HOMEWARD BOUND
For our passage, we decided that just the three of us would sail Rory back to New Zealand. This meant two-hour solo watches throughout the night and day. After all of the New Zealand coastal sailing, an intense (but great) passage up and six months sailing in Fiji, everyone felt like they had enough experience to handle it. Bluewater passages aren’t something to muck around with, particularly to New Zealand. So, it was a big decision to make. I am so glad we did, as nothing can take away the feeling of accomplishing that individually and as a family. Lots of planning goes into passages, in particular, picking the right weather window. We had a specific plan to avoid hitting New Zealand when there was a nasty front predicted to hit the top of the North Island. We were also planning to make as direct a passage as possible even if it meant we had to go to MIQ, however, the rules changed while we were at sea and we were lucky enough to be able to quarantine on our yacht!
07/11/21 - Day One
21º 46’ S 177º 23’ E
Sea temperature: 30.2º
We left Port Denarau at 0800hrs. Setting sail in super calm and clear meant we could turn the boat off and jump in for a final swim while my Mum free dived under the boat to check the prop… we didn’t want the propeller to fall off like on the voyage up to Fiji! We had the motor on, full mainsail and genoa out after we sailed through the final reef, with light winds of 7-9kts pushing us along. On night watch we dodged a couple of squalls and there was lightening in the distance, otherwise it was a starry night.
Leaving Fiji - Day One
08/11/21 - Day Two
19º 22’ S 176º 23’ E
Daily Total: 132.8 NM
Running Total: 132.8 NM
Sea temperature: 28.1º
On day two we continued at an average 8.5 knots with light winds and under motor, mainsail and genoa. We decided something eventful has to happen on each voyage, there is no such thing as an uneventful voyage! In true fashion, one of the toilets decided it had enough and decided to clog itself… a bit of a shituation in fact! As it was pretty calm, it didn’t turn into a biggy. Just a change in pipe - thanks Dad! A pretty sunset and a fingernail moon closed off the day.
Sunset - Day Two
09/11/21 - Day Three
21º 39’ S 176º 00’ E
Daily Total: 133.5 NM
Running Total: 266.3 NM
Sea temperature: 25.9°
We were mostly under sail with beautiful sunny, calm conditions on day three. With light winds and 1-2m SE swell, definitely a contrast to what we sailed up in! Night watch passed in peaceful starry conditions and the moon 33% waxing.
Sunset - Day Three
10/11/21 - Day Four
23º 55’ S 175º 52’ E
Daily Total: 141.4 NM
Running Total: 407.7 NM
Sea temperature: 24.2°
Day four consisted of more sunny, light conditions, which means motor and zig-zagging to keep some wind in the sails. The deep blue looks pretty inviting to swim in, especially when you haven’t seen any wildlife.
Sunset - Day Four
11/11/21 - Day Five
24º 26’ S 173º 59’ E
Daily Total: 103.9 NM
Running Total: 511.6 NM
Sea temperature: 24.1°
Day five was so calm that Mum and I jumped into the ocean, pretty much in the equidistance between NZ, Fiji and New Caledonia. It was surreal being in the middle of the ocean, with absolutely nothing in sight apart from the ocean, the sky and us. We didn’t stay in the ocean (who knows what was underneath!) for very long but it was very refreshing! We left Denarau a few days behind other boats, so via satellite phones, we kept in touch. It was definitely nice to know that we weren’t the only ones bobbing around by ourselves!
5AM Sunrise - Day Five
12/11/21 - Day Six
26º 19’ S 173º 40’ E
Daily Total: 116.5 NM
Running Total: 628.1 NM
Sea temperature: 24.1°
The great calm continues - is this the same ocean we came up in? Motor, all sails up and averaging a slow 3.8-4.8kts! The cool thing about sailing on a voyage is that you see the sunrise in the morning and the sunset at night! We are still eking out Fijian pineapples, mangoes and limes and the meals we premade are making life in the galley easy.
5AM Sunrise - Day Six
13/11/21 - Day Seven
28º 12’ S 173º 14’ E
Daily Total: 123.0 NM
Running Total: 751.1 NM
Sea temperature: 23.7°
Hello day seven, a wind change and a swell change, we know we have hit the 40’s (latitude)! An awkward roll was created when the wind picked up and the swells increased to 3 metres. Still no wildlife nor no fish fed by the crew! Downloading weather GRIBS from Predictwind was mostly consistent with what we picked, so it looks like a more spirited sail into NZ (as expected!).
5AM Sunrise - Day Seven
14/11/21 - Day Eight
29º 35’ S 173º 58’ E
Daily Total: 121.3 NM
Running Total: 872.4 NM
Sea temperature: 23.0°
A roly-poly afternoon and evening on day eight, with confused seas with a 3m swell at short intervals. Wind average 20kts, all over the place…. still not as bad as on the way up! I spotted the first container ships appearing on radar during night watch. Warmer clothes unearthed from the back of cupboards and the sleeping bag out for nightwatch. Sunny and warm throughout the day. Excellent news for us reported from the yachts ahead - no MIQ required!
5AM Sunrise - Day Eight
15/11/21 - Day Nine
31º 34’ S 173º 56’ E
Daily Total: 129.6 NM
Running Total: 1002.0 NM
Sea temperature: 20.9°
A beautiful sunrise after a rollicking time yesterday. Up to 4m swell and still awkward. Heading directly into Opua. After the blues of Fiji, the ocean and sky are a completely different colours, more grey and green, than blue.
Sunset - Day Nine
16/11/21 - Day Ten
33º 47’ S 174º 05’ E
Daily Total: 135.0 NM
Running Total: 1137.0 NM
Sea temperature: 20.0º
Munching the miles on the final home straight. Day ten had a beautiful sunrise and a clear, crisp day, with the swell easing. We headed for Nine Pin Rocks with an ETA of 2000hrs and then we are into Opua and Q-dock by 2200hrs. After the rocking and rolling, we were keen to see land again!
Nine Pin Rocks - Day Ten
35º 18’ S 174º 07’ E
Daily Total: 93.0 NM
Running Total: 1230.0 NM
Sea temperature: 22.7°
After 230.5 hours spent at sea, we tied the lines onto the Quarantine Dock in Opua at 22:21. We had made it back to New Zealand! Land ahoy!
Total Nautical Miles: 1230.0 NM
Total Log Book Nautical Miles: 4623.4 NM
Our location every 24 hours sailing back!