5 minute read
From the helm
From the helm
Some exciting news this edition that both Australia & New Caledonia have opened their borders to sailors. We are now going to include these destinations as optional add-ons to our Pacific Rally. We are now eagerly awaiting news of the NZ Maritime border as we've got some exciting plans afoot to go with that announcement. Watch this space... I am really looking forward to once again welcoming international yachties to our shores!
I hope you've been managing to avoid catching COVID over the last few weeks. There is certainly a bit of it about. The good news though is that things are becoming easier to move around as we have seen with the Australian and New Caledonian borders reopening for sailors. Fingers crossed the powers that be do the same with New Zealand sooner rather than later...
Our Pacific Rally plans are coming together incredibly well. We've got some awesome new sponsors on board this month including Orakei Marine, Bay of Islands Marina, Bato Flags, Rocket Cruising Guides, Whangarei Marina, Denerau Marina, Copra Shed Marina, Sealogs, Octacle, Multihull Solutions, Global Marine, Helly Hansen, House of Travel, Hunting & Fishing and more! Thanks to all our sponsors, so much for all the amazing discounts, benefits and support you are giving the rally participants, it is very much appreciated and makes joining the rally extremely good value for money!
The rally guides are about to head off to the printer, the charts are ordered, the goody boxes are being packed full of exciting treats, we've got webinars lined up including PredictWind, communications, passage planning, documentation on top of the weekly workshops helping everyone get through the Cat 1 Process. It is all go around here!
If you are looking for crew for the passage or any passage for that matter, we've got a CrewSeeker page on our website for members, which is packed full of keen people. From experienced delivery skippers, to sailors keen to get some offshore experience & miles under their belts, to keen newbies eager to learn.
I've also had the pleasure of chasing around the countryside acting as shore crew, port captain and social media person for the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club Central Triangle Yacht Race. We had a whistle stop tour of Wellington, Akaroa & Napier before finishing the race today back in Wellington after the boats had a hiding off the Wairarapa Coast over the weekend... heaps of fun and well done to the eight boats that participated!
It is awesome to see that the SailGP event has been rescheduled to March 2023 This time next year in Whakaraupo Lyttelton Harbour we will be watching this regatta! My plan is to re-jig the South Island Rally this summer to go the other way around and end up in Lyttelton for this awesome event! Drop me a line if you are keen and I'll keep you in the loop when I've got all the details nailed down.
Speaking of the South Island Rally, many of the boats are rounding Farewell Spit as we speak and are completing their circumnavigation of the South Island. It must be a relief to be back in familiar territory in Tasman Bay where their adventures started back in early January three months ago.
We've had a fantastic group of yachties on the rally who I have thoroughly enjoyed supporting along the way. I hope you have enjoyed seeing some of their gorgeous photos on Facebook and in the newsletter. It has been a bit quiet while they've been out of coverage in Fiordland, but I've had the odd text to let me know that one boat managed to catch COVID in Milford Sound of all places, there has been a few close encounters with rocks, getting to know the friendly sandflies on an intimate basis, filling water tanks via waterfall, blue cod, crayfish and lots of adventures.
I'd like to take the time to sincerely thank all the very generous sponsors of the South Island Rally such as PredictWind, Parker Marine Group, Lawsons Dry Hills, Port Whangarei Marine Centre, Spire NZ, Hunting & Fishing, Nelson Tasman Tourism, King Salmon, Hydrovane, and all the amazing people who have helped with the South Island rally:
People like Sheila from the yacht club in Opua, Tui, Johnny, Billy & Luke the guys who arranged moorings for us around the countryside, Andy & Rodney for taking the time to share their tips on cruising down South, Rodney for helping me write the rally guide book, the boatshops around the country that have graciously assisted with my random requests & sending parts all over the country, Matt at Te Ana Marina for squeezing nearly everyone in to the marina, Naval Point for the use of the club and floating jetty, the contractors around the country particularly Chris Harris in Nelson for fixing broken things, all the many crew members who have jumped on and off boats to help the skippers with the deliveries, Waikawa Boating Club for their special deal on moorings in the Sounds, Punga Cove & Furneaux Lodge for the free drinks, to the rescue helicopters & Coastguard for their help...!!! Bruce our incredible weather router for his patience and expertise, Peter Mott for fixing everyone's AIS & SSB radios and keeping track of everyone for me, Meri from Bluff Fishermen's radio, all the Harbourmasters in the various ports that everyone has visited. I know I have probably missed a few off my list but thank you all! It has been a mammoth exercise and incredibly rewarding.
Happy sailing and thanks for all your support!
Cheers
Viki
