Boys Trip #1

Boys weekend

Work took its toll for the next couple of months, so it was July before Jim managed back for a boys' sail, planning to head up to explore Tutukaka.

Borrowing a car from a kind Kiwi CX mate for the drive up to Whangarei was a very pleasant bonus. JC, Chris & Rhys were there in advance. And impatient. Rather than wait an hour, having lost one of the boat keys, they broke in! Must have been thirsty.

At least they'd already done the shopping (and some), so by the time Jim arrived all he had to do was open the bar. And mend the lock. And buy a new padlock...

Gettin' fuzzy again...

Next day, Sunday, was a slow but early start, with the boys setting off down the river on the flood, hoping the weather would allow passage round Bream Head then up the coast to Tutukaka. It didn't.

Even motor sailing against the short seas inside Bream Head proved difficult, and didn't bode well for conditions outside. So discretion being the better part, and all that, the boys threw a quick 180 and headed back to Marsden Cove marina.

Securely berthed alongside an hour later, the heavens opened, followed by a full gale, nicely reinforcing the prudence of the earlier decision. Bar open!

Wrestling with the controls...

Now out of time to reach Tutukaka, Monday allowed time instead for a spot of driving practice around the marina, then a sail up the river. On the edge of a broach much of the time admittedly, 'Wrecking John' (his new moniker) and Rhys may well have been fighting with each other on the two wheels (the picture speaks volumes), when the steering chain snapped again. Just as well we had a spare from Norfolk Island.

10 mins later we were on our way again, and sailed all the way up to the new and very impressive, $28 million Hatea River lifting bridge. Except it wasn't. Lifting that is. Not for 2 hours, while some 'post-release servicing' was carried out. Apparently the bridge expands 20 mm more than predicted (at 26 deg C) and sticks!

Hatea River Bridge opening

So we waited patiently alongside the holding berth, stowed the sails, did some 'post-release servicing' ourselves on the steering, then... opened the bar again! This was a boys weekend, after all.

Things were getting tight on the falling tide by the time we were finally allowed through, with only a foot under the keel in places as we dashed the last mile up to our berth in the town basin. Drawing a couple of dirty looks, it has to be said, as we hammered past other moored boats at 5 kts, but we didn't fancy the alternative...

Tuesday, the lads very kindly helped out with a toe-rail (starboard aft) removal, as we'd discovered a leak into the starboard cabin. Many hands really do make light work, so the rail was off, the deck/hull joint sealed & tightened, and toe-rail back on again in no time at all. It helped that we were alongside to carry out the job too - less swimming involved.

The boys then departed for the drive to Auckland, leaving Jim with a month's worth of fresh rations to deal with. He immediately began with a juicy steak and a cheeky little Otago pinot noir...