Landfall NZ

I'm happy to have arrived in New Zealand. The Bay of Islands are gorgeous and we're enjoying spring weather, seafood and craft beer. Martin got the bikes put together and we'll be getting some miles in on the impressively steep terrain soon, right after we solve the forgotten helmet and shoes situation.

...and it was done.

Pau Hana has arrived in New Zealand!
12 months, 12,000 miles, 11 countries!
Our last leg from Fiji was our most challenging. We sailed hard upwind for over 700 miles, then burned most of our fuel motoring 300 miles, and then faced strong headwinds and steep waves for the final 100 miles.  We broke more gear on this leg than on our entire trip prior.
We cleared customs last night and slept well. It is spring in NZ, so rather cool. Our road bikes are being delivered to the marina today. Perfect timing!
More later
Martin

Pau Hana - hopefully the final day

[pos]34 42s 174 21e
[sp]5.5
[h]250 T
[w]wind 15-18kts SSW seas 1.5m
[s]Motorsailing. Difficult progress past 24 hours. 28 nm to Opua

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beginning of day 9

[pos]33 27s 173 47e
[sp]5.9
[h]180 T
[w]wind 13kts SW seas 1m
[s]underway from Lautoka Fiji to Opua. 1023mb. Motorsailing. All is well 103 nm to Opua
Barring any problems, we should be at the Opua marina about 2am.

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Pau Hana begins day 8

[pos]31 27s 173 28e
[sp]4.5
[h]175 T
[w]wind 8-10kts SE seas 1m
[s]underway from Lautoka Fiji to Opua. 1026mb. Motorsailing. All is well 224 nm to Opua.
Slow progress but comfortable. Unidentified sea bird grabbed my lure and got to meet Martin and his pliers. He survived and was fed tortillas and cheese the rest of the afternoon.
I was hoping to finish in 8 days but it seems this will carry into nine days.

Martin

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Pau Hana

[pos]29 37s 173 14e
[sp]4.5
[h]180 T
[w]wind 10kts ESE seas 1m
[s]underway from Lautoka Fiji to Opua. 1026mb.
sea state improving.
all is well 335 nm to Opua

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Pau Hana

[pos]27 42s 173 10e
[sp]4.5
[h]175 T
[w]wind light to 12kts ESE seas 1.5m
[s]underway from Lautoka Fiji to Opua
all is well 458 nm to Opua

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Pau Hana halfway to NZ

[pos]25 57s 173 44e
[sp]5.7
[h]200 T
[w]wind 15-20 kts ESE seas 1.5m
[s]underway from Lautoka Fiji to Opua
Conditions still improving. 90% low clouds. we got our desired wind shift and are steering for Opua
just about half way. 575nm remaining. optimistic ETA monday PM, October 19. all's well

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Pau Hana beginning day 4

[pos]23 37s 174 14e
[sp]5.0
[h]205 T
[w]wind 18kts SE seas 1.5m
[s]underway from Lautoka Fiji to Opua, NZ
Conditions improving. Hoping for wind shift to ESE or E
all's well
We may have to tack to the ENE if we don't get a favorable wind shift in the next day or so.
We're leaving the tropics -currently 68* F - hats and boots are coming out for night watch.
Martin

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Pau Hana to Opua Day 2

Conditions improved from yesterday. Still beating upwind in lumpy seas.
Boats ahead of us that we're in contact with report wind shifting from SE to E

[pos]21 32s 176 23e
[sp]5.5
[h]195m
[w]wind 18-22kts SE seas 2-3m
[s]underway from Lautoka Fiji to Opua NZ

working upwind towards 30s 173e
all's well
Martin

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Pau Hana is underway

[pos]19 33s 176 10e
[sp]5.5
[h]200m
[w]wind 20kts SE seas 2-3m
[s]underway from Lautoka Fiji to Opua NZ
working upwind towards 30s 173e
all's well

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Look both ways before you cross!

Happy Birthday Martin!

 Best Cap'n ever takes a break to go dive.

 Diving with Megan Ross

 We've had overall mediocre sailing conditions here in Fiji but yesterday coming back to Viti Levu we had 15-20 kts of wind, great sailing.

Happy 45th Birthday Martin! Tonight we'll celebrate with a well travelled box of Ghiradelli chocolate cake mix(it has made the same trip as we have, from NC) and dinner at the Boatshed restaurant. We're making final preparations to leave Fiji on Saturday and make the passage down to New Zealand, about a 1,000 mile trip. We'll wait out the cyclone season there until May 2016. Pau Hana will get some rest and a tune-up after the big trip.

Dolphins ride the bow wave

No matter how many times this happens, it's always a complete delight. Footage from the Galapagos, pre-GoPro.

https://vimeo.com/141604143#t=NaNs