Crew: Geoff, Tunch, Murray.
Day 1 – Wednesday 17th Cook Strait Crossing
After monitoring the forecasts every day for the last week we decided today would be the day – a southerly dying out early morning becoming northerly 15 kts at the Brothers. The plan was for a leisurely sail to Nelson over three days to arrive the day before the Nelson Regatta starts.
Graciela came down to Chaffers Marina to bid us bon voyage. After calling Maritime Radio on the VHF to log our trip report we slipped our lines at 0730 hrs heading out into the beautiful calm waters of Wellington Harbour.
I had timed our departure so that we would arrive at Sinclair Head at 0930 hrs which was one hour before high water Wellington. Not much activity on the harbour apart from the usual Days Bay ferry crossings. We also saw Incantare being motored by Travis over to Seaview maybe for an engine service.
By the time we reached Pt Halswell the NE breeze had started. With Murray on helm, Tunch and I hoisted the mainsail and no. 3 jib ready for a nice tail wind towards Wellington Heads.
We motor sailed between the rocks of Barrett Reef (named after the pioneering whaler, Dicky Barrett). The Bluebridge ferry Connemara approached us from behind but well clear of us as they rounded Barrett Reef Buoy.
As we sailed past Palmer Head, Tunch of course, saluted the Ataturk Memorial memorial which overlooks the harbour entrance. We kept our eyes open to avoid the many cray pots anchored off the ledge and then turned off the engine to sail westward on a lovely beam reach in 15 kts northerly wind past Lyall Bay and Island Bay.
We entered the Karori Rip at Sinclair Head at 0930 hrs and true to form the ‘washing machine’ gave us a bumpy ride. Tunch and I each took one of the magic Ondansetron seasickness pills as a precaution.
The northerly continued as we cleared Thoms Rock and tightened our sheets to sail close- hauled at around 6 kts SOG towards The Brothers. We took bets as to whether we’d be able to clear Cape Koamaru in one tack. I was doubtful.
With the apparent wind over 20 kts we decided to put the first reef in the main for a more comfortable sail which also helped us point higher. Tunch then prepared a delicious gourmet breakfast for us.
As we neared Awash Rock we had to adjust our course to compensate for the strong current which was pushing us northward. We passed the Brothers at 1300 hours and yes, we did it in one tack from Karori Rock!
From Cape Koamaru we continued on our north westerly course across the top of Queen Charlotte Sound. We settled into a good groove with ‘Ernesto’ the auto tiller giving us a rest on helm. Tunch put out the fishing line.
We rounded the infamous Cape Jackson at 1440 hrs (where the Russian cruise liner Mikhail Lermontov hit the rocks and sank in 1986). With our 1.4 mt displacement Halo had no problems with the rocks.
By now the wind had eased off to under 10 kts as we shook out the reef and sailed past Cape Lambert and on towards Alligator Head where we decided to spend the night.
We rounded the head at 1630 hrs and dropped the sails. Unfortunately there was a large motor boat already occupying the Punt Rails club mooring.
No worries says Geoff, according to the book there are two more moorings nearby in Hikoekoea Bay so off we went. As we neared the bay we could see one mooring which was occupied. The second mooring was missing in action so we decided to go back to the shelter of Punt Rails to anchor.
We dropped the anchor at 1715 hors. By now it was very hot in the afternoon sun so we put up the boom tent. Tunch and I jumped over the side for refreshing swims.
Dinner that night was made by Tunch. Tasty Turkish kofte meat balls which went very well with a nice red wine to celebrate our successful Cook Strait Crossing.
Day 2 – Thursday 18th Alligator Head to D’Urville
After a restful night at anchor we woke to a calm and misty morning with limited visibility. Thank goodness for the OpenCPN chartplotter to point us the way! The plan was to have a fairly short sail across the top of Pelorus Sound to Catherine Cove where we would stay the night before transiting French Pass the next day.
I phoned ahead to Catherine Cove Wilderness Lodge to enquire about the availability of a mooring for the night. Cathy informed me they had 10 or 11 boats coming from Mana Cruising Club that day so couldn’t guarantee anything. We decided to get away early to arrive at midday. The early bird catches the worm!
We weighed the anchor at 0730 hrs and motored west with no wind through Guards Bay, past Chetwode Islands and round Clay Point into Admiralty Bay.
We arrived at Catherine Cove at midday and were allocated an empty mooring. Great!
Time for more swims and a relaxing afternoon. Murray and I went ashore in the dinghy and explored the cove visiting the waterfall and had a beer at the lodge with some of the Mana sailors as they arrived during the afternoon.
Day 3 – Friday 19th Catherine Cove to Nelson
Early 0700 hrs start this morning to get to French Pass for the 0805 hrs slack tide when it turns southwards. At 0750 as we neared the pass entrance we heard another boat calling “All ships” on VHF channel 16 announcing their intention to transit the pass coming northwards. As we were a bit early anyway we turned back to do a 360 and bide our time while the motor boat came through the pass.
When all was clear we did our own ‘All ships’ call then proceeded ahead. We motored through the ‘Narrows’ at 0811 hrs with Murray on helm. There were no whirlpools of concern but our SOG slowed down to about 3.5 kts indicating we had about 2 kts of current against us. Obviously the tide tables are not exact!
Once we were clear of the pass and made sure we kept clear of the ‘Beef Barrels’ rocks we set our course south down the coastline of Tasman Bay.
The northerly came up to a light 10 kts behind us and we were able to set the full mainsail and no. 3 jib and turn off the engine for a broad reach south. Tunch ever hopeful, put out the fishing line.
We continued to make steady but rather slow progress down past Croisilles Harbour – named by early French sailor Dumont D’Urville during his expedition to New Zealand on the ship Astrolabe in the 1820’s, after his mother’s home village of Croisilles.
We passed Pepin Island - also named by D’Urville, after his wife, Adèle Pépin – at 1230 hrs. After sailing past the Boulder Bank we prepared Halo for our entrance to Nelson Harbour. We motored through ‘The Cut’ at 1435 hrs.
In the harbour we noticed an unusual vessel tied up at the wharf which I called the ‘Mickey Mouse ship’. We later found out that it is luxury expedition superyacht called Arctic P and owned by the Australian Packer family.
We tied up at our allocated berth on F Pier at Nelson Marina at 1500 hrs. We made it!
Lovely and warm sunny afternoon in Nelson so we put up the boom tent. Anastasia, joined us later for a wonderful dinner prepared of course by the talented Tunch while we discussed the program for tomorrow’s Nelson Regatta.
Halo Log Book 