Photos and details will follow when we return to WiFi-land but this update is being sent via the single-sideband radio from Great Barrier Island, which is northeast of Auckland off the north coast of the North Island of New Zealand.

Things about which we are very glad:

During a glorious day of sailing in Bream Bay (outside the mouth of Whangarei Harbour) we were happy to find that we could remember how to sail after nearly 18 months.

After making a few adjustments (mostly to us) we got our new self-steering wind vane, Susie-New, working beautifully. She holds a steady course and is straightforward to operate. It looks as though she will be well-worth the expense and time spent on installation...hurrah!



With Whangarei Heads in the background, Susie-New is hard at work steering Tregoning

Our first night of anchoring in almost 18 months went very smoothly. The sandy bottom in Urquhart Bay held the anchor well, there was plenty of room among the other boats, and we both slept well...double hurrah!

The following day, Randall set-up the water-maker to run for the first time after being pickled for almost 18 months. This is a longer period of pickling than is recommended so we were both a bit concerned that an expensive new membrane might be in our near future. But, No! During our nine hour motor-sail and sail to Great Barrier Island, the water-maker worked flawlessly and produced gallons of good, freshwater just as it had before...triple hurrah!

Now if we can just get our electronic auto-pilot system upgraded and working (our reason for heading to Auckland next week) before anything else can break, Tregoning and all of her cruising equipment will be in full working-order.



Looking west towards Quoin Island from our anchorage in Akapoua Bay

Of the many options on the west coast of Great Barrier Island, we have found a good anchorage where the anchor held well and we should be comfortable later in the week when the winds are supposed to considerably strengthen (up to 30 knots) and change from SW to NE. We will let you know if we remained glad about this afterward the weather-front passes.

The thing that made us a little sad:

During our sail to Great Barrier Island, Randall checked the email that we get via the SSB radio to find a message from my brother Mike kindly letting us know that Aunt Hilary (actually my first cousin once-removed) had died of a heart-attack on Friday morning. She was a wonderful, gentle, and kind person and she will be greatly missed by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

But we were also glad that:

We were able to stay for a night with Hilary last July and she was so welcoming and thoughtful. She had recently celebrated her 90th birthday and seemed to be well, so it had been good to see her in such a cheerful state. She was busy and out shopping until the day before she died. While her death must had been a bit of a shock to her family, we are glad that she was spared from debilitating illness. We will miss your calm grace, dear Hilary.



Hilary in July 2016