Where in the world are ThevdMz? Previously: Vanuatu, Tonga, Fiji. Currently: EnZed Soon: Europe! Hoping for plenty of internet so we can share lots of lovely photos & maps
I know we’ve been really quiet since getting back to New Zealand – sorry about that.
It has taken quite a while to get back into “normal” life and also get used to the loss of our beloved Waimanu.
BUT!!! Phil is still sailing, when he gets the opportunity.
Within a month of getting home Phil was crewing on a classic yacht in the Hauraki Gulf and was also invited to crew on a delivery trip from Wellington to the Bay of Islands for their Race Week. Having delivered the yacht he then jumped ship to crew on a friends yacht during Race week. Various other sailing opportunities have been enjoyed.
Today he sails out to Minerva Reef aboard a friends yacht, crewing up to Tonga then flying home in a couple of weeks.
Next month? No idea! 🙂
Happy and safe sailing everybody!
Since you might be wondering but haven’t plucked up the courage to ask, we’ll do some occasional posts on what gear we use for various things, pros and cons for us, and what our dream replacements would be.
Obviously these are our personal opinions; what works for us won’t necessarily be the same for you.
So to kick it all off: yacht, since it’s an obvious item required to be doing this cruising thing 🙂
YACHT:
Waimanuis a 32foot Townson Twilight, her shell (hull, decks, keel etc) were built by Atkinson’s in their Browns Bay boat yard. After trucking up to Algies Bay, Jack Algie spent his evenings completing her insides, and finishing the outside, then she was launched in the bay in April 1974.
She’s the typical Townson build of double diagonal kauri planking, pretty as a dream and sails beautifully. For what is now considered to be an old design style she sails surprisingly fast. Maybe because we’ve kept things fairly simple.
We appear to be a minority in the cruising community: yes we have electricity and an engine, but we don’t have the frills. No fridge, freezer, shower, watermaker, bbq, nuclear fall-out shelter, wine cellar or recording studio. (Just kidding: I haven’t met any cruisers with the last three either.) We do have LED lights, a solar panel, tiller-pilot and wind-vane self-steering gear – but more on those another time.
When day dreaming about bigger, fancier yachts Captain Relentless once commented:
Waimanu is the best boat for us, because she’s the boat we have. Everything else is a dream, this is the reality.
Can’t get more to the point than that, can you?
So what boat do you have? Have you stopped dreaming of something you don’t have so that you can make the most of what you do have?
Friday 1:49 p.m.
Anti Malarial taken! They were with the new plastic boxes. Go Figure. Loving this!
Friday 2:25 p.m.
Also maybe 100mm of S/S 20mm dia tube to make spacers. WW Sheetmetals or sim. Having FUN.
Saturday 11:56 a.m.
S223538 E1681885 COG000T SOG4/5 LOG1010nm Flights are good. S/S tube can be 25mm dia. Motored all night just got sail out now. You been busy! Loads of music!
I’ve been asking Phil to take his first anti-malarial tablet but had no response about it… I should have realised it was because he hadn’t found them yet 🙂
Gear yet to be stowed – 2015 trip
By the time he left a week ago the gear for this trip was well and truly stowed, unlike this from a couple of years ago. But there was no less stuff aboard, so you see why the anti-malarials weren’t easy to find.
Looking at the latest update he has 540km or 290 nautical miles to go
When you’re on a boat there are things you need to fix, like you need to change a lightbulb etc at home, but you also figure out small improvements to things you are using all the time. Usually we are sailing around parts of the Northland coastline and the Hauraki Gulf, so it is relatively easy to pick up anything you need. Popping down to the shop isn’t as effective when you’re 500 miles from land, which means I’m now gathering a list of extras to fit into my luggage before Tuesday.
Yes Tuesday! I’ll be flying out around midnight on Tuesday/Wednesday. Wow… that’s soon!!! Anita has booked my tickets and I’m now sorting those little bits and pieces to take up.
Trying to compare mobile plans in Vanuatu: TVL vs Digicel
It’s like Apples vs What-mood-is-your-elephant-dancing to?
Ah… I dunno… pass… I’ll have the sports, no the arts question please!
So does anyone have a good website for comparing mobile phone plans in a specific country? I’d love to hear it if you do.
In other news: Phil is now north east of Norfolk, the weather is cooperating and he’s having a fine time.
I’m imagining that the inside of Waimanu will be looking similar to this picture from Phil’s around the North Island sail, although probably on the other tack
I’m certainly starting to envy the warmth I’m certain he’s experiencing that we aren’t 🙂
By midday today Phil was enjoying some sailing after 21 hours motoring.
Then he added to the picture with letting us know the menu: Beans ‘n onions for lunch. Accompanied by Pink Floyd on the stereo.
Early evening sounds nice: Perfect day here. About 200nm east of Norfolk Island. Just about to click 1st 500nm.
Since there is now a little more wind he’s expecting to use the Code Zero some more tomorrow.
It sounds like the weather is quite pleasant up there… hopefully warmer than here!
Somewhere along the line he concluded that since he’s not home I’m getting some rest…
Yeah right! I might have already put most of my clothes on Waimanu, but there is still someone moving into our bedroom after I leave. This should require emptying the room out first! 🙂
One of today’s activities was buying groceries. Apparently we still need to eat food. Who knew, right?
I have already sent several packets of coloured pencils ahead on Waimanu for sharing with kids in the outer islands, and Phil has sorted a few pairs of reading glasses* for folks who might feel unable to contribute to family productivity as their eyesight changes with age, so I popped in to Warehouse Stationery to look for some pencil sharpeners and pencil cases.
It was a wonderful surprise to find them as clearance items.
Taking what I required to the counter the chap there didn’t just make conversation- he wanted to know what I was going to do with half a dozen of each. He knows my kids are too old to need them.
He seemed delighted when I said where and why I was taking them with me and made me wait for a few minutes while he checked something out the back.
Returning, he gave me a good bundle of school exercise books* to add to our supplies and simply asked for a possible photo of where they went so he can share it with his business associates.
Some simple school supplies
I’ve been really encouraged by such positive responses when people ask where we are going and what we might do there. It’s lovely, and so much more positive than being asked Why?
Anyway, time to sleep, plenty of packing and moving to do tomorrow! 🙂
*Thank you, thank you, thank you to the folks who have contributed in such wonderful ways. You know who you are!
Nice day. Very nice sunset. Had Code Zero up for short time. Going nicely. catch u tomorrow. LOVE YOU
And midday message today:
S294202 E1721316 COG350T SOG5 Sailing after 21 hours motoring. Beans n onions for lunch. Pink Floyd on. LOVE YOU
I’ll put the coordinates on the map when I’m back on the computer- currently posting from my phone. Don’t you love technology when it works well?
There can’t have been much wind if he was motoring yesterday.
I received a message this morning with course instructions for making the most of the next weather phase, and it looks like nice sailing conditions! Yay!
So today’s collection of satellite texts came in to my email account [insert technical mumbo jumbo here about how systems communicate and what the various options are. NOT!]
Here ya go, in all their raw glory: 1st message Today, 11:39 a.m.
all well. S314525 E1725905 Log 330 COG345T SOG5/6
2nd message Today, 11:43 a.m.
ME! Learning. Eating again. Having FUN
3rd message Today, 11:51 a.m.
noon to noon yesterday 144 Today 1380 Some Rain. Sunny now. SSG fantastic. will try text again tomorrow. love to aii
Now I’m going to take a wild guess and say you might be feeling a little confused.
I’ll attempt a translation which I’m hoping is fairly correct (since I can’t actually ask TheMan right now)
1st message, received today at 11:39 a.m.
* Everything is going well. This is where I am [look at the map, I’ll try to attach an updated link] I’ve travelled 330 nautical miles of the trip so far. I’m heading the right way and I am sailing 5-6 knots [between 9 & 11 k/h]
2nd message, received today at 11:43 a.m. is a reply to one I sent asking what was wrong with the phone [because the nice man on the telephone, calling from The-Ship-Not-Windows-Support said there were issues with it, but Phil probably meant something else] So this one seems to mean * There’s nothing wrong with the phone, it was me. I’m learning, I’m eating again, I’m having FUN! [This is good, it’s quite normal to not really want to eat when you first leave, especially if it’s stressful]
3rd message, received today at 11:51 a.m. * Yesterday I sailed 144 nautical miles [267km] and today I’ve done 138nm [255km, I’m guessing that 1380 is a typo and should be 138.] It’s been raining, but it’s sunny now. The thing I built to steer the boat by itself is working really well and I love it. I will have another go at texting tomorrow. Pass my love on to everybody.
Well he’s all packed up, motored out of Sandspit Marina on Friday morning and headed for Marsden Cove where he cleared Customs at 8:45 yesterday morning 🙂
Welcome to The vdMz Sail – hopefully this will be where we update you all with our sailing adventures.
Since sailing away from land means there isn’t a lot of internet available our updates probably won’t be particularly frequent. Please be patient with us.
Yes we’ll post photos and maps when we can. Maybe even videos 🙂
