AUGUST , 2009
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AUGUST , 2009 |
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| ALL WORK & SOME PLAY |
Over the course of five weeks on the hard we managed to complete the repairs to the sail drive, diaphragms, and engine mounts on the port side as well complete several maintenance projects. We had originally thought that we would be back in the water after two weeks but the ‘to do’ list kept growing and we quickly realized that this was unrealistic. Work progressed quite slowly and, at times, it seemed as though we would never finish. It was two weeks before the new diaphragms and engine mounts were delivered to us, and then almost one more week before these were installed to Paul’s satisfaction. We had a great deal of assistance from a yachty named Michael who was working on his boat in the yard. Michael is a retired marine engineer from Germany and he helped Paul modify the brackets so that the engine sat correctly on the engine mounts. Our long list of accomplishments also includes:
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Here is Paul applying the second of the coats of bottom paint (the blue coat). We use different colours for two reasons – it is easier to see if you are missing any spots when you are adding another coat and over one or two years of wear we can see how the coats of paint are lasting. |
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For the third coat, instead of using our usual colour of black, and because he had too much blue and red paint left, Paul mixed equal parts of the blue and red and ended up with a dark plum colour – the exact colour of our canvas for our mainsail stack pack and the edge of our foresail. We are quite happy with the result! |
On July 26, 2009 we left the boat at 0900h and drove through the town to the Main Exhibit Hall at Forum North, which is the town civic centre. The town of Whangarei was holding its “Midwinter Arts Festival: a celebration of the arts and culture in the community” and we wanted to be there for the last day. We spent the entire day inside the Forum and wandered around enjoying the arts exhibitions, with displays from weavers, carvers, potters, jewelers, painters and many more. While we were enjoying these exhibits, in the same hall, we were able to sit and watch short performances, which included music from a teenage harpist, a Cook Island and a Samoan Dance Troupe, fiddlers, and jugglers. Our favourite group was a trio of young women playing traditional Scottish fiddle music and who call themselves ‘Fiddleore’. At one point we walked outside to the Buskers’ Pitch and enjoyed watching a few busking acts. We finished off the afternoon by attending a three-hour showcase of extraordinary dancers and dance forms from across the community, called ‘Hot Feet, Belly and the Beat’. At the close of the day we drove a short way to the Quarry Arts Centre where we met our Whangarei friends Dave and Margaret for mulled wine and pizza while we awaited the arrival of the lantern parade and the closing ceremony. We had a delightful day! On Sunday, August 2, Dave and Margaret picked us up at 1030h and we drove to Matakohe to the Kauri Museum, a drive of one hour. We had been encouraged by our Comedy Net friends to go to the museum and we were not disappointed. The museum with its outstanding displays, real exhibits, original early photos, and fascinating stories provided us with stimulating insight into what life was like in early New Zealand. Settlers harvested the timber and gum from the giant kauri trees and eventually the tree became almost extinct. “Tane Mahuta”, or “Lord of the Forest” is the largest volume Kauri still living and is approximately 1,250 years old. Its diameter is 4.38 metres (14.4 feet) and trunk height to the first branch is 17.68 metres (58 feet). Tane Mahuta is north of the museum in Waipoua Forest and although we did not drive to the forest to see the giant Kauri, the massive size of these trees was obvious in the many displays in the museum. Although the few remaining trees in New Zealand are protected from harvesting, there is still plenty of carving of Kauri timber going on in present day. What is called “swamp Kauri” is being discovered and the area around Dargaville (north of the museum) is one of the places where ‘swamp kauri’ can be found. Up to 50,000 years ago, thousands of hectares of kauri forest were flattened, possibly in storms. The trunks of the giant trees have been preserved in peat land, and are now excavated and milled for timber. This is used to make ornaments and furniture. |
Here is Paul pointing to a massive Kauri slab – 22.5 metres in length. The museum is huge with many different wings. Our favourite displays were in the Sterling Wing, which is a quality six-room c.1900 home, fully furnished, original décor, and dressed models. We all agreed that these early settlers had a very difficult life and we are happy to have modern day conveniences to make our lives easier. |
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August 21, 2009 We said our good-byes to the people at Norsand’s Boatyard and went back into the water in the morning at high tide. We anchored in the river just off of the boatyard ramp for a few days of relaxation before we head back north. |
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Even in the midst of all of our troubles and the work at the boatyard, we realized that it is always possible to find something of beauty wherever you are. This picture is a good example – the morning before we were hauled out at the boatyard and when we were still feeling quite stressed about our situation, this was our view from our cockpit. We were enthralled with the combination of the still water, the fog in the hills over the nearby marina, and the reflection in the water of the nearby boat. |
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