|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christmas 2005 |
|
Cruisers shared Christmas dinner at Riverside Drive Marina, Whangarei |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christmas dinner 2005 |
|
Eric of "Naia" and Robert enjoying the festivities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christmas 2005 |
|
Tammy of "Naia" and Marie of "Yosoy" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christmas Pie |
|
Robert enjoying his favorite dessert - pumpkin pie |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christmas 2005 |
|
Our friend Steve from Australia (catamaran Neriki) with Robin, another fellow cruiser |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christmas 2005 |
|
Off to a Christmas party in town |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Hostess |
|
Tania of "Sirona" and her husband Pete, had a cruisers Christmas party at their house in Whangarei |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christmas 2005 at Pete and Tania's |
|
Everyone enjoying the party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christmas 2005 |
|
Iretta and Steve of "Rigo", who now live in Fiji |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Boat Projects |
|
Taping the patterns for the new nonskid paint |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New boom |
|
Our new custom boom, 3 feet shorter than the old one, with internal reefing lines |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New boom and dodger |
|
Our new companionway dodger and boom with Doyle Stackpack |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compass |
|
Our new compass, courtesy of our friends Peter and David of Yacht Domain in Australia, who Robert worked with while we were in NZ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Haul out |
|
Iron Mistress being hauled for a much needed bottom job |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Other Side of Cruising |
|
Robert sanding the previous layers of paint |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rudder |
|
The rudder ready to be sprayed |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Bottom |
|
Primer being sprayed |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Almost Finished |
|
The bottom paint being sprayed on |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tane Mahuta |
|
The oldest and largest living Kauri tree, North Island |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Visiting Friends |
|
Paul (L) and Rasta Bob (R) visiting from the US |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Visiting Friends |
|
Nancy and Doug from "Spiritus" visiting NZ. We first met them at Patten's Boat Yard in Eliot, Maine in 2003 before we left on this trip... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Springtime in Auckland |
|
New Spring lambs at Cornwall Park, Auckland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christmas 2006 |
|
Christmas dinner with Barb and Tom on GOSI out at the Great Barrier Island |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great Barrier Island Hike |
|
Hiking the Kaiaraara Track to a preserved Kauri dam on the Great Barrier Island |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Zealand Friends |
|
Suzi and Brett |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great Barrier Island |
|
Celebrating Valentine's Day 2007 in Whangaparapara Bay |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Land tour of Great Barrier Island |
|
We rented a car with Ian and Lauren of "Mystic Blue" and toured the island, which included beautiful farmlands |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Picnic Site on Great Barrier Island |
|
Taking a break, with Ian and Lauren of "Mystic Blue" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GBI anchorage |
|
A bird's eye view of one of the many secluded anchorages in Great Barrier Island |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Muscle Harvesting |
|
Harvesting time for the New Zealand Green Tipped Muscles |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kawau Island |
|
Another beautiful spot in the Hauraki Gulf -- Smelting House Bay on Kawau Island |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great Fishing |
|
One of the many snapper we caught bait fishing near the muscle farms |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kingfish |
|
Trolling between the islands provided dinner for a few days |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Queen Mary 2 |
|
The largest visitor to Auckland, the Queen Mary 2, came into port in February 2007 on her maiden world cruise |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kicking Back |
|
After the Auckland Boat Show, we gathered for a cold one at the Loaded Hog bar at Auckland's Viaduct Basin. L-R: the owner of the Nordhavn that was in the show; Wayne, Julia, David and Josh of Yacht Domain yacht brokerage from Australia, and Elyse |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Auckland Skyline |
|
Our view of Auckland and the famous Sky Tower from the Bayswater Marina, our home for a year |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Auckland Domain |
|
A beautiful park in the heart of the city |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Auckland Museum |
|
The museum in the Domain |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Game of Cricket |
|
A favorite pasttime for the Kiwi's |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Auckland's Famous Fish Market |
|
Every fresh fish imaginable is available at the market |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Auckland Fish Market |
|
The friendly staff of the Auckland Fish Market |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Auckland City Hospital |
|
In the heart of downtown Auckland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Auckland City Hospital CCU |
|
Some of the CCU gang, celebrating Helen's retirement. L-R: Elyse, Shaheeda, Linda, Helen, Alphonsa, Suzi and Roma |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CCU Bon Voyage Party |
|
A Kiwi sendoff -- the CCU staff gathered at Monsoon Poon restaurant in Auckland for a bon voyage dinner |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bon Voyage |
|
Sailing out of Waitemata Harbor, leaving Auckland in the distance on our way north |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tutukaka Harbor |
|
Anchored late afternoon in Pacific Bay, Tutukaka Harbor on our way north, April 2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bay of Islands |
|
Sailing by the famous "Hole in the Rock" on our way north |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gwendolyn at anchor, Bay of Islands |
|
We got together with our friends Craig and Magda on Gwendolyn in Urupukapuka Bay before they headed out to Tonga |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
