Taking to the water on a sailing boat brings serious responsibilities. We feel that being prepared is one main ways of being as responsible as possible for the safety of those people aboard.
Continue readingThe Bay of Islands, New Zealand has a couple of coastal walking tracks that provide some stunning scenery. One of the tracks goes from Opua to Pahia and has absolutely stunning views. It is undulating.
Continue readingWe had decided to move aboard a sailboat two years before we actually did. We had four senior cats and we didn't want to make any big changes while we still had them.
Continue readingWe have had such a fantastic summer of cruising in New Zealand. In fact, we have been very lucky with the weather since leaving the marina in mid October 2023 (a week before Cyclone Lola was due to make landfall in New Zealand).
Continue readingThere's a lot for us to do as we prepare to go blue water cruising. New Zealand has one of the strictest Category 1 requirements which New Zealand registered boats need to meet before they are allowed to leave New Zealand for ocean sailing.
Continue readingWe've been living aboard Te Tāiko now for almost two years and I have never done a coastal passage on her. There are many reasons why, none of them actually to do with Te Tāiko.
Continue readingMoturua Island is truly a slice of paradise situated in the Bay Islands, Northland, New Zealand. Our first time visiting Moturua, we anchored in Army Bay, which gave us easy access to the shore and a secure place to leave Tītī (our tender).
Continue readingTe Tāiko's previous name was Silverwind. Although we felt Silverwind was a good name, we wanted to find a name that we felt suited her more. It was at this point that we realised that finding a name for a boat was not easy.
Continue readingRotoroa Island would have to be my favourite island to visit in the Hauraki Gulf. If you've ever visited Rotoroa Island, I'm sure you'll understand why. Situated off the east coast of Waiheke Island, on a clear day you can see the Coromandel.
Continue readingTiritiri Matangi (referred to as Tiri from here) is one of those places that one can visit many times and one will never get tired of seeing it, exploring it, or just being there. We first visited Tiri in 2020 while we were travelling up to Northland.
Continue reading