Off On A Lark!

Sailing Adventures In The South Pacific

Vessel Name: 'Lark'
Vessel Make/Model: Malo 38
Hailing Port: Port Townsend WA
Crew: Brad Nelson and Linda Attaway
Extra: 'Lark' at Lape Island, Vava'u Tonga
23 September 2023
17 September 2023
01 September 2023
18 August 2023
13 August 2023
12 August 2023
11 August 2023 | Tanzania, Africa
10 August 2023
08 August 2023
06 August 2023 | Moshi/Kilimanjaro Area, Tanzania Africa
27 March 2018 | Port Townsend WA
26 March 2018
24 March 2018
23 March 2018 | Opua NZ Boatyard
Recent Blog Posts
23 September 2023

Motorbike Ride From The Mushroom Farm Down The Mtn. To Chitimba

Check out the album with a few pics of our ride down to catch the Sienta back to Karonga. We had 3 motorbikes, each with a driver, cargo and passengers. Jimmy had an old style TV along with his baggage, Romain and Amelia 2 large backpacks and Brad and I, a knapsack and a combo suitcase/backpack. There [...]

23 September 2023

Nkhata Bay and Livingstonia

The wild ride finally ended in Mzuzu.

17 September 2023

The Beginning Of A Short Sightseeing Holiday

We made a 6 day road trip to see Nakata Bay on Lake Malawi and Livingstonia located in the nearby mountains. It was great to get away and have a change of scenery for a few days!

17 September 2023

Time To Check In

I know I’ve been awfully quiet and it’s about time I made a post.

Tasman Bay

01 April 2010 | Adele Island New Zealand 40*58.786'S 173*03.251'E
Linda
The last eleven days have been great fun. We sailed from Nelson to explore the west side of Tasman Bay and poke our heads around Separation Point into Golden Bay. We've anchored in seven different anchorages, most of them in Abel Tasman National Park. Nearly all were accessible by water taxi so the beaches and tracks were busy during the day. By late afternoon we were nearly always by ourselves again. The park has a number of tracks along the shore as well as through the interior. Road access is limited, so as we've seen throughout the country, tramping is very popular. If you come to NZ, don't miss this area and consider doing the coastal track. It looks like fun.

The coastline here has so many beautiful, golden sand beaches. We anchored for one night behind Taupo Rock on Golden Bay 40*47.460'S 172*57.207'E. Took a dinghy ride into the lagoon at high tide the next morning, then had a picnic. That didn't last long, as the wind came up very quickly out of the west at 25 knots. By the time we made it back to the boat the waves were a good 5' and close together. We managed to get the motor off the dinghy and onto Kattywompus. Started up the engine and at full throttle were able to haul in the anchor and head out to sea. That was exciting, "and wet too", says Brad!!! Just around the corner, back at Abel Tasman we anchored in Totaranui Bay. Well sheltered from the wind it was a peaceful evening.

We've hiked, beachcombed, seen blue penguins, big bat rays, jellyfish, bell birds and best of all, seal pups. There is a colony on Tonga Island near our anchorage in Onetahuti Bay 40*53.025'S 173*03282'E. Early in the morning we paddled over in our inflatable kayak to check it out. The marine reserve is noted for its curious pups that on occasion will propel themselves up onto the deck of a kayak. There were dozens of the little guys in the water, so we drifted in and sat motionless while they came to see what we were all about. Watching them dive, swim at amazing speed under the kayak, bump us around and then pop their little heads up and stare was outstanding. They were close enough to easily touch, but we didn't.

Today we're waiting out weather here behind Adele Island in Astrolabe Roadstead. The sky is very dark, it's cold, blowing like crazy and pouring buckets. When I asked for some rain to wash the boat down, this wasn't quite what I had in mind! In spite of the weather, the birds on shore are singing up a storm and we love it. It's a good day to inventory and reorganize what we have in all the storage lockers. We'll see what's left from the last 10 months then I can start a provisioning list for our trip north through Tonga and Fiji.

The forecast is for a nice day tomorrow so we'll get up early and sail back to Nelson. In the afternoon we're off to Christchurch to pick up our friends Mark and Cindy. We'll do a bit of sightseeing there, then make a quick scenic tour on our way back to Kattywompus.

Stay tuned.
Comments
Position Reports
'Lark''s Photos - Main
7 Photos
Created 23 September 2023
15 Photos
Created 23 September 2023
6 Photos
Created 17 September 2023
4 Photos
Created 1 September 2023
17 Photos
Created 27 August 2023
14 Photos
Created 27 August 2023
8 Photos
Created 26 August 2023
11 Photos
Created 26 August 2023
14 Photos
Created 26 August 2023
16 Photos
Created 26 August 2023
13 Photos
Created 23 August 2023
10 Photos
Created 23 August 2023
17 Photos
Created 18 August 2023
9 Photos
Created 18 August 2023
10 Photos
Created 18 August 2023
12 Photos
Created 13 August 2023
24 Photos
Created 6 August 2023
12 Photos
Created 4 June 2014
17 Photos
Created 4 June 2014
14 Photos
Created 4 June 2014
12 Photos
Created 4 June 2014
7 Photos
Created 4 June 2014
54 Photos
Created 4 June 2014
9 Photos
Created 4 June 2014
18 Photos
Created 18 December 2013
10 Photos
Created 2 December 2013
A View Of Linda's Commute To And From The Airport
61 Photos
Created 31 July 2013
119 Photos
Created 31 July 2013
92 Photos
Created 31 July 2013
24 Photos
Created 23 October 2012
40 Photos
Created 23 October 2012
9 Photos
Created 23 October 2012
15 Photos
Created 23 October 2012
12 Photos
Created 16 October 2012
7 Photos
Created 16 October 2012
128 Photos
Created 16 October 2012
Fauna
1 Photo | 4 Sub-Albums
Created 8 September 2012
Photos By Pete 'Tuxedo Junction'
14 Photos
Created 8 September 2012
39 Photos
Created 8 September 2012
4 Photos
Created 26 August 2012
19 Photos | 5 Sub-Albums
Created 23 August 2012
10 Photos
Created 23 August 2012
19 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 23 August 2012
16 Photos
Created 10 August 2012
4 Photos
Created 10 August 2012
19 Photos
Created 10 August 2012
39 Photos
Created 10 August 2012
17 Photos
Created 5 August 2012
4 Photos
Created 5 August 2012
27 Photos
Created 5 August 2012
15 Photos
Created 5 August 2012
4 Photos
Created 22 July 2012
28 Photos
Created 22 July 2012
8 Photos
Created 22 July 2012
20 Photos
Created 7 June 2012
14 Photos
Created 4 June 2012
15 Photos
Created 4 June 2012
4 Photos
Created 4 June 2012
28 Photos
Created 2 May 2012
6 Photos
Created 2 May 2012
10 Photos
Created 4 July 2011
4 Photos
Created 4 July 2011
8 Photos
Created 4 July 2011
6 Photos
Created 4 July 2011
9 Photos
Created 3 June 2011
9 Photos
Created 3 June 2011
4 Photos
Created 11 March 2011
10 Photos
Created 11 March 2011
8 Photos
Created 11 March 2011
26 Photos
Created 11 March 2010
53 Photos
Created 11 March 2010
3 Photos
Created 15 February 2010
15 Photos
Created 15 February 2010
25 Photos
Created 15 February 2010
6 Photos
Created 15 February 2010
3 Photos
Created 15 February 2010
36 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 14 February 2010
17 Photos
Created 7 January 2010
57 Photos
Created 4 January 2010
November
12 Photos | 2 Sub-Albums
Created 4 January 2010
8 Photos
Created 4 January 2010
40 Photos
Created 30 November 2009
30 Photos
Created 29 November 2009
23 Photos
Created 29 November 2009
15 Photos
Created 20 October 2009
24 Photos
Created 30 September 2009
17 Photos
Created 25 September 2009
8 Photos
Created 25 September 2009
17 Photos
Created 20 September 2009
11 Photos
Created 20 September 2009
21 Photos
Created 20 September 2009
15 Photos
Created 20 September 2009
15 Photos
Created 19 September 2009
8 Photos
Created 19 September 2009
26 Photos
Created 14 September 2009
19 Photos
Created 13 September 2009
10 Photos
Created 6 September 2009
7 Photos
Created 6 September 2009
5 Photos
Created 6 September 2009
4 Photos
Created 13 July 2009
11 Photos
Created 13 July 2009
Leaving Monterey, CA
9 Photos
Created 2 July 2009