As we prepared to depart Russell this morning I was pleased to see the water was fairly calm and there was a nice breeze. In the distance the sun was rising and it appeared to be the perfect day to start our passage. We had decided that we’d just go north around 55 NM to Doubtless Bay where we’d spend one night before making the long passage up and over Cape Reinga and down to Marlborough Sound.

The main reason for this is because I am determined to see the meeting of the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea. If the weather is favorable we should be able to see the line where they meet. For me, it’s something more than just the visual though.

After traveling to and from New Zealand and the islands three times now I have a vast respect for what happens when oceans and seas collide. That trip puts you in vicinity of a place called John’s Corner which is where the Coral Sea, Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet.

When seas and oceans collide a lot of crazy, not fun crazy, things can occur. Weather systems, currents, swells, and winds become jumbled up and can create quite the havoc. Having experienced this havoc first hand I would like to see the actual convergence of at least part of it. So, for me…actually seeing this line is sort like a victory moment. You l know, saying “I’ve crossed you and so far I’ve beaten you.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not getting cocky. Not at all! I know all too well how quickly Mother Nature and Poseidon can turn on you. In a millisecond they can show you just how powerless you are against their will. So, no, I’m not being cocky…just looking for a little confidence booster. And besides…who wouldn’t want to see the line in the ocean?

Anyway, we left Russell and as soon as we turned into the channel to head from the bay to the ocean we started getting hit with wind and swell directly on the nose. It wasn’t a nice rolling swell either. Nope this was the kind of choppy, chunky stuff that makes Dazzler bounce up and slam down on the water. With each hit you feel Dazzler’s bones shudder. The sound below is loud and filled with creaking and groaning as if Dazzler is telling you to make it stop. It’s definitely not one of the things I particularly enjoy about this life. In fact, I could go forever without it. But, it’s a part of the deal so I endure.

How Can I Be Seasick?

Today, however, it seems my body has decided that this bouncing and rolling is a bit more than it can handle. For the first time in my entire life, tens of thousands of miles on the water in all sorts of seas, I feel myself getting seasick. It literally came on in an instant. One moment I’m on the computer feeling perfectly fine. The next I want to die!

I crawled up the companionway stairs and Dan took one look at me and instantly knew something wasn’t right. I told him I was nauseous and thought I was going to lose my cookies. He sent me back below and told me to eat some candied ginger. It’s supposed to help with seasickness. We keep it on board just because we like it.

It was everything I could do to choke it down. I followed it with a few sips of warm cola. That usually helps my tummy. HA! Not today Batman! Within minutes I found myself scrambling up the stairs and to the side. Chum anyone???

Fortunately that part didn’t last too long. I helped Dan to get up the sails then went below to lay down. I fell asleep and a couple of hours later I woke up just fine. Not sure why it happened but I’m glad it was short lived. Being on a boat bouncing around in rough seas is no place to be when you’re nauseous.

I always used to snicker at those who got seasick. Thought they just weren’t tough enough or didn’t have a strong gut. You know…Lilly livered landlubbers. Well, for all he times I ever thought that…I’m sorry! I guess it can even happen to us tough old sailor rats.

By the time I woke up we had rounded the Cavalli Islands and the seas were coming more from behind. The ride was smoother. The sun was out and we were sailing along nicely at 6 knots or so. I still spent the better part of the afternoon below. I wasn’t taking any chances.

Doubtless Bay

Before I knew it were we’re rounding Puketakahia Point (I just love saying that) at the south end of Doubtless Bay. It was another 4-5 NM in to Hihi beach where we dropped the hook for the night. The anchorage was simply lovely and calm too. There was a single catamaran there and that was it. It was serene and beautiful!

As we’re sitting in the cockpit enjoying the early evening we see the sailboats coming out of Mangonui Harbour just to our west. It’s Wednesday so we decide it must be the start of the usual Wednesday evening beer can sailboat races. Wednesday seems to be the day of choice for yacht and sailing clubs to hold these races. It wasn’t long before we realized that what we thought was a mooring buoy to our starboard side was really one of their marks. Turns out we inadvertently ended up with ringside seats for the race.

All in there were about 16-18 boats racing. Four were in the spinnaker class and the rest in the non spinnaker class. Having spent a couple of years racing with my good friend Tom a Grubb on his J24, Silver Streak, I was truly enjoying watching this up close. And, I probably shouldn’t admit this but I was quietly heckling the spinnaker group as they struggled to get their spinnakers flying after rounding the mark. We may not have won many races but we did have this down. LOL

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We did so enjoy our evening entertainment. As the boats were leaving our area Dan fired up the grill and fixed us a lovely dinner of chicken and corn on the cob. Afterward we watched one of the most glorious sunsets ever! What a perfect way to end a day that started out a little rough.

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Here’s hoping tomorrow will see me back in true sailor form. If not the Captain may decide to use me for shark bait, I don’t think he will be able to handle five days of me being that way. But then I couldn’t handle it either.

Until next time,

Jilly

Let me see if I can get this right here….

We were fishing about a mile from shore around Motuterahiki Island. It’s a small island that consists of nothing but jagged rock that rises a hundred or so feet above the surface of the ocean. We hear that familiar singing of the reel telling us that a fish has snatched onto the blue and silver Rapala lure we’ve been trolling behind our inflatable dinghy. 

Dan is reeling in our catch while mountainous waves crash onto the rocks sending white foam fifty feet into the air just a few meters from Sparkle.  Suddenly our dinghy motor stops. I turn to look over my shoulder and see nothing but rocks and sea foam racing closer as the huge waves push us toward this deadly island that sports nothing but sharp edges and signs of impending doom.

I scream out to Dan, “We’re getting too close to the rocks.” He frantically hands me the fishing pole and I begin reeling in the fish while he tries to start Sparkle’s motor. My stomach is churning as I think of the sharks that will soon be circling as the dinghy sinks. The jagged rocks will shred my limbs as I climb this mountain of death and the oozing blood will invite these savage beasts to their next feast..…ME!  I’ve made it over 15,000 NM across the sea and here I’m going to die just one mile from shore. This can’t be happening! Oh the horror of it all! Goodbye cruel world!

Just when I start to see my life pass before my eyes a miracle occurs. It is as if God himself has reached down from the heavens and gently pushed us around the island and away from the rocks. Before I know what’s happening God tosses that fish into our dinghy and we are saved from doom. THANK YOU LORD!

Okay, okay….it really wasn’t all that bad but, in my defense, it is a bit nerve-racking when you are in an inflatable dinghy that is being pushed with a significant amount of force toward sharp rocks knowing that the motor isn’t working and you are now at the mercy of the sea. It’s even more unsettling when a wave swamps the back end of said inflatable dinghy and water is now up to our ankles in our new swimming pool where buckets and other items are floating all around.

I did, in fact, complain that my arms were getting tired because, well, they were. I’m not used to bringing in the big fish. I’m the photographer and videographer. The most I lift is a camera phone that weighs just a few ounces. And yes, I admit that once that fish was in the dinghy I called it an asshole. I’m making no apologies there. At the time my adrenaline was racing and I couldn’t think of a nicer word for a fish that brought so much chaos and fear into my life.

All that said it was an amazing experience catching our first Kingfish and what made it even more amazing is the fact that it was a true team effort. It took every bit of both of us to land him and I’m glad I got to be a part of it.  And, that I was still able to get some video of it too! Click Here!

Off To Marsden Cross

But this is just part of our day. The earlier part of the day, while not quite as adrenaline pumping, was brilliant as well. It was sunny with a great breeze and so we headed off to shore. You see we are anchored in Rangihoua Bay which is the location of Marsden Cross. What’s the significance you ask? Well, this is the official birthplace of New Zealand. 

The actual cross located on the shore is said to be the place where Samuel Marsden, a missionary, held the first Christian church service on Christmas Day 1814. With the blessings of  Chief Ruatara of the Ngāpuhi Māori tribe Marsden also established the first Pākehā (European) settlement. 

Pākehā

An interesting note here is that while many today use the word Pākehā as a derogatory term against the Europeans or others who are not of Māori descent, we’ve learned that the word actually has a very beautiful meaning.

Pākehā references three words:

Pā – means to come in to contact, to make contact.

Ke – is related to the word ‘rerekē’ which means different, or unique.

Hā – is to share and exchange the breath. 

The whole reason Māori do a hongi – (the traditional greeting where they touch noses and foreheads) is to share and acknowledge the breath, the hā, that connects us all.

So putting those three words together we have:

“To come into contact with a unique essence of the hā”. This certainly is a much more beautiful interpretation of the word than what we’ve come to know. I think we’ll stick with this moving forward.

Back to Marsden Cross

Enough language lessons for today. Let’s get back to our visit to the beach and Marsden Cross. We landed Sparkle on the shore and headed up to view the giant stone cross. There were two Kiwi folks standing there taking pictures so Dan asked if they wanted one together. They in turn took one of us and with all of this we ended up having a wonderful chat. We talked for about twenty minutes about everything from the history of the ground we were standing on to our sailing from Mexico. They turned out to be very kind folks and certainly embodied the “Kiwi way”. Of course that’s not unusual. We find that just about every Kiwi we’ve come into contact with is delightful and kind and completely welcoming.

After our chat we decided we’d walk up the trail to see what else we could find here. It turns out this is part of the Rangihoua Heritage Park. Along the trail there are signs that provide information about the the pā (settlement), the people and the history of the area. It is really quite fascinating and the scenery is truly out of this world! 

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We couldn’t have picked a better day to visit here with bright sun, clear blue skies and cool breezes. Grape Ape had the time of his life running through the hills, climbing trees and just doing the all the things purple apes love to do.

My asthma often prevents me from taking really strenuous hikes so I was a bit concerned when Dan said we were going to hike to the top of the mountain. As it turns out it is a pretty easy hike with fairly gentle switchbacks. There’s one short section near the top that is tad steeper than the rest but I just took my time and eventually I was at the peak. My reward? One of the most stunning views I’ve seen in all of New Zealand. We could literally see for miles and the ocean below was so clear and filled with so many different hues of blue and green. I could have stood on that mountain top for hours!

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The bonus of all of it, aside from the magnificent views, is that we did the hard work on the first part of the hike. It was all downhill getting back to the beach and the boat!!! That’s my kind of hiking. 

Back on Dazzler I had an icy cold beer and a nice rest in the cockpit to celebrate my accomplishment. Of course after that Dan decided we were going fishing and, well, you know what happened there.

This day was filled with a beautiful hike, a chance meeting with some terrific Kiwis and a near death (or maybe not so near death) experience. No matter how you look at it, this was a day filled with all the things that make a true adventure.

Until next time,

Jilly & Dan

P.S. If you want the less dramatic version of the fishing story you might want to read Captain Dan’s version. Sometimes he tends to be a little more level headed than me. CLICK HERE!