On arriving at Opua marina, we had hastily used the internet to check the weather models to see what Cyclone Fehi was doing. This cyclone had formed just south of New Caledonia and appeared to be heading towards New Zealand. With Fiona and Kevin from Scotland joining us on Tregoning on Sunday (February 4th), it had been our intention to leave the Bay of Islands and sail south to Marsden Cove Marina on the preceding Thursday or Friday. Although we could meet our guests just as easily in the Bay of Islands and we would be happy spending more time exploring the area, we also had more dental appointments in Whangarei on the following Wednesday, which would require renting a car again. We also planned to leave Tregoning in Whangarei during the six weeks that we would be back in the US, leaving on February 22nd, so, against our better cruising principles, we were feeling a little pressured by the calendar.

Feeling a bit anxious about the possible conditions if the cyclone took a northerly track across New Zealand and learning that the Opua Marina had only two berths left, on Tuesday morning before we left for Whangarei (and the longest footbridge in the Southern Hemisphere), we reserved one of those berths for two more nights. The fees at Opua are non-refundable in the summer so we knew that it was a bit of a gamble but it seemed like fairly reasonable insurance if the storm tracked northward.

By Wednesday morning, however, Fehi's predicted track had become more southerly and wind conditions did not look particularly threatening for the Bay of Islands. In fact, if we were bold enough and the storm moved in the direction and at the time predicted, we could use the northerly winds that it would generate in our area to sail south to Marsden Cove. We debated our options for some time and finally decided to leave Opua Marina that morning, forgoing our extra two-nights' worth of fees. The deciding factor was that the winds would swing around to the south by the end of the week and remain in that direction for the foreseeable future, making the next possible date for a passage back to Whangarei look very uncertain.

So agreeing that we would thoroughly review the forecasts and options before heading out to sea the following day, we left Opua Marina on Wednesday morning (January 31st) and headed for an anchorage that would be sheltered in the northerly winds. This was the southern bay at Motuarohia (or Roberton) Island which we had checked-out just a couple of days before. Gusts were able to sweep into the anchorage over the low sand bars between the island's several sections but the water was relatively flat. Several boats came and went during the afternoon with day-trippers but overnight there was just us and one other sailboat.

It took us two attempts to set the anchor. Knowing that it was a smooth sand bottom, we were a bit surprised when the anchor dragged the first time but we soon saw the reason why. When the anchor came up it had an old sail-bag caught on it which had prevented the flukes from digging into the sediment. Judging by the attached marine-life the bag had been there for a while. We could not in good conscience throw the nylon bag back so we had to try to wash-off the growth and bundled it up in a garbage sack for disposal ashore.



An old sail-bag and attached marine-life that had caught on Tregoning's anchor

Just after we had finally set our anchor, Randall commented that the large powerboat, which had had been well ahead of us and to our right, seemed to getting closer. I thought it was just the way we were both swinging but within 10 minutes it was obvious that the vessel was dragging anchor. Usually I am the one who notices this while Randall denies it, but he was correct this time. Fortunately the boat stayed away from us but we wondered how quickly it would move once it was dragged into water deeper than the length of anchor rode. The captain raced ashore in his dinghy to pick-up crew members from the beach and his large outboard would have been fast enough to catch-up to the powerboat even if it was drifting with no anchor but we kept an eye out to make sure that they returned all right, which they did.

I had really wanted to go ashore because there is a good track to a Pa site and the views from there are supposed to be particularly stunning. There was also an underwater trail for snorkelers on the other side of the island which sounded interesting. However, the view was not going to be very clear, the underwater trail was being pounded by waves from the north, and it would have been really hard work to row the dinghy into the wind from Tregoning to the shore. Randall offered to install the outboard motor but the whole effort seemed too much considering that we wanted to make a very early start the next day.



Approaching the main anchorage at Motuarohia Island from the southeast

Although we did not get to shore, I was pleased that we had at least visited the anchorage at Motuarohia Island. Captain Cook had anchored off the island in 1769, his first landing after leaving the Thames estuary just southeast of Auckland. A less pleasant story was that, in 1841, a European family was murdered there by a native man who was subsequent tried and hanged in Auckland, the first execution in New Zealand under British law. Luckily, this story did not give me nightmares so that despite the gusty wind, we both slept reasonably well and woke around 5 am to decide whether to head out to sea or not.