Tag: Terikah

  • “I’m going on an adventure!”

    We head out on a 2-month New Zealand road trip, a combination of tent camping, caravan-towing, and Air BnBs. The car packed to the brim, we left only one hour after planned…on our 5-hour drive to Hobbiton in Matamata. Hobbit: “Bilbo, where you off to?” Bilbo Baggins: “I’m already late.” Hobbit: “Late for what?” Bilbo…

  • Boatwork in Exotic Locations

    One oft repeated phrases is “cruising is boat work in exotic locations.”  Cruising also involves play and exploration in exotic locations, but there is a constant background of boat maintenance with intermittent large projects.  I am taking a break from our regularly scheduled program of boat fun to bring you…boat work! We pulled into Opua…

  • Northland New Zealand: New Year 2025

    Matai Bay on the Kerikeri Peninsula, the furthest north we would venture in the Northland, turned out to be the perfect location for a New Year’s gathering for 8 kid boats, as well as a secure sandy anchorage for winds that hit 42 knots. Calder was stoked to wing foil daily. The beach was perfect…

  • Our First Weeks in Aotearoa

    The morning after our November 12, 2024 arrival, we were greeted with a Welcome Bag of goodies including honey, cards, coupons for free drinks and bread, and rum?!  Customs could not have been friendlier, funnier, or easier; as one agent on board disclosed his fishing hot spots and tips with Calder.  Biosecurity agents reviewed the…

  • ARRIVAL to New Zealand

    Passage: Tonga to New Zealand Day 7/8 – ARRIVAL! This morning, squalls moving in bringing 360 degree shifts in light winds.  Southern swell from a system off Australia is mixing with the dominant SE swell, creating interesting waves.  This morning, over coffee, Chris and I talked about what this passage from Tonga to NZ has…

  • Passage Tonga to NZ Day 3

    Good morning, just 10 miles from Minerva Reef and a decision day for us.  Winds and seas decreased and the sailing is slow today, but not wanting to motor and waste our diesel this early in the passage.  We ended up stopping at North Minerva Reef for a 4 hour rest.  Mind bending to see…

  • Day 2: Passage Tonga to NZ

    Good morning from Terikah!  Still riding the mechanical bull today, but we are hauling.  Big decision for the next 24 hours for us is whether we take a 1-2 day rest at Minerva Reef or keep on going to take advantage of the full weather window to New Zealand.  We make these decisions by analyzing…

  • Ocean Passage to… Niue!

    Day 5:  Decided to go wing-on-wing (butterfly sailing) through the night with some modifications, overall uneventful watch.  Morning started out great, as sleepy-eyed, not yet fully awake Calder joined us in the cockpit and immediately heard the whir of his fishing rod.  Something hit and hit hard, almost spooled him, arms shaking as he brought…

  • Passage Making:Maupihaa to ?

    Day 1:  Due to our last-minute decision of leaving today (rather than tomorrow), there was suddenly much to get accomplished.  Calder and Chris scrubbed the hull, attached our Code Zero sail, and secured the dinghy.  Cora and I prepped passage food, prepared schoolwork that could be done underway, and cleaned the boat.  For this passage,…

  • Maupihaa: Adventures in Atoll Living

    How did we end up on a 100nm overnight voyage from Maupiti to Maupihaa with a local grandmother and a pile of supplies and food for the locals?  While we were in Maupiti, another cruising boat reached out to us from Maupihaa, providing us contacts to organize the passage of a woman named Norma back…