Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Passage from Minerva to New Zealand and Christmas - Photo Post

Here's the last photo post from our trip to New Zealand.


Here's a big container ship that came up on us fast.  We talked for a while, and they altered course slightly to pass us by safely.  They were bound from Fiji coming into Aukland.


Here is our first sight of New Zealand  - Land of the Long White Cloud.  That day we had had 40 knots and were beating to wind, so as the front passed by and land peaked out from behind the clouds, it was a magic moment.  One cool thing was that with New Zealand, more than any place we've visited so far, we could smell land far out to sea.  We started to smell rich loamy green smells about 50 miles offshore.


Christmas morning, and Griffyn showing off his new airplane.  You can see our tree and some of the presents.  Stockings hung from the port-lights.


The kids had a fun day, as did the parents.


A microscope!  Yeah... it was a good day.  We missed all our family and friends, but appreciated all the greetings and support.

Owen 




Friday, January 20, 2012

Leaving Tonga and on to Minerva Reef - and a Birthday!

Here's more backlogged photos from Tonga and our transit to New Zealand.  Enjoy.


Here we are fueling for departure from Tonga.  S/V Fugue is along side.


Here's Madrona under sail on a beautiful day.


Well - it was a bit bumpy.


A day later we enter the pass into North Minerva Reef.


Laundry day at anchor inside the reef.  It really was that blue!


Here's S/V Two Ticks and Fugue at anchor nearby.


You could really see where the reef line was!


Our neighbors to starboard.


Here's our "Dink" - called T.T. by the kids with our outboard "Buzzer."


It was Tamsyn's 9th Birthday.  We celebrated with seven other boats aboard S/V Yolo who were nice enough to invite a crowd on board.  How many people can claim a 9th birthday party at one of the most remote reefs on earth!


She loved her gifts.  The wrap was made specifically for her in Tonga.


Bob from S/V Fugue says "Mine!"


Getting ready for the piƱata on the Trampoline.


Here's Liza from Two Ticks having a whack.


Tamsyn clobbering the poor thing - it didn't last long :-)


Here's the group.  The sailboats represented were Madrona, Yolo (thanks!),  Slip Away, Two Ticks, Fugue, Northern Rose, and Baroness.  We had a great time.


Our little girl is growing up.


Griffyn has lost a front tooth!  Arghhhh!


After almost a week enjoying Minerva it was time to go.  Here  we are threading the needle again.

On to New Zealand!

















A trip to the market in Tonga - Photo Post

Here's another photo post.  We a doing good here in the Bay of  Island.  Owen's dad is visiting, so the we're all enjoying family  Been almost a year.  One bummer though, we found out that the local Opua school wants $1200 a month from poor cash strapped international cruisers to send their kids to school here.  So that's not going to happen.  That costs three times as much as a slip!

On to the pictures!

Here's a view of town from the water.


The folks in close with their boats are on mooring balls - not their anchors.


On the way to market; mother and daughter.


Here's the market.


So many fruits.  Those Americans you see back there are our friends from S/V Fugue.


This family were there every day.  Kava on the ground there.


Griffyn will play with anyone he meets, young or old.  He just loves people.


Holding down the fort.  These two boys are selling the families pineapples this morning.


That's all for the moment.






Friday, January 13, 2012

Photo post - Tonga - Neafu sights.

Here are some of the sights in Tonga where we spent months and made many friends.

Crossroads.  Where are you headed?
  

A lush street about a block off the main drag.


Here's the main street.  The Fire Department had other vehicles I'm quite sure.


These two got to know their way around town pretty well.  When we came all the way into town they were very keen on getting all the candy they could.


The streets here were timeless in their way.  


One of the main stores.  We could get many canned goods, and some meat.


Here's our friend Greg; who along with Lisa run the Tropicana Cafe.  Greg and Griffyn got along very well and in this picture Greg is calling Griffyn's bluff - and soon after Griffyn was lifted up on top of the fridge until he begged to get down.  The folks at the Tropicana were so helpful and friendly to all the cruisers.  Our hats off to them.


Here's me outside the Tropicana.


ONe sees groups of people under umbrellas all over town;  even on sunny days - especially on sunny days :-)








New Zealand wind & Photo Updates!

Hi everybody,

We are doing well.  We've had frequent gales in The Bay of Islands, with winds over 40 knots every few days.  We are still at anchor beside Pine Island in front of the town of Opua.  Our friends on Pegasus of Jersey (a great kid boat) left this morning for Aukland.  We will miss them.

Carrie had a good birthday (thanks for all the good wishes), and she was taken out to lunch, and also picked out some choice watercolor paints that will be coming along with Owen's dad to New Zealand in a week or so.

Owen's been working, and doing updates to his website.  So far there is a new entry page and a new brochure.  Much more to come in the next few weeks.  Check it out: www.interpretiveservices.com.

So now for some pictures.  We're going to post them in groups - starting out way back in Tonga in November.

This is one of many beaches, but we love this one.  It's on an anchorage called number 40 by a lot of the cruisers  as the number is that assigned by the "Moorings" cruising guide.


Here's Fugue at anchor beside us at magic hour.  It was just a little atoll inside a big lagoon.


Life on deck.  A boat to some.  Home to us.


Here's Madrona at anchor.  Little islands extend to the horizon.  Some are volcanoes!

Here's the reef at "40."


We love these blue seastars.


I love the different kinds of coral.


Tamsyn & Griffyn decorated for my birthday.


Here's the birthday boy.  This picture is for Lois.


Here's the amazing cake (with cherries!) and presents.  It was a grand day.




More to come soon.