"Good water, good life; poor water, poor life; no water, no life" Sir Peter Blake


Saturday, September 01, 2012

A kids life!

People often ask "how are the kids coping?" ... Well.. the kids have adapted great, and the LOVE living on the boat - even my Nanny was surprised with their answer!  It is certainly full of socialising, and general day to day things. There is always entertainment and the kids make friends so easily with the locals! 

 There is nothing like being able to spread your wings...

 Kids in the spa at Uncle Gordon's place - who poured half the container of soap in it???

 ahhh....the luxuries!!

 TJ and the TIP TOP regulars... 

 Freya and Lukas hiding.  Lukas was born the day after Freya and Lukas's mum and I have been best friends since primary school!  

yet another visit to the Tip Top parlour!

 Blake wanting to help scrub the cockpit in the middle of winter of course!

 Freya and Blake, watching the Friday Night Rum Racing

 Freya thinks they lit the Skytower with rainbow colours after all it has been raining and there have been lots of rainbows.

 Blake chilling out...

 Testing the strength of a clothesline!

 Our little water baby

Giant Jumping pillows - always good fun!

 all these balloons for me???? Enjoying the birthday celebrations on the Waterfront. 

 Aboard the William C Daldy 

 1st and 2nd mate aboard the William C Daldy

Air hockey at it's smallest

Baking on board - rainbow cookies! YUM!

 Enjoying socializing in the Viaduct on board other cats!


America's Cup AC72 Launching

The launching of the AC72 Amercia's Cup catamaran was a truly spectacular day. We were fortunate enough to be part of the launch day VIP party as well. A great evening and perfect weather. Craig and the Team NZ guys worked their butts off to get it all done in time, and they deserved all the praise. Well done Team!

The wing is 38m high, and the cat hulls are 22m long and 14m wide. What a machine!...This catamaran is the first of two Team NZ will build for the 2013 America's Cup. The 72-footers will be used for the Louis Vuitton Cup for challengers and the America's Cup match, both to be held on San Francisco Bay next year so pretty exciting stuff really!

It can only be sailed 30 days between launch day and 31st Jan 2013 so testing has to be programmed strategically to make sure they make the most of each day of testing on the harbour. - the chase boats have heaps of grunt on them just to try to keep up with them! 


 Totally unnerving watching a boat being hoisted on dry land - it's heartstopping!

 and then comes the wing....
 The wing is something else isn't it!

The AC72 heading to the launch area

 Awaiting her ceremonious welcome.  What a day to be in the Viaduct!

 Feeding time at the Zoo!  The lads dive into some well deserved tucker.

 Freya knows how exciting the moment is for New Zealand and is right at the heart of it!
 Freya liked the look of Ray Davies hat...she thought it was a possumn.

Capturing the moment with Dean Barker, helmsman of the beast in the background.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Big City Lights!

Wow, what a month it has been! We have gone from sitting on a swing mooring at Paihia, mooching around the Bay of Islands, to tied up to Auckland’s Viaduct Basin all within 24 hours! Basically to cut a long story short, Craig has a contract to work with Team NZ on the America’s Cup 72ft racing catamaran. So this is what our next few months will be, and what more perfect timing!

One of the Team NZ America's Cup 33 trial boats - it's super impressive seeing them sailing in and out of the harbour.  
The kids always yell out to them, pure NZ kiwi fan club!

Huge thanks to Alan, my step dad who helped us bring Mazuran down the coast, and to mum for the support and being the shore crew. You both have helped us in so many ways, and cannot thank you enough!


Alan, relaxed but tired at the helm, after a long trip down the coast.  Thank you!

My old playground - the Hauraki Gulf! What a great day to welcome Mazuran to the HG!

Craig’s first day at work started by going to work in the dinghy and now he is known as the "guy who comes to work by dinghy!" We sometimes catch him at lunch time too, and the kids love seeing him during the day too.   It’s all so busy in the city!  At night we don’t really need to use our cabin lights as the city lights are so bright!  Our neighbours are very shiny and often over 100ft long, and have many crew much tidier than ours.  I was asked recently if I was “the nanny”….I had to laugh! 

Craig's first day of work! Not may guys can say they went to work by dinghy!

We have had so many visitors! Every day since we’ve been here we have had friends come aboard - it’s been a blast and we’ve only been here 1 month!  I must admit being in the city again is quite motivating; you tend to speed up your ‘time’, plus its great entertainment, and fantastic areas for the kids to run around and scooter.  They absolutely love it....

The old tracks along the wharves make great scooter paths

Craig and his dad Paul enjoying a Sunday afternoon at the end of the wharf of the 'Cloud'.

The 'Cloud' - what a funky boat building shed it would be!

We were fortunate to see Steinlager 2 to return to her home, she is now in the basin along with many other previous yachts that were mainly to do with Sir Peter Blake.  A phenomenal man who did so much to New Zealand yachting.  Our ‘Blake’ is even named after him!

Welcome home Steinlager II!

The kids have loved the new addition to the Wynyard Quarter - a Tip Top "Pop-Up Parlour".  Basically it's a tip top ice cream shop in a shipping container.  We happen to watch it being unloaded off the truck (Blake was most excited to see it being unloaded with a hi-ab "just like the one that did our mast" he said.  Very observant!  But the best was yet to come.. we were the first 'customers' so then got the free-bees.  We are now known as the 'regulars'.. and they absolutely love the kids - we have loads of promo stuff on board now!  Very exciting for them, and a bonus that the kiddie cones are suitable for us adults too!  A perfect dessert in winter!

Mazuran, blending in.....

Our neighbours....

The Sky Tower looking pretty

Lots of vessels have come and gone from the Viaduct. One of the larger monos was Beau Geste, a 80ft monohull that was competing in the Auckland - Noumea race. They were unfortunate to fall off a wave half way through the race and do some pretty major structural damage to the boat and retreat to Norfolk Island. While they were in Auckland, we had the privilege to go on board, take photos and enjoy talking to the crew. The kids loved it also.

Queens birthday weekend we managed to escape to Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf.  A great sail on the Sunday followed by dolphins, then Monday was a lovely relaxing return back to the Viaduct.

Our morning sunrises are amazing!


Thursday, April 19, 2012

F is for FISH, FAMILY & FUN!


Another high came across the country so we made the most of it!  Mum and Alan came for a lovely 2 days in the Bay of Islands, enjoying a sail out to a very calm and tranquil bay for the evening.  Craig even tried a spot of evening fishing but wasn’t successful this time.   Venturing to Indigo Bay, Urupukapuka Island we then enjoyed a day of walks, kayaking and playing ashore at one of the Bay Of Islands most tropical beaches.  Then it was a gentle geneka ride back to Paihia with a lovely surprise on the end of the lure!

My first ever kingfish, weighing 13.5kg (approx 30lb) – Craig has been trying to catch this one for years, and he did very well to restrain himself from taking the rod off me!

My little 30 minute battle with an oversized sprat

 My step father, Alan, right at home at the helm

 My mum Eileen with Freya and Blake enjoying being out on the water

 Evening sunset in Opunga Cove, Craig heading out in the kayak to try and catch dinner.

 Male figurehead scanning for birds working

Walking at Urupukapuka Island, one of the many beautiful islands

Picture postcard! 

Craig said this photo looks superimposed! 

 Funky cloud formations


Thursday, April 12, 2012

Easter Treat, Bay of Islands

NZ weather at the moment is totally unpredictable, and as it happens we've had 3 windy storms in about 3 weeks, then 2 days of beautiful summer sunshine weather!  Talk about radical change!  Everyone is brassed off they haven't had summer, so we snapped up the opportunity to seek another bay for a view along with Craig's cousin and his family.  Previous to this sunshine we had lots of rain, and wind - so it made us relax, and enjoy being on board.  

Kids collecting pipis at Orokawa Bay, Bay of Islands

Brent spots a splash

 The lads are off to catch dinner

 Dinner!

 Kirsty also adds to the catch!

 The R Tucker Thompson under sail.

 Enjoying our sail back to Paihia

 The John Dory that tried to swallow a large kahawai, but it got stuck in it's mouth! - Craig saw it floating, grabbed it, and we had dinner for two nights! Doesn't get much easier than that!

 Blake dancing - such a rocker!

 Freya enjoying a bit of sunshine.

 Granny's visit on Easter Sunday

 Evening Parasailing in the Bay of Islands.

 One happy guy!

 Kids enjoying the trampoline