3 December 2024 -New Zealand- Waiheke Island

Keith and I got up about 6.15 am and we made a quick cup of tea and took our cups with us in the car and a couple of bananas. We drove to Waiheke Marina and parked up and found Stormbird who seemed fine. There was quite a lot of cloud but little wind and we prepared the boat and our lines. We slipped off our mooring in the still light air and went out of the marina before anyone was stirring apart from the ferry.

We set our course and motored about 7 kts toward Half Moon Bay Marina where Stormbird was being lifted out. The morning improved and it was a lovely day. We made a decent pot of coffee en route and watched the world go by. There was little traffic apart from the ferries and we passed Waiheke and went round Motuhi Island and round into the Tamaki River, which led to Half Moon Bay Marina.

I called the marina on the VHF radio when about a quarter of a mile away and got permission to moor on the fuel dock pending our lift out. As we arrived one of the guys came over and unbeknown to me he was the manager of the yard. He said we are ready for you so I reversed back and into the arms (slings) of the lift out crane. It is a large square metal crane with 4 large wheels and it drives out on its own platforms with the water in the middle and when in position it lowers its slings, which then are put in position under the boat and moved to the right positions. Then gradually they raise the slings and they then lifted Stormbird out of the water revealing its blue bottom which had a bit of growth on it. They then reverse back along the platforms until you reach the main quay and transported Stormbird to a bay where they then pressure wash the hull. She is then taken with a clean bottom to a metal cradle which they use to support the hull with various supports and blocks and then lower her on to the bottom of the keel and into the cradle. They the release the slings and move the crane out the way and put a ladder up to the side of the hull.

The picture of the day is Stormbird in her cradle.

Once she was in position I liaised with a lot of the workmen who I had organised in advance. The riggers were there to take away the sail for repair and to start on the rigging issues – leaking backstay, vang checking etc. The plumber was there to fit the new pump for the watermaker and to put a new skin fitting for the engine inlet. This is the hole through the hull through which the engines draws in sea water and circulates it round the engine to cool it and which is then expelled through the exhaust. They will check all skin fittings and he also introduced somebody who will help when the boat is lifted in on the 19th December 2024. I met the engine and generator service people and those who are going to do the antifouling and to change the anodes (lead weights which take away electric currents from metal in the hull).

The life raft and Jonbuoy will come back on Friday and the hull and topsides will be cleaned next week. I was able to meet all the contractors and arrange everything which was great. However, to do this meant I had to spend time over the last few months gearing all this up so it all happens. We will see but I could not have done any more.

Once I had met and talked to everyone Keith and I prepared to leave. Dean, the yard manager saw us and said he would take us to a good café to get some lunch before we moved on which was very kind. Keith and I had a quick bite to eat and he then took a taxi to the airport to hire a car and I got on the ferry back to Waiheke.

The trip took an hour and it was nice to sit back and enjoy the view. The islands and water ways are so beautiful. I got back to Kennedy Point on Waiheke and went to Waiheke Marina where I had left the car and I said hello to Tom Warren, a Director, who had helped arrange the lift out and introduced me to the contractors and I gave him a bottle of whisky to say thank you. I also settled up my final bill.

I then drove back to our rental house and it was lovely and warm. We had left Jules and Ruth this morning but they had had a lovely time and had gone into Oneroa for a coffee and were just finishing lunch. We all wanted to go for a swim and decided to walk down to the beach. It was one of those days where you feel it is the right thing to do. Keith had managed an early ferry and so arrived just as we were leaving. We therefore all went down to the beach and had a good swim. Initially it felt cold but once you were in it was lovely.

Once we swum we walked back up from the beach and enjoyed a cup of tea and the fantastic view on the terrace. There were a number of boats who came into anchor and it is always fun to watch what they do and how they do it. We had an evening drink watching all this and the lovely birds who come and feed on the flowers and plants just below the terrace. It was quite hot and you could only take so much sun.

It had been a great day. The lift out with Stormbird was mission accomplished and we had enjoyed the rest of the day and had a great swim and evening drink with nibbles with a fantastic view. We then had a lovely pasta pesto with a rocket salad.  

We move on tomorrow off the island to Lake Taupo.   

Opportunity Year Two

In year two I will be going from New Zealand in early January 2025 across to Sydney and up the Eastern Australian Coast, Indonesia and then through Bali, Singapore and on to Thailand to end year two about the end of November 2025. I will need some more crew.

If there is any interest do email me at  hine.nick9@gmail.com  

The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com