Easter Weekend @ Waiheke

Sailed to Waiheke on a light NE wind, about 10-12 knots, with my friends Abram, Helen, and Eileen. There were lots of yachts all heading in the same direction, a great day to be on the water. Unfortunetaly, while we were on the way over, I decided to make an adjustment at the mast, and I slipped, and managed to rip the skin on my shin and foot, and was feeling sick and faint for about half an hour.

  All ready to go @ Half Moon Bay

 

Boat at Half moon bay ramp

 

  We got plenty of practice rowing ! We anchored in Blackpool beach, (Huruhi bay) on low tide, and walked to Oneroa town for coffee and then happy hour at the Solar cafe, soaking up the last of the sun, napping, playing pinball.  A random fisherman brought in some fish, and smoked it in front of us and the cafe brought out condiments and plates so everyone could have some ! Later we had dinner at Vino Vino, and had some excellent meals, I was most impressed with my plate of BBQ pork ribs ! 

We had a interesting time returning to the boat at 10pm in the evening, 4 of us, with a 2 person dinghy, and a 400m row out to the boat that we could not actually see because it was so dark! Abram 'acquired' a tin dinghy, and with our oars we paddled the girls across, and then went back with the pump to pickup the inflatable! Mission ..but lucky it was a balmy warm evening to be playing around in boats !

Abram on rowing duty, now a rowing pro !

The very busy Ostend Markets - Eileen is in her element !

 

Serious surfing equipment that could not possibly fit inside the car!

Coming into the jetty at Kennedy Point, on the southern side of Waiheke

Evening at Ostend, Waiheke

A nice still clear morning after showers overnight. Lots of fish around here !

It rained a bit early in the morning, was nice to wake up warm and cosy, with the rain drumming lightly on the boat. Sleeping in till 8.30, we missed all the rain, and got up to sunshine.This day was shaping up to be a fantastic one, just Eileen and I enjoying a beautiful summers day on the boat..

Nice and quiet in Te Whau Bay

You know how you think your car will be safer if you park next to anther nice car?  
We anchored next to a Beneteau 37 footer!

 

First pancakes on the boat !

After breakfast, I rigged just the main and spinnaker, taking my time to set it up, and repacked the spinnaker, as I had stuffed it very quickly last time we used it. We set sail for home, with 8-10 knot light northerly, and set the spinnaker cleanly, with no tangles, or twists.  It was so cruisey, I decided that a more horizontal position was more appropriate for the day :-) . 

We pulled out the speakers and put some music on from E's i-phone to complete the cruise ! Eileen also found a comfy spot on the front deck under the spinnaker to relax.

I experimented with tying up the tiller, so the boat would sail itself for short periods of time, before the wind would shift slightly and the spinnaker needed attention.

We went from full downwind to a deep reach, and in the photo above you can see the spinnaker acting like a big gennaker, and giving us a lot of speed in the light wind.  

 

We were making very good speed in the light conditions and against the tidal flow.. E was enjoying i, you can hear her vocal surprise as we adjust our heading, and the boat picks up speed...