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Back in Opua Photo Log

December 17-22, 2014

Logbook – Wednesday December 17, 2014 (Omakiwi Cove to Opua)

Passage Log

  • 1309 SB engine on
  • 1327 P engine on
  • Depart
  • 1340 P engine off. SB + genoa
  • P engine on
  • 1552 Engines off. Opua

Daily Notes

  • Thunder/lightning, pouring rain

Logbook – Thursday December 18, 2014 (Opua)

Daily Nots

  • Shopping in Kerikeri with Camille

Logbook – Friday December 19, 2014 (Opua)

Daily Notes

  • Family hike from Treaty grounds to Haruru falls
  • Lunch/dinner at Jimmy Jack’s in Paihia
  • T- drinks with Jack @ Andy’s house in Paihia
5 km each way from the Waitangi Treaty Grounds to Haruru Falls
A view toward Paihia
The Waitangi River
Part of the trail was through the mangrove swamp
Finally made it to the falls
Don’t jump D!
Don’t push Tim!

Logbook – Saturday December 20, 2014 (Opua)

Daily Notes

  • D – wine tasting with Sarah (Field Trip), Camille (Iguana), Brianna (Tusitala), and Julie (Nirvana). Five wineries – Cottle Hill, Marsden, KaiNui, Fat Pig, Ake Ake
On the Kerikeri wine trail, a nice afternoon with girlfriends. This photo is taken at Cottle Hill Winery, and the owners are former cruisers from San Diego who settled here in 1992
Marsden Winery
Kainui Winery. We couldn’t take advantage of the deck because of the rain
There was a poetry reading at Fat Pig Winery, and Gladys, shown here on the left talking with Sarah, stole the show.
My haul from the day of wine tasting

Logbook – Sunday December 21, 2014 (Opua)

Daily Notes

  • Back to school & laundry day

Email to family and friends dated December 21, 2014

Subject: Exodus – Busy in Opua

We came back to Opua after the low pressure system moved on and the blustery weather ended. We are very glad we stayed out and didn’t come back sooner, because apparently the last night of the blow the boats here in the Opua anchorage saw up to 50 kts with lots of fetch and boats were dragging all over the place. Meanwhile, we were in a nice protected anchorage, the most we saw was 36 kts, we had room for plenty of scope, and we had zero fetch. But overall, it’s good to be back, and here are some of the highlights so far:

  • Made a dent in the Christmas shopping with an all day trip to Kerikeri
  • Family hike, 5 Km each way, from the Waitange Treaty Grounds to Haruru Falls
  • Ordered a new thermostat for the freezer and a new depth sensor (it’s nice to be in a place where you can get things easily, and they even price matched an online special for the depth sensor)
  • The dinghy outboard motor crapped out when I was mid-way between the boat and shore to go for a run. I checked all of the obvious things (fuel container air vent, fuel level, fuel hose connections) and was just getting the oars out when a nice couple rescued me and towed me back to Exodus. Tim took it up to the mechanic yesterday, and our friends on Iguana have loaned us their outboard in the meantime (they are leaving for Auckland tomorrow).
  • I had a fantastic afternoon/evening winetasting with friends yesterday. The vineyards/wineries around here are very small time operations and it was refreshing that at 3 of places we were discussing the wines with the owners, hearing what they like, and why the plant the grapes they do. One of them had a poetry reading, and 80 year old Gladys stole the show and brought more than one member of our party to tears. The wines are not on par with California, but the overall wine tasting experience may have been even better.
  • Brenden finished 5th grade and the boys have been enjoying a few days off to celebrate
    That’s it for now. It’s Sunday morning and today will be back to school day and laundry day.
    Love and miss you all,
    -D.

Logbook – Monday December 22, 2014 (Opua)

Daily Notes

  • D – Run along coast in Paihia
  • D/T – Xmas shopping in Kerikeri
  • Boys play on shore w/ Lumbaz, Nirvana, & Iona
Brenden’s berth (That painting of sailboats came from a market in La Cruz, Mexico, and we still have it.)

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