with me, if she likes to sail with me. I don’t know what she thought, but we agreed to sail together to NZ.

As she knew what can be bought where we topped up provisions especially with vegetables and fruits and left Vava’u the day after MaRe was launched back into the water.

She knew very well the way through the islands, where she lived for about half a year.

Then when we got wind to sail, and we got a lot. Solid 7 Bft with gusts of 8 Bft. We sailed deeply reefed. She was calm. “She knows the sea” was what I thought. Good!

Then routine on board started. We had our night watch duties without any problems. Her cooking turned out very well; sometimes a bit unusual for me but always delicious.

Now with the hindsight of our sail to NZ, I have to say, it was a perfect decision I and she made. Alone again, I miss our after-meals conversations, spiced up with 50 % words because she is so happily excited.

We also talked about the Vendee Globe single handed boat race, which currently runs around the world. Boh is a good sailor, she is technically very proficient, she is keen to take on new challenges, and she reminds me in respect to body size to Isabelle Joschke, a Vendee Globe race participant, thus I brought up the topic of becoming sailor, participating, may be as the first kiwi, in the Vendee Globe race around the world. I would not be surprised to see her one day racing in about 80 days single handed around the globe in another edition of the Vendee Globe race.

Boh, whatever adventure you start after sailing with me, I wish you all the best, and I’m sure you will be successful. Should you, in between, want to sail with me again, you are welcome on board of MaRe any time.

The next morning, it was the 2.Dec.2024 we were cleared in.

First the bio-security officer came. A nice gentleman following the rules of NZ for bio-security. I really have a lot of understanding for bio-security but in NZ the baby is thrown out with the bathwater! In all other countries, which I visited we were told that certain food may only be used on board. In NZ, honey, eggs, canned ham with pork, onions, garlic, and ginger had to be thrown into a big, plastic bag made of a rather thick material. What is the impact for NZ of all what needed to be thrown away would it have been eaten on board or like in the case of canned pork meat would have been brought out of NZ again?

The officer is a very nice and friendly gentleman but the rules, although I followed them, I regard as ridiculous.

As I’m just writing about a rule I consider as ridiculous, there is another example. When I asked in the marina office, about shore power, I was told that first my cables and the boat needed to be examined and I have to get an approval sticker. One sticker needs to be attached to each cable, and one at the entrance door into the salon. As I have a strong technical background, I wondered if in NZ the technology of a 240 V line breaker does not exist. So what is the inspection good for? Until now I don’t understand it but had to pay about 125 EUR for it.

Also in this case I have to say that the inspector was a very friendly gentleman and we had a good talk. Now my cables and boat are NZ approved for electrical safety.

Friendliness – I really have to say that the people here are very friendly and helpful.

The first non official person I met was Terry, Boh’s grandfather, who came to pick up Boh after inbound clearance was completed. As he was a sailor, he knew how to deal with the lines to dock a boat. He and Boh worked as team. He at the pier and Boh on board at the bow. It was nice seeing the two of them acting together.

Once docked, he came on board and I invited him for breakfast. We had a good talk. One of the topics we talked about was the leakage of the big salon windows and that I want to seal them newly. He will now see if he finds someone who has experience in this work. If he doesn’t find one, he’ll give me hand and we will do it together.

Then came the moment that Boh, my valued crew member since Vava’u had to move on to her next adventure. I hope to read her name one day as participant of another edition of the Vendee Globe single hand race around the world.

And then, 2 – 3 days later, a charming lady suddenly stood in MaRe’s cockpit. I looked at her and thought “I know her, but where did I meet her?” “I’m Boh’s mother” she introduced herself. Then I knew that I saw her when we entered into the marina and berthed MaRe at the quarantine dock. They could not enter the quarantine dock and we could not get out. Now she brought me some deep frozen meat and offered that she can drive me Whangarei on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I was overwhelmed from her friendliness and helpfulness.

As I already got in contact with a General Marine Services about an overhaul of my Onan genset, while still sailing towards NZ, two gentlemen came already on board to discuss what needs to be done. They will remove the genset when MaRe is on the hard.

The same happened in respect to the sail and canvas repair. I reached out for Andy, who still as an employee of Doyle NZ, made my “Big Blue” gennaker. He is about setting up his own business but is not yet ready for it. Thus, he made me a contact to Tony Scoones of Doyle NZ. Both of them came and we talked about what needs to be done.

On Monday, Gareth, the marina manger introduced me to Richard of Clove Boatworks. His people will deal with the work at the hull and Volvo engines. Actually after we discussed the matters, he brought me back to MaRe and John, an experienced elderly engineer joined to have a first look at the Volvos. John’s inspection results are better then I expected. He started already getting gaskets and parts for the raw water pump.

And then I fighting a few IT issues. First, since a forced upgrade of the Joplin notes application at my PC, the app on my PC doesn’t synchronize with the server anymore. Even after a complete removal of the app including all config files and a complete new installation, it doesn’t work. I spent already for a few days hours on the solution of this problem but it still exist. While working on tests to find the solution, I changed accidentally a filename at our NextCloud. This caused me today a few hours of work because suddenly the Joplin app on my Android devices didn’t synch anymore. Fortunately I found and could resolve the route cause.

Next my brother, who is our webmaster, found that one of my email accounts got hacked. The problem is solved but I still have to change a few passwords and re-arrange some things at the server. Altogether this will take me another day.

Finally I started collecting information to continue building my homepage. This becomes necessary as I will move my tracking and blogging onto my own homepage.

Beside all this, a few smaller boat jobs, internet searches for things needed, the daily life with food shopping, cooking, cleaning the pantry, and laundry, kept me pretty busy. When the IT issues are solved additional boat jobs will be done.

Around 1730 we docked MaRe at the Q-dock of Mardsen Cove Marina. However we can’t leave the dock because we are not yet cleared in.

Via Ch16 I called Whangarei harbor radio and was informed that customs officer will come tomorrow morning and we must stay at the Q-dock.

Boh’s mother and grandparents came to welcome her. A first conversation was only possible around the customs door. A pity, but understandable from customs point of view

It’s a very quiet marina and it’s looks pretty well maintained. Let’s see what I learn tomorrow.

Boh started already to prepare the last dinner on board. As for the onion disaster it doesn’t happen. Boh just told me she cooks something without onions. It’s will be delicious as always.

In the meantime it’s 1055. We made and are making good progress. Right now we are between Poor Knight Island and mainland; the “MardsenCove approach N” WPT it’s just 23 NM ahead of us.

As soon as Boh’s mobile phone logged onto the mobile phone net work she contacted family and friends and became really excited. Understandable because she was more than 6 months away. It seems that her grandfather, also a former sailor like me, even comes to the marina. Would also be nice for me to meet this gentleman.

In the morning hours I meet to cargo vessels. The “Olympia Logger” from Hong Kong had a course, which would have been a direct hit. Thus, I changed course 5 deg to STB and asked them to do the same. They did and we passed each other PRT-PRT with a safe distance of a bit more than 2 miles.

For my 0900 log book entry I saw that, during the last 3 hours, MaRe did an averaged STW of 10 KN. Pretty fast. Now it’s “only” 9.6 KN with the wind being down some KN.

I also informed customs on our arrival by email and by VHF via Whangarei Radio, and sent an email to Gareth of thé Mardsen Cove Marina. Now all who need to inform are informed.

We, Boh and I, are also prepared in terms of we know what we do where and when.

Now we are waiting that MaRe brings us the last few NM further south and into the marina. It’s a bit of a waiting time now.

MaRe, a very good girl as she is, understands the upcoming onion disaster and does her very best to avoid it.

After another all-sail-down yesterday, the wind came back just when we sat down to have another delicious version of Boh’s boiled egg sandwiches. Also delicious, we kept them on the plates and dressed up MaRe in her best gown. Then she picked up speed. She and the wind became that good friends, that she wanted to wear her shorter skirt. Logbook says that we changed to reef 1 at 1645. Now she runs around 9 KN STW; sometimes the 10 KN shows up.

Although the wind started turning E, when, at 1900, I started my nap, I was concerned if the wind changes sufficiently. When I woke up I saw immediately that my concerns can be blown into the wind. We are heading now at a point 15 NM NE of the northern approach point for Marsden Cove Marina.

The sea became now a bit choppy like it becomes when the wind goes above 10 KN TWS. I let MaRe continue to run with 55 deg AWA to keep, for the time being, the room for the approaching point .

As for the disaster avoidance by MaRe, she will arrive already tomorrow at around 1400 at the northern approaching point. From there we sail another 5 NM to the eastern approaching point. I’ll take her sails down immediately after the “harbor entrance outer” WPT. From there we will have another 7 NM into the Marsden Cove Marina where my looong sail chapter from Panama to NZ through the Southern Pacific Island will be completed.

Thank you MaRe for this epic sail; I’m moved.

As usual, the wind doesn’t follow the forecast. So we still need at least 3 days to Marsden Cove Marina. This morning, during breakfast, we looked at the last 2 onions in the net above the cockpit table. Without many words, we understand the disaster ahead of us. Days without onions! Boh uses an onion a day for her delicious meals. Thus, one day a meal without onions. European pancakes again? She made good ones, like the Austrian Palatschinken. How will we survive?

We still have hope to land a fish!

Although we are moving again, it’s more a try to avoid that the sails are flapping to much rather then sailing in a well defined direction. Still, sometimes MaRe makes even more than a knot STW. However, like right now, when the glassy spots of the sea become to bigger than 2 – 3 boat lengths, STW will go down to 0.0 meaning, it then will be something below 0.09 KN. Lucky! We made it to the next spot where the sea surface is covered with small ripples and MaRe accelerates again to almost 2 KN.

It seems that we will need almost the same time for the last 200 NM then we needed for 900 NM before… This also is sailing!

..wind down, sail down, wind up,…

It’s always the same old story and it happened today as well.

However, now we are comfortably sailing with a STW of around 5 KN. The only thing we have to do is to reset frequently the wind vane angle of the autopilot because we often get wind shifts.

After quiet some tacking before lunch time, we had to get all sails down as there was no wind at all. But not long after we had the sails down, I saw the wind was suddenly back to 4 KN. We looked at each other and decided to get the sails up again. This was a good decision!

As the ECMWF forecast model looks like, we can keep the sails for quite a while as they are because in the next 48 h, the wind turns on steps around to to E and as we sail in the wind vane mode, MaRe will turn around the same way.

Boh fixed today another lunch with boiled eggs. This because we still have plenty of them and Bio-security of NZ will confiscate them. So we’ll have another few meals with eggs and I’m curious what other recipes Boh had in her huge collection.

Temperatures are really low. Last night I recorded 19 degC. A NZ friend wrote me today that “NZ summers are cooler then the tropics”. I fully agree! I’m, being used to temperatures around the equator and wear now a fleece jacket and a wind breaker, and Boh runs around on a T-shirt.

Currently I’m trying again to catch a fish, which doesn’t disappear with the lure. As a lure I’m using today a diver, which goes a bit deeper into the water. From now (1630) on until it’s getting dark it’s a good time for successful trolling. Fishes will be looking for their dinner and if we are lucky we finally can haul one into Boh’s frying pan.

Right now we are sailing 3 – 4 KN STW with a wind of 4 – 6 KN TWS coming from 215 deg TWD.

Completely different to the wind forecast of the European (ECMWF) model and the IS (GFS) model.

But we are sailing!

Since I took sails down on early yesterday about 0100, they were down for 30 h because there was no wind at all. Just a glassy sea. The nightmare of all sailors.

This morning during breakfast I always looked to the wind meter. 2.5, 2.8, 3.0, 3.3, 3.4 KN. “Will the wind go up? I asked myself. The right thought was more wishful thinking then reality because a few moments later the wind was down again to 1.9 KN .

I checked the logbook for comparable data and estimate that with 2 kn of TWS we could make still 1.-something STW. So we set sail sails. Main sail up without a reef, the genoa fully out as well, and the small jib. And it was the right decision because while we got the sails up, the wind increased. This wind increase was pure luck; sometimes we have to be lucky.

As the forecast doesn’t follow the forecast we only can tack when we see the wind turns around and hope for the future TWD we make the right decision.

… manipulated the wind shortly after I hove to. The wind started turning in circles faster then MaRe could follow. Thus, I took all sails down and MaRe is adrft. Until when?

The answer is simple! Until we have a wind we can sail with.

Two so far outstanding events on top of the sail down. We have an incredible beautiful moon standing about rather low above the horizon. And we have a new temperature record of 19 degC.