Back in Godzone!

Around 0930 I got a phone call from Moana, Peter Stuart's wife. Apparently he had called from the ship on his cellphone shortly after 0700. No sight of land but cellphone coverage nonetheless! They were making great progress and were expecting to be at the Ninepin in a few hours. ETA at Opua was still around 1500. I'd rearranged everything to be working from home before heading to Opua after lunch and at midday my phone rang - it was Russell! So good to hear his voice and they were expecting to be even earlier, heading past Russell Kororareka around 1330. So shortly around 1315 I headed up Flagstaff Hill, only to find Moana and Maryanne and the kids to spot the Tucker gliding by gracefully having rounded Tapeka point. I headed off to the ferry to open up the office and wait.

Margaret was already there, Greta just happened to be on the wharf as well as Kate's Mum plus a few onlookers as she came down the channel towards the Q berth for customs. After about an hour and a half they were released from MAF and customs and headed back to her dock at the end of the wharf.

Beers were opened and Geoff soon arrived with a couple of bottles of rum, food and more drinks and a celebration began. It was great as the Fullers boats and Dolphin Discoveries boats headed home, they all waved and shouted their welcome home messages.

What I hadn't realised is that as they passed Russell Kororareka, they decided to pay Kate a two gun salute with the cannon, firing right at Pompallier. So the whole town got the fright of its life with a huge bang - unfortunately though Kate was in Kerikeri but nice one anyway. The following morning when Kate headed in to town, everyone knew the Tucker was home!

Best laid plans.... again

I get home after a long day at the NRC in Whangarei only to manage to lock myself out of the house. By the time I walk into town, locate Geoff at the Swordy club it's 7.00 pm and I don't manage to extract him until after 8.00. Finally get in the house, and realise I've left my raincoat there - back to collect that and then at 8.30 log on to the internet to discover that the ship is barrelling down the coast at a great rate of knots and is expected in at 4.00 tomorrow. Looks like Sam was pretty spot on.

Major panic to try and get manifest through to customs (they don't publish a phone number in the book for some strange reason), sort out MAF and let all the friends and family know; cancel my planned day in Whangarei tomorrow morning and rearrange everything.

If you are reading this, be at Opua wharf on 3rd August after 4.00 - consider yourself warned! A bottle of rum is already set aside.

Thanks Mike!

Mike Harris, not only Lucy's dad, but the brains behind Pangolin and the YOTREPS software, as well as host of other goodies that yachties should really check out (visit www.pangolin.co.nz) has corrected my appalling mistakes with the YOTREPS reports. Our passage now tracks nicely across the Pacific. Phew :-)

Oops yet again

For some reason, the YOTREPS didn't save the West configuration and tonight's report went in with yet again the wrong position - showing them EAST rather than WEST. So just ignore the Pangolin report - they are not wildly tacking across the Pacific despite appearances.

Winds are still favourable, being Nor'westerly, and tonight's message read as follows:

brd+bttrpudumm
rhwillsndetatomrow

The reason I am publishing these messages in their entirety is that I can't be entirely certain of their meaning. I reckon that Tui cooked a great Bread & Butter pud for supper tonight and that Russ will provide an ETA tomorrow.

So there you have it......