Well we managed to get away for our holiday on the 27th of December. We were joined by our Son Jason and his girlfriend Tash. The passage up the coast from Whangarei to Whangamumu was calm and windless from Tutukaka onwards so we had to crank up the engine. We arrived at Whangamumu just on dark. Jason and Tash are into diving so we took them out for a dive and they came back with a lovely crayfish which was consumed with much gusto.
Onto to the Bay, we went around to Deep Water Cove for another dive, and another crayfish. We did not realise at the time that that was were they had sunk the Naval ship Canterbury ( for diving on).
Collected our other Son from Pahia and spent New Years in Russell, had a BBQ on the beach with some steaks from my sister Carol's farm (yum).
watched the fireworks at midnight over the water, they were amazing, the sound echoed around us over the water.
Jason and Tash left us to head back down to Palmerston North, we continued on with Xavier over to the Keri Keri Inlet, spent a couple of days there. Dropped Xavier off with Carol at Opito Bay, and we were free at last.
Spent the night in Russell again, anchored neared the yacht club. Spent our time watching the ships come in for the tall ships race. The next day we sailed into the channel and sat on the sidelines and watched the race, we held back with the Tall ships, Spirit of New Zealand, Soren Larsen, R Tucker Thompson. Was cool watching them sail, we managed to get fairly close to the Soren Larsen.
Spent the rest of our holiday heading back down the coast for home. Was a lovely time with some good sails and some sunshine and rain. Did not really want to come home.