The Devil Wears Foul Weather Gear

  A stunning sunset, gentle swell, balmy temperatures, happy crew - this adventure just gets better and better. Wind on the nose so motoring at 2500rpm's - keeping our speed up and the new turbo is loving it. Ninja Fritz in his element! Note the wake out the back!! Cooking up a storm for the hungry crew. Thank goodness they are not too fussy!! Don't want to bump into one of these in the night! Our nightly watches are 1 hour on with 4 hours off.  Friday night's sunset! Spectacular!! An end to another fabulous day. 9pm have just passed Gisborne.

 After a quiet night anchored in an arm off the Tory Channel, we woke to pea soup fog. Decided to get underway and have breakfast on the water - the Mimu crew all patched up and in great spirits for the next leg! A breakfast banquet - bacon and scrambled eggs with cherry tomatoes and wilted spinach! For someone who doesn't cook - not too shabby First Mate!  Exited the Tory Channel for Cook Straits just as the fog lifted and it looked to be the most awesome day. Brilliant blue skies and gentle swell. New turbo working a treat. The lovely Lisa keeping us on course.  Stunning weather.  Sailed under genoa and full main.  With the wind rising as we left the mainland, Mimu hit 11+ knots on occasion. Perhaps we were slightly over canvassed when the wind gusts reached 25 knots but the exhilaration was second to none. After motor sailing for most of the South Island we were so excited to finally have full sail up. Skipper looking pretty relaxed and chilled! Kaikoura Rang...

The fog lifted around lunchtime for the new crew's arrival. Skipper, Lisa, Cam and Fritz - flying Auckland to Blenheim. Last minute jobs onboard - A hoist up the mast for Skipper to check a wobbly VHF aerial, quick visit to the liquor store (wine, beer and bubbles for our arrival in Auckland). A safety briefing then to the fuel dock.  We are carrying 800 litres of diesel and 600 litres of fresh water.   A bird's eye view from top of the mast. First Mate has Skipper's life hanging by a thread (or rather a halyard)!! Testing out the new comms! And we're off - leaving Picton on a stunning evening, heading to the Tory Channel for an overnight anchorage. The BlueBridge ferry coming in Queen Charlotte Sounds. A beautiful starry night in the Queen Charlotte Sounds. The crew on our final leg Picton to Auckland minus the Commodore who is with us in spirit and following on the AIS. 9pm its bedtime, we are all patched up with our Scopoderms and ready to sail! Anchor up 7am, cooked...

 MIMU - Length 17.78m, Beam 5m, Draft 2.1m And what is the purpose of the black strap tied to the stripper's pole at the bottom of the companionway steps? We use the strap on a starboard tack, sailing downwind or in lumpy seas. Prevents us from accidentally being thrown across the boat. At the galley sink, you can brace yourself in using your feet, legs and hips.  A daily workout! All electric with hot and cold running water, salt water foot pump, dishwasher and icemaker (both currently not used), gimballed hob/oven combo with a separate single burner induction cooktop, fridge, freezer, microwave, kettle toaster, crockpot, toasted sandwich maker, food processor.  Big storage compartment under the galley floor and easy wipe down corian benchtops. Top opening fridge with door for access into the lower compartments. Separate top opening freezer to the right of this pic. When sailing our passages ... Breakfast is DIY - cereal, muesli, porridge, toast, muffins Lunch - soup, pa...

  You could say the beautiful township of Picton is abroad ... it feels like we have crossed an ocean to get here!  Have enjoyed a whole week of sunshine and blue skies, balmy temperatures, happily settled into marina life ... flush loos and hot showers plus industrial size washing machine and drier less than 30 seconds walk away. Shore power ... heating ... it's positively tropical onboard Mimu. Just like fancy apartment living. Experiencing dinners on other boats, drinks with the local fisherman plus fish for the freezer, chatty marina dwellers and locals passing the time of day. A 5 minute walk into a vibrant town center, the best library you can imagine, a $4 bus ride away from the big metropolis of Blenheim, picturesque cafes along the harbourfront, views of the Cook Strait ferries arriving and departing. Spending this downtime bringing Mimu back up to scratch and to put a smile on our Skipper's face.  It is never a hardship to be involved in boat maintenance and the...

 Well ... the news is ... a new turbo has been ordered from the States, a 10 day wait time, rigging expert onboard tomorrow to sort out the genoa furling.  Skipper, Commodore and crew are now on the InterIslander heading to Wellington followed by flight to Rotorua and home to Taupo.  Jean staying onboard Mimu, jobs to do ...  (a huge thank you to the Maple Store team for allowing me the extra weeks off work, a heartfelt thank you). Joined by Troy of Lionheart.  Final crew bonding session - changes afoot. Lamb rack @ Mimu 5 Star Restaurant. Farewell Mimu ... but the circumnavigation will continue.  All going to plan the next leg Picton to Napier in a couple of week's time followed by final leg to Auckland in Mimu with all systems go.

 Left Mimu for the day, hired a car and headed to Blenheim for a bit of sight seeing and girly shopping ... Aviation Museum for the boys. Bubbles, Sav, Pinot at Cloudy Bay Winery.