Category Archive

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.

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 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, […]

Search for a New Boat: the Story Search for a New Boat: the Story

With each year’s commencement I am always determined to keep the Blog up to date and, as always, that plan fell into disarray almost immediately upon our return to Europe in 2019. The past half decade had seen Bob and I mulling over the concept of returning to the Med in Gratis and purchasing a […]

Orcas: An Unexpected Sighting and A Bucket List Item Ticked. Orcas: An Unexpected Sighting and A Bucket List Item Ticked.

Orokawa Bay, Bay of Islands: New Zealand   Out in the bay trawling the line for a meal of fish to feed the hungry hoards, out of the blue a massive disturbance in the water ahead caught my eye. Two black fins, three, then four gracefully pierced the surface as their bodies rounded, then disappeared […]

Orokawa Bay: A Bay of Contrasts! Orokawa Bay: A Bay of Contrasts!

New Zealand and its Bay of Islands continues to amaze. No swell, pristine, peaceful, idyllic. This bay is delightful. Awaking as dawn was breaking, on looking out the portal I discovered mist arising in the valley over the hill. Drifting westward, it wended it way out over the water, gradually engulfing the distant yachts resting […]

Orokawa Bay: Pristine Peaceful Beauty Orokawa Bay: Pristine Peaceful Beauty

Having returned to Paihia, a dinghy ride into the township to stock up on fresh food led us to the local Countdown: how shopping had changed in a few short days! A Covid reducing Level 4 lockdown in New Zealand meant  a guard stood at the shop entrance. A minimum of ten people were lined […]

Karaka Bay, Kawau Island: New Zealand Karaka Bay, Kawau Island: New Zealand

The most peaceful of nights behind us, a relaxed morning was spent in the cockpit enjoying ‘just being’. Lunch dined upon whilst a hungry duck or two hoped for a morsel, the dinghy was lowered and the four of us having boarded, off we motored around this idyllic waterway. First, though, was the maust take […]

Boat Winch Battery Boat Winch Battery

Today found Bob working on the anchor winch battery. Connected to the house batteries which are situated level with the entrance to the boat, with the anchor winch battery positioned in the forward cabin, it is quite a cable run to connect the two. As a result, there is a lack of charge to the […]

Water Filter Ugrade Water Filter Ugrade

Whilst the gear box is in being repaired, Bob is replacing parts on the water filter.

Removal of the Gear Box Removal of the Gear Box

The remainder of yesterday found Bob working on the removal of the gearbox, a process not as easy as one would imagine. Not familiar with the system and how it was interconnected, this was a slow steady process, as one misstep could cause a flood of seawater surging onboard, or a critical part severely damaged. […]

Departure Delayed Departure Delayed

Departure day the coming day, the morn saw Bob set the engine in motion. Having started her numerous times over the past month to ensure its systems were in working order, it should have been a breeze but once more, good ol’ Murph was up to his tricks. Looks like we’re not departing tomorrow after […]

Radio Checks Radio Checks

This morning Bob worked on the HF Radio, and tuned the channels.

Drogue Attachment Adjustments Drogue Attachment Adjustments

One of the most critical connections on an ocean cruising yacht are those for the drogue. For the uninitiated, a drogue is a funnel shaped contraption that slows the boat down in times of heavy weather. Open at both ends, it is made from strong material that is attached to rope with a stretch in […]

Ōtorohanga, New Zealand Ōtorohanga, New Zealand

This morning Bob and I took our first break since arriving in New Zealand. Packing clothes for a couple of days, we piled into the car and undertook the three – hour drive southward to the country town of Ōtorohanga. It was here that we caught up with some friends we met on our travels […]

New Toilets Up and Running New Toilets Up and Running

Hand pump toilets are not our favourite, so Bob had been searching for a couple of reasonably priced macerator versions. Just a finger press required, when used the number two and toilet roll becomes slush and doesn’t over time become a rock hardened mass that is nigh impossible to remove from the holding tank. A […]

Rigging Checked and Phone calls Galore! Rigging Checked and Phone calls Galore!

In both New Zealand and Australia, insurance companies stipulate that rigging must be replaced each decade under the rational that in theory the constant flexing causes it to work harden. It is also the function of rigging size. On racing boats, the rigging is as light as possible and under constant heavy strain, whereas on […]

A New Washing Machine A New Washing Machine

Operating on the American system, the washing machine was 110vt and 60 cycles, which is an American standard that is incompatible with pretty much everywhere else in the world. That being the case, the decision was made to purchase a 240vt at some stage. Well, that turned out to be sooner rather than later…… Out […]

A Well Kept Secret Revealed!!!!!!! A Well Kept Secret Revealed!!!!!!!

We’ve gone and done it. Purchased a new yacht! A Tayana 55 with a 20m mast and good water line: she averages 8 – 9 knots. Now we have the best of all worlds: a caravan for Oz, a boat for Europe and the Med and now a boat for Asia and the Pacific! The […]