"No Mums" Sailing Trip

While Jenn and The Amys were touring the East Cape, Nik, Isaac, and I chartered "Liberté" with Skipper Bryon and 1st Mate Chuck. Pascal joined us as well since she knew we'd be having more fun than the girlie trip. Five days and four nights of sailing in a range of conditions, including some 30 knot winds with a holding tank mishap that left a rather nasty mess that a few years of diaper changing helped prepare me for. While anchored in Kawau we were boarded by ducks and reeled in plenty of fish (most too small) but it all provided plenty of excitement. Especially the one that Nikolas hooked through the eye--we returned him an named him "Art" in honor of the one-eyed frothing old geezer we know in Cache Valley. We anchored in several protected bays and explored small islands while Bryon dove for and delivered scallops and Chuck reeled in a couple of "keeper" fish to make for some of the freshest dinner in a long time. I volunteered to contribute duck to the menu, but Pascal objected.









As Nikolas points out on the map, we headed to the north and made it to the island of Kawau on the first leg of the journey, which included sailing in some overpowered conditions with all hands on deck.

Other days called for some 3 hr naps on the boat.

Of particular fun for the kids was rowing around in the inflatable dinghy. Pascal showed the way and Isaac and Nikolas quickly caught on.

On Rakino island we found a great beach swing on which Isaac showed off his moves. He looks ready for kite surfing.

We anchored next to an old wreck that showed significant biofouling and Galvanic corrosion. A picture of this will show up on my Biomaterials Final Exam.