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Firefly - Cyclone Pam heading to NZ



Its Friday the 13th of March and we are heading to Marsden Cove Marina near Whangerei to seek shelter from some bad weather that is forecast to arrive later on this weekend. It will be the remnants of Cyclone Pam that originated in the Solomons and is currently passing close to Vanuatu. Its likely to be upgraded to a Cat 5, the highest and most destructive level and depending on its path, will reek absolute havoc in the Southern Vanuatu Islands. The Cyclone is then predicted to pass to the east of NZ on Sunday and Monday, and although Pam will be down graded by then, as it will lose energy passing over colder water it could still potentially cause some serious gales.

We are sailing from Great Barrier Island having spent 3 days there in 3 different anchorages. It was Firefly's 2nd visit to the relatively remote Island about 30 miles east of the North Island. March is equivalent to the September in the Northern Hemisphere and despite having good weather most of the time, we are noticing autumn approaching with the nights drawing in. As its later in the season its much quieter although there are still a number of yachts and motor cruisers, the latter full of fanatical NZ fishermen.

Australasian Gannets have been providing the wildlife spectacle with an almost constant display of spectacular diving. In the anchorages there have been up to a dozen in the air flying above Firefly with dives being made as frequently as every 30 seconds. The sound of their wings flapping could be heard in the calm conditions as they were passing close overhead, 'craning' their necks so that they could scan the water for fish. As the birds dive they lock there wings into an arrowhead shape and at the speed they are traveling there is a 'whooshing' sound followed by a big splash as they hit the water. A few seconds later out pops the Gannet, invariably swallowing its prey before taking off to do it all again.

Susie was inspired by the birds to do some fishing and salami was used as we had no fresh bait on board. The ubiquitous Snapper clearly have a taste for 'charcuterie' and after a number of bites, several catches of fish below the minimum 30cm size allowed in NZ - we had a fish we could eat. Quickly dispatched, gutted and prepared in silver foil it was on the boats gas BBQ within 5 minutes and eaten within 30!

Prior to Great Barrier we had spent a very sociable week cruising the Hauraki Gulf in company with our good friends Pat and Stuart who own Brizo, a beautiful Discovery 55, another World ARC and ARC NZ yacht. We met up Waiheke Island, quite populated being within ferry commuting distance to Auckland but very pretty. We toured the numerous vineyards on the wine hopper bus, had an 8 course taster dinner at the Cable Bay Vineyard Restaurant with a superb view of the city and visited the 'McConnell Bay Sculpture Park'. We were shown around the park by the owner and during the introduction were somewhat skeptical at the idea of art in a garden landscape - we were wrong, it was superb.

The Volvo Ocean Race boats raced into Auckland for their NZ stopover so we sailed over and anchored Firefly off a beach just off the Northshore. As the light faded away at sunset, 'Mapfree' the winner of the leg sailed within about 100 metres accompanied by an enormous entourage of pleasure craft of all shapes and sizes. The following day we visited the 'Volvo Ocean Race' village and then went on to see the very popular Chinese New Year Lantern Festival at Albert Park.

Firefly and Brizo completed their tour of Hauraki with night stops in Islington Bay off Rangitoto, in Bon Accord Harbour off Kawau Island and at the entrance to the Matakana River, near Sandspit. Landing in Sandspit, and as part of Susie's Birthday Celebrations we visited a second sculpture park at Brick Bay Vineyard and the following day had her Birthday Lunch at the Plume restaurant at the Runner Duck Vineyard. We jointly concluded that the Hauraki Gulf is a superb cruising area.

Having said good bye to Brizo we had a broad reach to Great Barrier in 10 to 15 knots of wind from the south. Today its sunny again and we are broad reaching in similar wind conditions, this time from the east towards Uruquart's Bay at the entrance to Whangerei, where we will anchor before moving into the marina tomorrow.

Paul and Susie

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