Back to the North Island and to Whangarei

We had to make it back to our boat in Opua as Geoff was going to work in South Korea for about 3 weeks.  We raced back from the South Island and took the boat down about 80 miles to the town of Whangarei.  They have a great marina in the Town Basin and is close to everything in town.  There was lots to do and the kids and Miriam had great friends to hang out with.  As Geoff was away, we enrolled the boys in the local school, Whangarei Intermediate, so they (and Miriam) could take a break from "boat school".

Sharron (Whangarei Marina), Michelle (SV Jade) and Miriam 

at the Fancy Dress (costume) Dock party in the Whangarei Marina

Kai (SV Tika) celebrates his 13th birthday at Naylene and Phil's ranch. 

We camped out and had a great night.

Greer baked an amazing mocha cake!

Eric and Vandy from SV Scoots around the campfire

Camping fun

Lots of folks from the marina joined in for the day of camping fun

The next day, we had ice cream before Tika left to sail to the South Island.

Some fun activities while in Whangarei - Zumba!

Noah and Ferne joined a Zumba class with us

Horatio and Noah in their school uniforms

First day of school - Noah, Noah (SV Jade) and Horatio

Noah with a fresh head.  Nice haircut.

Noah's Year 7 teacher performing at the Love Mussel restaurant and bar. 

Bowling and Laser tag in the same building!!

Sinking - one of the unfortunate things that can happen to boats.  

Lots of folks from the marina rallied together to help save the boat.

Lots of water came rushing off the boat once the pumps were set up.

The boat did not sink and is now dry and being repaired due to the water damage.

We got tickets to the WOMAD,world music and dance, festival that was being held in Taranaki.  

4.5 hour drive SE of Whangarei.  Another long drive, but worth it!

Jade caravanned with us and Tika sailed to New Plymouth/Taranaki and our friends from Nogal flew from Australia to all join together for this incredibly fun 3 day festival.

Food and Fun with Friends

Jade, Tika, and Nogal and Enough 

all enjoying the very late night waiting for the Specials to perform

They had a Kid's Activity Center and the boys made this amazing cardboard house

The house was our meeting point with the kids during the festival as the grounds were very large and very spread out.

The WOMAD festival photographer taking a picture of the boys in their house.

One of the really inventive artists at WOMAD.  La Cymbalobylette from France. Horns, cymbals an bells work by peddling this bike.

A day in Auckland with friends from Hawaii

The Mehta's.  Friends from the San Francisco bay area that now live in Hawaii happened to be in Auckland for the day.  We spent the afternoon with them on Horatio's Birthday.

Back at the marina, Horatio had cake and brownies for his birthday cake

12 candles!  

Clothes exchange evening at Sharron's house. 

Great evening to meet new friends and exchange clothes

Easter Egg hunt

While the boat was being hauled out, we rented a house across the street from the marina.  It was a great location and had great views.  

Having Easter Brunch with SV Jade and SV Velic

Fun day at Ocean Beach in the Whangarei Heads.

oh, the thought of leaving them buried!

Time if coming for us to leave New Zealand and head back to the islands as cyclone season is almost over.  Seems to still be in effect, though! Lots of late cyclone activit.  But knowing that we would be leaving soon, we would need to haul out and at least paint the bottom.  Geoff  also wanted to make sure the keel bolts on our boat were still good as we did not know if they had ever been replaced or maintained.  So, we hauled out and Geoff managed to pull all the keel bolts out.  The good news was that luckily only 2 were bad, but the bad news was that the two that were bad were under the galley. So, they galley had to be taken apart!

Bad keel bolts

keel bolts

After, with the new bolts in place

template of the bottom of the keel

Cut and ready to be glued up

Epoxy and fiberglassed

Glued on and epoxied into place

Almost ready for paint

Ready to be lifted and then back in the water.

After 24 days, Enough is going back in the water.

Back to Town Basin to finish the floors and galley and

 then get ready to provision and head back up to the Islands - Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia (at least that is the plan so far!)