The Raven Logs: Even More North Island Cruising

…continued from an email dated Mar. 19, 2005

“The next day Anouk and I left the guys on the boat and took the ferry across the bay from Russell to the slightly larger town of Paihia, where we had a good time browsing through the shops. I came home with boating shorts, a sarong, and Maori pants, all of which are quite different from my usual wardrobe at home but are eminently suitable for the sailing lifestyle, especially when the weather is warmer in Fiji and Tonga this summer.

Saturday we sailed out of Russell and anchored off another idyllic island where we rather overdid the exercise routine. After lunch Mike and I went on an even more challenging up and down hike around the island. This track is touted as an archaeological tramp, featuring multiple remnants of early Maori habitation and fortifications. We passed close by a fishing camp that was established by Zane Grey. To me, he is known as a famous and prolific author of American western fiction, but in New Zealand he is celebrated as a famous fisherman from back in the 1920s.

Being suitably hot after the hike, a swim looked good so I donned mask, snorkel, and fins and swam from the boat to the beach and back, which probably came close to half a mile. Mike worried about me so he came to my rescue with the dinghy but was sent back passenger-less as I wanted to swim both ways. I seem to have a lot of built-in natural flotation and the swim fins make it easy.

This morning Anouk and I went for an early morning shortened version of yesterday’s hike, did some gym exercises at the top of a knoll, went back to the boat and swam boat-beach-boat again, and then decided it was a perfect day for scuba training – so out came the tanks and gear. Anouk gave me a good introductory briefing and then we dove down to the sandy bottom where she drilled me on several diving techniques that are important from a safety standpoing, and then we paddled around underwater for a bit.

Needless to say, that was a pretty vigorous morning. I have decided the very best feature of this boat is the hot freshwater shower on the stern swim step. As we board the boat after a swim or dive, we can immediately rinse the salt off with nice warm water and even shampoo our hair if so desired.

Tonight we are back in a big marina called Opua Marina. This is the departure and returns port for ocean-going yachts headed from New Zealand towards distant shores, returning again at the end of the cruising season. Raven will be stationed here again in late May, looking for a weather window to make the 1,000-mile passage to Tonga. In the meantime, we plan to rent a car tomorrow and travel to the slightly bigger again town of Kerikeri for some sightseeing and shopping. Hopefully, we’ll be able to purchase our own dive gear in town and stop borrowing Rod’s and Anouk’s stuff.”

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