More memories of New Zealand More memories of New Zealand

Volcanic rocks were stunning.   http://www.gratisaustralis.com/paihia-to-whale-bay-new-zealand/

New Davit Lines New Davit Lines

From aged wire with sharp hidden spikes to new dyneema. A bit of work, but well worth the effort.

Sail to the Bay of Islands Sail to the Bay of Islands

Beautiful countryside, perfect sailing.   http://www.gratisaustralis.com/karaka-bay-kawau-island-new-zealand-2/   http://www.gratisaustralis.com/kawau-island-to-urquharts-bay-whangarei-new-zealand/   http://www.gratisaustralis.com/urquharts-bay-whangarei-to-oke-bay-cape-brett-new-zealand/    

New Name New Name

Excitement! OMG Agencies completed the design on our the new name vinyls for Australis 1. As you can see, there is no need to rename the blog site. Gratis is for Europe, Australis 1 for Asia and the Pacific. Perfect!!!!!! When there is a spare moment, the old will be removed and the new added.

Working at a Pace Now Working at a Pace Now

I’m cooking.   Bob is working on the bed: the mattresses arrived a little larger than the dimension he sent in.    

Sundays in Newcastle, NSW Sundays in Newcastle, NSW

Sundays are market day. GF pies and GF straight from the baking to you. We were in tastebuds heaven!?   Tonight home made passata for the Italian focus for this week’s meals.

Book Recommendations Book Recommendations

With a bit more time on my hands I have been trying new recipes. I love this book plus the two magazine series and highly recommend them if you are looking for something new and have special dietary requirements.   Go dairy free provides everything from information on being in a dairy free diet to […]

Returned to Oz Returned to Oz

After several delays and a long 12 day – yes, what happened to that anticipated 6 – 8 days – sail that threw everything it could at us,  we and our 3rd home finally arrived in NSW. The tale and images are slowly coming along. In breaking news, I have just completed the text for […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day Twelve New Zealand to Australia: Day Twelve

LAND AT LAST!!   After yet another boisterous night, a ‘massive’ 28nm were attained over a five hour duration.   0400 and we sighted the bright as day lights of fishing boats upon the distant horizon. Yes, civilisation wasn’t far off now and our hearts lightened when the numbers on the GPS read 64nm remaining […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day Eleven New Zealand to Australia: Day Eleven

AND THE WIND CHANGED!!!   Bob and I arose to find another day of squalls ahead of us, and the seas no less confused.   As always, our experiences this day were no less challenging.   Without warning, at the proverbial click of a finger the wind dropped a massive 19 knots from 25 down […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day Ten New Zealand to Australia: Day Ten

A STORM!   Awakened to the sound of howling winds and winches grinding, it was with a rush – or as much as one could in the conditions – that I hastened upstairs. The storm, I discovered, had struck with ferocious vengeance.   Cliff was at the helm, Bob on the starboard gennie sheet winch […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day Nine New Zealand to Australia: Day Nine

FOG!!!   Bob and I awoke to calm glassy conditions and a damp cold fog surrounding Australis 1. Currents revolve in all directions through this whole region – the intricacy of which I only came to fully understand after viewing the ABC’s, ‘Australia’s Ocean Odyssey: A Journey Down the East Australian Current’ a month or […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day Eight New Zealand to Australia: Day Eight

AND THE WIND DIED!   With the rising of the dawn, Australis 1 was placed on a beam reach and headed directly for New Castle. 415nm remained of the journey and we were now on the home stretch – or so we thought! Once more, the main’s upper cars hadn’t held up to the strain […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day Seven New Zealand to Australia: Day Seven

Disbelief, as just before dawn, the auto pilot, decided it was no longer able to cope with the conditions made and experienced non – stop hissy fits.   Two hours or so of constantly dealing with constantly correcting large directional errors that took place as she gave way, the decision to go to manual control […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day 6 New Zealand to Australia: Day 6

The albatross returned and entertain us this morning. Over our ocean travels, Bob and I had discovered why seamen of yesteryear were so superstitious on sighting these magnificent birds – in actuality, the reason goes for any sea bird. In lighter conditions the birds soar gracefully between the swells and over the waves but, as […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day 5 New Zealand to Australia: Day 5

Day five of what was proving to be the ‘slow boat to China´, the waters were slightly improved, but not much.   For the first time since the last sail car had broken, the boys were able to substitute the main’s top car with one from below. Repairs completed, the sail was raised and set […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day four New Zealand to Australia: Day four

That had been the most uncomfortable of nights and sleep nigh on impossible. Resultant of the bucking bronco conditions, to remain on one’s bed, one had needs to find any niche that could be a possible grab hold. Spread eagled on the bed, with the left foot pinioned between the two mattresses, the right braced […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day Three New Zealand to Australia: Day Three

On arising from below, Bob and I were greeted by the sight of rolling hills, the leftover result from those overnight squalls. Grey skies were brightened by the rarity of the brightest of rainbows as the sun fought to break her way through the clouds’ dreary domination. On undertaking the daily sail check, one of […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day Two New Zealand to Australia: Day Two

An uneventful night led us into morning and by daylight – about 7am – we were almost opposite North Cape.   To our relief, the early hours had brought with them a return of the wind at a workable 11 knots and our beauty was holding steady, so once more it was possible to conserve […]

New Zealand to Australia: Day One New Zealand to Australia: Day One

Bob and I had been in New Zealand since early February and thanks to long delays in completion of the paperwork for registration and renaming of Saliander to Australis 1 – the result of  having to physically post documentation – in Australia, plus the outbreak of Covid19 and its level four lockdown in New Zealand, […]