Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes 3 hours after walking into the rafting company at Waitomo we were on our way to Tongariro National Park and the much awaited Tongariro Crossing. The Crossing is one of the most popular day hikes in New Zealand and with good reason, it is stunning. We weren’t able to do it in 2001 (again because…
No wait at Waitomo
Estimated Reading Time: < 1 minute It would have been hard to leave the Coromandel today but there was some weather coming in and as the clouds gathered it made it easier to say our goodbyes. Another stunningly scenic drive, this time to Waitomo, land of the underwater caves and home to black water rafting. We walked into the rafting company…
Cathedrals and donuts
Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes Last time we were here it was chucking it down with rain and we didn’t even attempt going beyond the car park at Cathedral Cove. Since then we’ve seen photos and articles and felt cheated that we missed out. But today, 15 years later, the skies are clear and Cathedral Cove gave us a second…
Rediscovering the Kiwi slice
Estimated Reading Time: < 1 minute I was woken at sunrise by my own drool on the pillow, the sound of crashing waves in the distance and birdsong overhead – this is going to be a good day! We drove for an hour to the trail access for New Chum Beach, allegedly one of the best beaches in NZ. Accessible only…
Camping with cicadas
Estimated Reading Time: < 1 minute It was a staggeringly beautiful 2 hour drive from the suburbs of Auckland to the Coromandel Peninsula. Blue skies, green hillsides, live-stock out to pasture and a cacophony of cicadas so loud we actually rolled down the windows to check it was insects and not a problem with the car. After only 30 minutes I…
Captain’s hour
Estimated Reading Time: < 1 minute Because of the way the watch schedule works, you relieve or are relieved by the same people on every watch so it’s actually very easy for 5 people to be together on a 40ft yacht for a couple of weeks and only see other crew members in passing, like ships that pass in the night…
And we’re off to the Derby
Estimated Reading Time: < 1 minute We’ve been galloping along and making such good progress it was looking like we’d get to Kanehoe earlier than expected. But then Derby showed up on the scene and it looks like he may have the upper hand on our plans. A few days ago Derby was rated as a hurricane, the good news is…
Derby don’t you dare!
Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes The sun finally came out today and we were able to do our watches in shorts and tees rather than our foulies. Squalls come through with some regularity and give us a shower but it is not unpleasant. Talking of showers, in order to conserve our precious water on board, we wash down with a…
Fish envy no more
Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes Despite Mike putting a line out for days, we’d not yet hooked a fish and were growing unceasingly envious during radio check-in as many of the other boats told tales of their catches, some implying that they didn’t even need a line and that the fish we’re launching themselves onto the decks, sacrificing themselves for…
Please stop this incessant movement!
Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes The perpetual movement is starting to take its toll. Everyone’s in good spirits but the sheer effort it takes to do the most basic things is simply exhausting and being constantly thrown around the boat has us all black and blue. Yesterday we passed the half way point to Hawaii (yay!) and celebrated with rum…