Log Date: November 2, 2005

Location: Bound for New Zealand

25-Oct   Our crew, Dennis, arrived on time and we've fixed everything that needed to be fixed. Loaded up on fuel, food and water. By the time you get this we will be underway for New Zealand.  Looks like an excellent weather window for a number of days. Several weather guys, including NZ Meteorological Service feel we may have 7-10 days of excellent weather. So off we go.  Looks like a motor sail for about 24hrs. Then we should get some light winds to use the Code 0 sail for a few days after that.  Dennis used to be a sail maker so he has promised that we will love this sail by the end of the trip.  Hope he makes some suggestions on how to make it more manageable for the two of us.

29-Oct  We've been sailing for the past 2 1/2 days with 25 knots of wind and 6 to 10 foot seas. Double reef in the mainsail, and the staysail are set. We are very comfortably moving at 6 to 6.5 knots.  Boat is performing like a champ!  

02-Nov  We approached Opua at daybreak today and were on the Q dock by 8AM and cleared by 10.  Very efficient. Especially considering there were close to 20 boats waiting to clear at 8AM.  We are no longer in Tonga, or Kansas for that matter.  Bay of Islands is beautiful and we can't wait to begin land and water exploring.  We will spend 3-4 well deserved nights at the dock before either picking up a mooring, or heading off to a nearby anchorage. 

We used every sail we had on board with the exception of the storm sail, and sailed on every point of sail including down wind with the pole.  Of course the dreaded Southwesterly appeared last night at about 8pm. Eventually blowing consistently 20-25 knots until easing to 15 and less by 2AM.  We even motored the last 16 hour because of light winds, but otherwise sailed most of the time. 

Hope all is well with everyone, either on passage or waiting for the "window".

Enjoying Life Onboard.

Susan and Laura with Dennis the Crew

SV Mystic Traveler