Upriver and into town

We spent one quiet night in Urquhart Bay and Jack took the opportunity to get some of the New Zealand marine growth off EV’s waterline. We’re long overdue for a haul out and antifouling but for now this will have to do.  It’s way too cold to get in the water. 

 

We motored a few miles across the Bay and anchored just outside the entrance to Marsden Cove Marina, where our friends on Macushla and Silver Fern are docked. For the first time in weeks we had a social gathering for happy hour at the marina bar and caught up with all the doings among the fleet. Jack and I continue to be surprised that since we arrived in New Zealand our social life has diminished instead of increased. This is largely because many of the cruisers parked their boats almost as soon as they got here and took off for home, wherever home is. Others found a comfortable place to tackle the long to-do list and have their heads down, working on the boat. That’s what we should be doing, and we’re headed for Whangarei to get started. Cruising is hard on all the systems and we have a lot of maintenance to do. 

Whangarei is twelve miles upriver and the weather cooperated for the trip.  

 We haven’t been up a river since the Hudson in New York in September 2012. For us it’s like a homecoming because we spent our land-based life on the rivers in Pittsburgh. This river got narrower and shallower as we motored upstream, with just a few feet under the keels in places.  

 Just before our final destination is an opening bridge, our first since leaving Florida in April 2013. It always looks like a squeaker from deck level.  

   
We requested a pile mooring instead of a dock and with the help of our friends on Toucan we got EV settled in for a long rest.  

 We really needed some fruit and vegetables and took a long walk around town to orient ourselves before hitting the grocery store. Not much was open but we got the sense of the place, and as per protocol, celebrated our temporary new home with ice cream.  

    
   

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

We love to hear from you!