🇳🇿️ Sailing to the Bay of Islands

Beaufort wind scale 5 to 7 broad reach to beam, a bit inconsistent. Mostly reef one in genoa but sometimes reef two and a half when it is gusting forty. A bit more heeling than is comfy but grand, we make great speeds. The odd wave splashes on our sofa and by the time it is dry it happens again….

Ample time to sail to the single suitable anchorage in Deep Water Cove bay. But wait….thats no good because the boat is driven ashore by the current South Westerly wind. No other choice than to divert. David advised to anchor in Oke bay which is another hour away. It is almost dark when we carefully inch into the big bay. We find a suitable location. Anchoring in 16m meters of water for the night.

Under David’s recommendation again we tucked into a bay we have called Onion Bay in Te Puna Inlet. Stella had a lovely SUP board float (what is it a skim? a ride?) round the bay in the morning, falling off which is always fun.

Later that morning we visit Russel and before the bad weather comes we move to Onera bay on the lee side of Russel for the night.

What an interesting design described here: https://www.pbo.co.uk/boats/sail-boat-rigs-the-pros-and-cons-of-each-popular-design-78288

This boat has been build by local Annie Hill, see her blog here the art of slow cruising