Homeward Bound

Apologies for twee Simon and Garfunkel reference but it’s the best I can do at such short notice!

We’re leaving for NZ. Tomorrow. Not next week, not in a few days, but to-bloody-morrow. We’ve got a weather window that we really can’t ignore (a great big high pressure system) followed by a rubbish weather for the next few weeks. I wouldn’t really object to being stuck here for a few more weeks, but we can’t really predict what will come after that. Also, the rest of the fleet is leaving, and it makes me feel a teensy bit better knowing there are others out there with us!

I’m afraid this is going to be a short blog because I am snatching a few minutes to write in between cooking meals we can freeze and reheat on passage (I’m so not into cooking at sea!) sorting out everything on the boat to keep customs happy and generally stowing everything away. I guess it’s a good thing in a way because I don’t really have the time to get stressed out about it. When we left NZ we were held up for a week and that gave me plenty of time to scare myself witless. This time we just have to get on with it. I also know what to expect now and am feeling heaps more confident.

All going well the trip home should take about seven days. The first couple of days will be rubbish with the wind on the nose but after that the wind should swing to a decent direction for us to sail in. We are picking up our extra crew member Mike tomorrow and we are really looking forward to having another set of hands on deck. I feel really bad for him though because we all thought we would have more time in New Caledonia. Now we are meeting him at the airport, hauling him off to immigration and packing him off to sea for the next week. Bloody weather!

We will be spending a good chunk of time sailing around the Bay of Islands though so at least he’ll get to see some pretty places there!

We are thinking of you all and will be in touch when we are back in the land of the long white cloud,

Love Anna and Paddy xx