Yup, all good, we arrived today after a really stellar passage from Fiji.

Two nights back I stood in the cockpit after getting the boat dialed into a really nice groove, nothing on, warm and tropical temperature, rock steady 12 knots of wind ahead of the beam on say 40 degrees true wind angle, boat going 10 and 11 kts upwind, a perfect sea state was unfolding and this while basking in the brilliance of a full moon at sea and I just stayed there for hours watching the wake as we surfed down a wave or the auto pilot corrected course and the rudder caused a swirling disturbance as it forced the sea over to one side or the other causing things to change for a few seconds then it would track true again and the wake would just keep roaring out behind the boat like that of a fast power boat. The wake flying out the ass end gets pretty loud once a yacht exceeds 10 knots. It was mesmerizing, I was hypnotized, I could have it watched for days. Gwen crawled out of the bat cave to see what was going on, having sensed the noticeable increase in speed and motion to see if it was time to take her watch but I shoed her back to the nest stating that I was good, She thought maybe she might not get back to sleep, I said I'm just loving it out here, go back to bed! It did get boring after a long while so I turned around and stood on the pilot house seats and was above the roof of the pilot house, resting my arms on the roof and staring forward, watching the bow as it rolls off to leeward just a little then we get shoved by a wave and she digs in and fights back up on top of the wave and stays there for a while then rolls off again powers back, bow up, we're over that one back down the next one and back on track accelerating again now, all smooth as,,wow this is cool,think I'll do this for a while too. Back, front ,back front, ok I am going to need a beer if I am gonna do this all night. Ice cold Fiji Bitter anyone? Anyway all a part of this passage making thing but this was exceptional sailing. I could sell anyone on that ride! Speaking of the full moon at sea, well there is nothing to describe it really, you can read a book by it, just like on the Prairies during a full moon in winter when the light triples due to reflection of the snow crystals, it is one of those times when you don't say much you just take it all in. While all this is going on there is time to just let your mind drift a little, not that you would notice here. But it is true with so much riding on your every thought and move out there you slowly get wound up tighter and tighter and your shoulders hunch up and neck muscles cramp up without even realizing it especially if the going gets a little rough, but times like this it all just goes away, it is a good as rem sleep, better since you have been going days and days on a couple of hours bat nap in the cave here and there if you are the skipper in a double handed crew. It was during one of these drifts that night that I was thinking of how I would describe what it is like to experience a full moon at sea (say, when sitting around the camp fire in the frozen bush with my hunting partners some time in the future cuz I know it will come up) and I find I don't have the vocabulary to do it justice just yet. On the other hand I know I would take it further as we sipped a little more malt courage from the bottle that seemed to have lost its cork from the moment it made that squeaking sound as it was twisted out by hand, so carefully extracted and tossed into the blaze. I would do my best to cover it off and share with them the contrast, that of sailing with no moon and describe the stars and how vivid they are and how you think for a moment you can reach out and touch them,(note to self, don't try that) they go from horizon to horizon right down to the water 360 degrees, you are surrounded by them and so much more elaboration BUT when there is no moon and there are clouds and there are no stars what so ever, well,,, I would have to tell them about how black it really is out there alone in the dark. It's outer space kind of dark,not that old cant see your hand in front of your face pussy stuff, no no noo, this is black hole dark, bottom of an oil barrel dark like a mine 2 miles underground kinda black dark, real pitch black dark, so black,, it's so dark in fact your flashlight won't even work that's how black dark it is, way out there. I think they'll buy it.

Definitely colder here but it was hot out at sea until last night so that means just 200 miles North of here it is warm so we can go visit if we feel the need for heat. I am still wearing shorts and T but it is cool, not giving in just yet though.

On approach it seemed so familiar and well, normal, to be arriving in NZ., no fear of the unknown, no trepidation, no wondering what we are in for with the officialdom and so on, just a relaxed and generally good feeling. I have not found the correct descriptor for it yet. Last night I could smell the land nearly 150 miles out and it smelled familiar. Clearing in with customs immigration, bio security and health was a lively conversation with old friends sort of affair, very laid back and casual but we follow the rules making it a cake walk for them still it is like being welcomed as a special guest by the first contact mandatory authorities! Same as entering the USeh? NOT! Back up a little, we call from 60 miles outside of official coastal waters while still in offshore waters on VHF as required to report our position and intentions to New Zealand Maritime Radio so they know where we are (right,they know where we are better than we do but that is good by us)can alert Customs etc... and we have a nice chat and get a big "welcome back to NZ" and "have a great watch and arrival." Nice! OK move ahead a little, after finishing with clearing in and all that friendly chatting, nearly hugs from the officials we go up to the marina office to see Jane and Brent, Jane by the way couriered documents to Fiji for us last year before we arrived no charge, then when we call her on the radio today she was so excited to hear from us and that we were coming in to the marina. Anyway if you can still follow this you are not as tired as me having been up since 1 am, sailing the approach in the dark myself then readying ship for arrival navigating up the river on a strong ebb tide where I felt like a chum salmon in the last rapids, and into the really narrow marina channel in very thin water to the dock sleep deprived and with one cigarette left, then you are doing better than me. Anyway we go up to the marina office and Jane gives us a big welcome, no documents saved em all from last year, you are good to go, no fuss or muss of any kind. But wait there's more, "c'mon back after 4 when you hear the cannon go off and have some free bbq sausages and hang out with fellow cruisers." OK we can do that. Oh and you wont miss the cannon going off trust me. I'd been up 18 hours, when they fired the cannon, my feet actually left the ground, nearly shit my pants.

This sort of good folks thing has been our experience all over NZ, these are really great people here. How can I say that so strongly after saying such good things about Fijians? Truth is we have been experiencing the same goodness with people in every country we have visited so far. How can you beat the people of the Baja in Mexico, ( must be a joke in there somewhere but I am to dull right now) they are just alive and happy. What about the Marquesans and Tahitians? All good! Better do a bit on people next time could take a while and I am really tired. Anyway, suffice to say that we like NZ and the people especially. For now we are tied to a dock in a very safe and calm basin with new docks and expensive homes being developed all around where there is a loch, yup one we could fit in that will raise your boat via remote control no less, up to ten feet depending on tide state, for home owners to go through and take their boat through an expanse of canals to their nice new dock in front of their home in totally protected water, pretty posh set up here.

Tonight it is a flat and still comfy bed, wow. Forget the socks, anyone seen my blanket!