day 168: a new dawn
Naomi here, Trying to write some words before I descend into unconsciousness … yesterday we finally arrived to New Zealand !! Coming into opua just as darkness descended, then it got a bit darker and after that even darker. Trying to make out the customs dock in the dark, well, you know bluebird we see a dock and we tie up to it. So we did, on the second pass as the current was roaring in. It was pretty hectic getting the boat tied up but we finally did and settled down into the worst night I have ever had aboard. The current slapped violently against the stern, the howling winds whipped up a wind chop that jerked and shook the boat against the dock, soon I found we were so violently being whipped around despite being tied up snug alongside that the fenders kept popping out. It was pouring with rain so we had the hatch closed and the door in, every 20 minutes or so I would emerge into the rainy windy night and replace the fenders, eventually adding boat cushions and even our two horseshoe life preservers. The dock lines creaked and groaned, bluebird rocked and wallowed and shivered against the dock, I was worried we would roll so much a rail would end up under the dock. I seriously considered casting off to spend the night battling the gales at sea. Counting down the hours till dawn, hoping the winds would abate, realising with dread that when the tide finally turned the current in the opposite direction wasn’t more comfortable at all just horrible in new and different ways. Come morning we realise we have tied up at the wrong dock, a couple calls to customs and they assure us we won’t have to move (current and winds still extremely wicked complicating any manoeuvres). Finally customs and immigration came aboard to check us in, with the customs lady frankly furious we had ended up in the wrong spot, pointing out the two other boats who did in fact arrive in daylight, had managed to find the correct dock no problem. Duly humbled and humiliated we managed to get our stamps and clearance papers and surrendered our remaining produce, honey, and cans of pork and beans. Luckily at this point it was slack tide and we triumphantly left our hellish dock, past bobbing little blue penguins, scuffling seagulls and truffalo’d pohutukawa trees. We had a gentle easy sail as the rain eased and finally pulled up to a mooring ball here in opito bay, into the welcoming arms of our new favourite friends John and Lynette who opened their front door to show us their laundry machine which we were thrilled to see. Now we are clean and scrubbed with fresh laundries and full tummies, enjoying an unbelievably calm and peaceful anchorage…. Insane amount of birdsong we love hearing the tui and ruru. Ready now for the best sleep of my life.
Matt: sailing in the relatively flat water of bay of islands feels like such a treat after the passage - bluebird really earning her keep doing 4 knots in five of wind or six in seven - looks a bit like Scotland here with the shag populated black crags and grassy hills - did a quick bush walk with Jamie on the ridge here after dinner and watched a tui spouting off like a proper English barrister arguing a case - apparently they’ll go months up here without a rat showing up and possums are maybe just a rumour so the birds are really feeling like this is their spot to shine. Also that opua wharf is legit a hell on earth