So, what could there possibly be to do when you’ve reached the world’s end? Well for starters we take the morning to sit in the cockpit and marvel at the incredible beauty that God has created here. After we paid homage to God for allowing us to spend time in this extraordinary place, we decided to do a little hiking.
Lutz & Gabi know that I’m not quite capable of making the high mountain climbs that are so easy for them. That in mind, they did those hikes before we arrived and saved the more moderate one to enjoy with us. So, on our first full day here they picked us up in their dinghy and we headed across the bay to the Nydia Track trailhead.
The tide was up when we arrived so there really wasn’t much of a beach on which to land the dingy. That’s okay, Lutz carried the anchor out in to the water a few feet from shore and we tied the bow to a tree. Typically we prefer to beach our dinghies high on shore to be certain they are there upon our return but this will have to work for today.
We come back to find the dinghy on top of the long grass as the tide has gone out.
Dinghy secured we climbed up the hillside to the track sitting just 10 meters or so above the shoreline. This beautiful track skirted the mountainside and surrounding bays and never reached more than 50 meters above the shore.
It’s a good track for me with my asthma. In some places the track gets a bit narrow which can be a little concerning as you look down the side thinking about what would happen if a slip occurred. In others there are lots of roots covering it but it’s a gorgeous, sunny day, we’ve got our wonderful friends for company and we’re just enjoying the fresh air and the walk. When you live on a boat it’s always good to get out and stretch your legs a little.
The path leads us around the mountain from our anchorage on Ngawhakawhiti Bay past Te Mako Bay and ends at Duncan Bay. In this bay there are a dozen or so boats on moorings and anchor. There’s a boat ramp and even a long dock that extends into the bay. We stop to do a little exploring around the waters edge. Just past the toilets we find a picnic area in a small grassy meadow filled with tiny, delicate, yellow wildflowers standing six to ten inches above the bright green grass. It reminds me of a scene from Little House On The Prairie.
After a brief rest we make our way back to the dinghy. All in all the trip takes us 5.46 km (3.39 miles) and about three hours to complete. We could have done it much quicker but why???
Some of the sites along the way.
The Wet Ride At World’s End
Back at the dinghy we note that the wind has begun to pick up bringing with it some choppy water in the once flat cove. We’ve donned our hideous orange lifevests that we’ve recently learned are required to be worn when in a dinghy here in New Zealand. We all bring these rather than our nice passage making vests because, well, who would steal them???
Lutz tries to hug the shoreline as long as possible before he has to cut across the opening. We zigzag trying to keep from getting too wet but it’s no use. Wave after wave comes crashing over the front of the dinghy drenching all four of us. Ordinarily that wouldn’t be such a bad thing but the high winds have brought quite a chill with them. The cold wind whips the stinging water into the air and onto our bodies. It feels a bit like needles being tossed at us. Once we are completely soaked we are frozen to the bone.
Fortunately it’s a short ride so we don’t have to endure for too awfully long. That said, the worst is yet to come as we will need showers now and the sun has already dropped behind the mountain. Showers on deck will not be pleasant but are definitely necessary.
We both clean up and get into warm clothes as quickly as possible then close up Dazzler to preserve any tiny bit of heat. Tonight it’s hot soup and a movie. Heating the soup on the stove helps to warm the cabin and after dinner we bundle up in blankets to watch our evening movie.
Game Day
The following day we spend the morning doing our normal putzing around on board. Around 1400 Lutz & Gabi arrive for an afternoon of gaming on Dazzler. We all love to play dominoes. On Dazzler we have a custom set complete with our Dazzler logo on each domino as well as the custom cherrywood box. It was the first gift I ever gave to Dan for Christmas. We played a lot of Mexican train when I would visit before moving on board.
Since the weathermen said it was going to rain that day we planned to stay in and have a little competitive fun. As it turns out the weathermen were wrong but we still enjoyed an afternoon of dominoes, cold beer and later a BBQ of filet and potatoes. The past two days have been simply spectacular and filled with merriment. It seems that even at the world’s end there is always something to keep us entertained.
Tomorrow we will move to yet another anchorage here in Marlborough Sound. Lutz & Dan will get together in the morning to determine where it will be but one thing is for certain, it’s sure to be a place of awe inspiring, indescribable splendor.
Until next time,
Jilly
This is the portion of the Nydia Track that we walked here at World’s End.
After a restful retreat at Squally Cove Dan woke me rather early. We have a long 50+ NM to go to reach our friends who are at a place called “World’s End”. Yes, that’s really the name and as you’ll find out. It’s perfectly well named.
We depart Squally Cove at Oyster Bay and the sea is quite benign. There’s not much swell and the sun is beginning to peak her head out above the mountains as we depart. I’m sort of sad as I really like the remoteness of this little bay but I’m also very excited to see Lutz and Gabi, our German friends on SV SuAn. We haven’t seen them since November and we do miss them so.
The Tasman Bay seems to be a bit more tame this morning which makes our trip a darn sight better than yesterday. Thank you Lord!!!!
Traversing French Pass
The big ticket item today is making it through French Pass. I’m already a bit on edge as I’ve seen the overhead photos of this place and it can be rather daunting. In fact, more than one or two boats have made this their final resting place. As you can imagine….my butt pucker factor today is at level RED!
Of course Dan has done all of the necessary research and he’s quite confident that we will make it through with little to no issue. I do enjoy knowing I have a love and captain who takes so much time and effort to be sure we are going to be absolutely safe. Thanks dear!
Dan has checked the NZ government website that says slack tide for this pass is 1236 today. But, he also has checked our B&G plotter which runs off of the satellites and they are telling him that slack tide is at 1100. This is a HUGE difference!
Why does it matter? Well, this is a relatively narrow pass with tons of current on either side. There will be upwellings and whirlpools (eddies) and once we start through we will not be able to turn around. If the current is coming too strong against us we could get turned and be tossed onto the rocks on either side. If it’s too strong going with us…we could surf too quickly and not be able to control the direction of the boat and still get tossed onto the rocks on either side.
Needless to say….we have to time this just right!
Dan decides he’s going to take the information from the instruments as that should be the most current. So, we don our headsets and I head to the bow to be his eyes on the front of Dazzler. As is required, he calls in a sécurité on the radio to let other ships know we are entering the pass. A sécurité is a notification that something safety related is happening on the sea. In this case, because the pass has a blind corner and is so narrow, you are required to let others know you are coming through. You definitely don’t want two boats meeting in the narrow and unstable channel.
No one responds to his message so we believe we are clear to move ahead.
The flat spots are upwellings which are quite dangerous. Sometimes it’s the benign looking sea that can do the most damage.
As we approach the pass it’s really quite spectacular yet also somewhat frightening, at least for me. There are flat spots on the water all around us. That’s not a good sign. These are upwellings which are noted by the swirling at their edges. Upwellings create a swirling effect under the surface that could literally turn the boat in whichever direction they move. They can be strong and swift and make it difficult to steer.
In other spots the water appears to be boiling where strong currents and undercurrents meet. In still other areas there are literally small whitecaps going in all directions. The danger here is everywhere and it takes a skilled captain to negotiate it safely.
As we start into the pass I’ve clipped my life vest into the snubber lines on deck so as not to get tossed off the deck if it gets too rough. Finally I hear Dan say “it’s time”. He’s ready and confident and I feel him put Dazzler into gear.
We begin to move forward and every so often Dazzler shifts to the port or starboard with a bit of thrust. It’s not Dan doing this…..it’s the current. Being on the bow it’s a bit disconcerting as one minute we’re heading into the middle of the pass and the next the bowsprit is pointed right toward the rocks.
We don’t talk much as we move through the pass. Dan needs his concentration and I need to keep from panicking. At one point we are just between the cans on either side of the most narrow part. I hear him in the headset breathing heavy and I know….this is the critical moment. We start turning a bit more port than either of us would like and I start holding my breath. I hear him talking to Dazzler. He’s strongly encouraging her to turn starboard. Yes, this is crunch time. There’s nothing either of us needs to say.
Just one of the whirlpools we encountered on our trip through French Pass.
We just pass the cans and I’m thinking it’s all good. That’s when Dan tells me we have 5 knots of current right on the nose. Just so you understand….we normally average 5-6 knots….maybe 7 or 8 on a great downwind sail with our spinnaker flying… 5 knots on the nose is not a good thing!
Dan has the Yanmar at full throttle and is doing everything he can to keep us moving forward. Even at full throttle we’re only making 2 knots of forward speed. If the current gets any stronger we could actually end up getting pushed backwards. Nobody wants that. The last thing we want is to be pushed backward into the turbulent currents. It would surely result in us hitting the rocks. He’s still breathing heavy and I’m still holding my breath. At one point Dan looks over his shoulder and sees a wave about to break over the stern. Fortunately it fell short and even more fortunately, I missed that little visual.
It takes another ten to fifteen minutes for us to get past the tidal waters and into a safe area. I swear we both aged a year in the past half an hour.
The Reward Is Grand
Of course, as with all things sailing, we are rewarded for our trials. Just as we reach the safety zone we look around and it is the most spectacular scenery we’ve ever experienced on Dazzler. Deep green forests rise from the sea high upon the mountains. Some are spotted with arid, brown spots. Everywhere you look there’s another mountain painted in a glorious green, gold and brown pallete. The air is filled with the pungent scent of the forest and the sea is a clear bluish green color. The warm sun is shining brightly and there are just a few clouds giving texture to the sky.
We both take a few deep breaths and stop to enjoy the splendor surrounding us. As Dan says, “We cheated death again.” And what a way to do it.
Yes, the reward is truly grand.
Once we’ve relaxed from our trip through French Pass I’m on the bow and see two penguins dancing along on the top of the water. Dan steers the boat towards them and one dives and comes up along side Dazzler for just a moment. I’m beyond thrilled. God I love the wildlife!
Our next interesting moment came when we rounded Harding Point headed into the Te Kakaho Channel. From my place on the bow it looked as if there was a coral reef ahead. There wasn’t one. It was one of those areas here in the sounds where the currents meet and there are lots of upwellings and swift tidal currents. We’re quickly learning that sailing in the sounds (or motoring) is not for the faint at heart. You have to know how to handle some pretty interesting and challenging seas and currents….even more so than we’ve ever dealt with in the past.
On the way to the anchorage we passed a seal that was eating a fish and slamming it from side to side on the water. It was just twenty meters or so from the boat. I get so tickled by the wildlife that I was dancing and singing on deck long after we passed him. Sometimes I think Dan must think I’m nuts….oh wait….I am nuts! LOL
As you can hear I get just a little bit excited when the sea life comes around.
Out here it’s so remote and so beautiful that it can almost be overwhelming. I feel a sense of smallness when I look at our surroundings and the indescribable beauty here. I’m not sure how to explain it except to say when you see places like this that are so rarely experienced by others…places that are so remote and splendid they literally take your breath away; you realize that you, your worries, your life etc…are completely inconsequential in the whole of the universe.
These mountains and waters have been here for centuries and will be here long after we’re gone. They are the true survivors while we are merely brief moments in time. It’s truly humbling.
Where The World Ends
And, just when our journey was nearing its end…the World’s End…we saw the most amazing and wonderful sight of all. As we were arriving at the entrance to the anchorage, our dearest friends, Lutz and Gabi, came zooming out in their dinghy to greet us. I can’t even explain what a wonderful and cherished sight it was to see them coming with arms raised, waving and welcoming us. They are not just friends….they are dear family. In a world where we cannot travel home to see our blood family, this was an emotional and wonderful reunion.
The most wonderful greeting of all….our dear friends, Lutz & Gabi come out to lead us into the anchorage!
As I stood on the bowsprit waving at them I felt tears trickling down my cheeks and I could not speak as I choked up with emotion. I literally could not wait to wrap my arounds around them. After all…we’ve come all the way from Mexico together. We’ve spent time together in French Polynesia, Niue, Tonga, Fiji and New Zealand. How many friends do you have that you have literally traveled the world with???
SV SuAn glowing under a starlit sky!
Our reunion was as special as we knew it would be. We had a few anchor down beers on Dazzler then later we had a wonderful BBQ on SuAn where we caught up on sailing adventures and laughed until we had tears in our eyes. Alas….we are home again with family in a place so remote and beautiful that it literally defies description. We’re here at Ngawhakawhiti Bay at World’s End and it’s PERFECT!
Until next time,
Jilly & Dan
Below is the route we took to get there. Ironically enough we were, as the crow flies, just four miles from our beginning point when we arrived at World’s End but it took a 50 NM trip to get there.
Dazzler's Watch 