wheels 544 Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 We are currently in Whitianga. The weather has been all over the place, but mainly wild which ever direction. So much for the Weather guru's saying El N...whichever the one it is, bringing mainly westerlies. We have our last leg, which is the big one, but just can't get a window to get us all the way. It is so frustrating. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Deep Purple 530 Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Yep that El Niño thing proved the forecasters have no bloody idea. We're at Whitianga and glad to be be in our beach house and not on the boat. Todays nice though, a group of us are flying down to Waihi Beach for lunch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maharg 2 Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Took the family to the Barrier for the first time just before New Years. 3 days stuck in the cabin with 2 kids, with wild wind and rain is not what happy family boating memories are made of. Then waiting for the weather window to appear for us all to get home and a bumpy ride home yesterday. Won't ever get the family back there on a boat again, which is a shame. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
B00B00 317 Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Maharg, yes I know what its like to be stuck in a small boat with kids in bad weather- Not much fun at all! We have energetic 3 young boys 3, 5 and 7 who get cabin fever pretty quickly and have done extended cruises on boats from 22-28ft for the last 10 years. However that storm was very well forecast from close to a week out so heading to the barrier the day before the storm was a probably not the best decision. We headed back into the marina on the night of the 31st in convoy with 4 other friends boats and had a nice dock party for new years. Then did the normal rainy day activities in Auckland like the museum and starwars in 3D. Yes disappointing to only get 5 days in the boat instead of 8 but a much better result than putting the family off boating (or even worse given the 50kt forecast...). I would have loved to get to the barrier but given the random weather we only got as far as Coromandel. We had 5 beautiful days out there with barely a cloud in the sky. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maharg 2 Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 B00B00, yes in retrospect we definitely made the wrong decision. Although we left on the 28th and at the time I seem to remember forecast winds in the 30's and a day and a half of rain. I have only been to Port Fitzroy once before for a day and thought the massive hills/mountains there would provide very good wind protection. Our boys are a little older than yours and would fine for a day or so of rain. The hard part was the strong winds that came through and how it affected all the boats there. We were in the best place to anchor and still had the boat on it's side in the gusts. A lot of boats dragged and we had to constantly keep a lookout as everyone was all over the place. Anyway I am sure a couple of good days in the future and all will be restored. Might send the family on the car ferry to the Barrier next time though Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beccara 25 Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 It's been very frustrating for us, This break was meant to be our family's first time out and about cruising around on our cat after Christmas however the weather kept us put at the Whangarei Marina. The winds have been so bad i've only managed to get up one mast to check the seizing wire :/ Ah well, plenty of 3 day weekends coming up Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 544 Posted January 5, 2016 Author Share Posted January 5, 2016 I had no issue with the forecasts. We knew what was coming and when. I did get very annoyed with people anchoring so close when everyone should have been well aware of what was coming. What caught many out in Kiwiriki was the 180degree wind change in the night. We were used to that having come from the Sounds, so it was frustrating having people anchoring like that knowing anything could happen. Actually we ran from Bon Accord back to GBI simply because I felt really at home in there in that kind of weather. Bon Accord made me uncomfortable because it felt far more exposed and I had no knowledge of the place in those conditions. nd of course, everyone was anchored close together.What has frustrated me the most though, is hardly a break in the strong winds. The massive Air Streams from the South flowing onto the Tasman, then Spiralling around SouthEast to East and then a sting in the tail from the North before it slides off to allow the next similar airmass to come across. I guess the Cyclone in the tropics has an affect on that. Looking at "windy" it is easy to see the air mass from way down here flowing on up and swinging around the storm. I just wanted a few days of one wind direction so I can get down the coast home in one shot. I think I have a window of opportunity from Saturday Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 253 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Hope the wind gods are kind to you Alan, will be passing through Blenheim/Picton around the 16th / 17th, will try and catch up, f you've made it that is. Cheers, steve p Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harrytom 679 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Planning on a trip 16th january,hoping to go ponui then port charles around to kennedy bay out to the mercs/whitianga back to charles te kouma and home so the weather gods better play ball,all else fails kawau/mahurangi Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 544 Posted January 6, 2016 Author Share Posted January 6, 2016 Hope the wind gods are kind to you Alan, will be passing through Blenheim/Picton around the 16th / 17th, will try and catch up, f you've made it that is. Cheers, steve p Did you get to do your trip Steve? Or was it via Bike instead? I have been wondering how you got on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkside 64 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Haven't found it too bad but we have no kids on board this year. We left the boat in Whangamata from New Years for the worst of it. Then we headed back around into Auckland (HMB) on the 4th and back out here to the Barrier yesterday afternoon after a morning at work. I saw three H28's leaving Gt Mercury as I came past on the 4th and they were in Happy Jack yesterday afternoon so smaller yachts are out there as well. The weather isn't brilliant like last year but doable if you are sensible about it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,701 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 And it has been cold Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeteG 13 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Looks like you have had pretty average weather up North this year. We on the other hand had the most amazing weather in the Sounds. Went out on Christmas Day, and back in on New Years eve. 6 days in the top of Pelorus Sound in bugger all wind and glorious fine days, very flat seas too, we turned into a motor boat for most of the time. Perfect fishing and plenty of scallops... wish you were all here...not! Payback will come our way, we are heading up north next year as part of our extended cruise/lazy life for a few years! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 544 Posted January 6, 2016 Author Share Posted January 6, 2016 That sucks. Not for you of course. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
too_tall 15 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Wheels, at least Whiti is a nice enough place to be stuck. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeteG 13 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Wheels shame you were not ready to head south earlier. We helped deliver our friends new boat down Auckland to Waikawa from 9th December. We fluked the only decent window for ages. Left among the Wed twilight fleet, Channel Island at 0130 Thursday, SW 25-30 for a fast ride across BOP, around East Cape 0400 Friday morning, motor down to Mahia on the Friday during the day, light northerly Saturday down to Castlepoint, THEN snotted by strong west/NW around Pallaser on the Sunday morning and a tough day followed. In Tory 0130 Monday morning. So a tick over 4 days. Hope you get a good high come shortly and get a good ride south too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ex Elly 225 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Wheels, at Kawau you could have anchored at Coppermine. Much better than Bon Accord in an easterly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 544 Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 Wheels, at least Whiti is a nice enough place to be stuck. Yes, but I imagine it much better if the Sun was out and the water clear.....like in all the photos I have seen the place. PeteG now that sounds like a great trip. We are anchored in Tga now awaiting yet another NE blast tomorrow to go over. The sea was coming from 5 different angles today. Simply because the Wind had slowly spiraled around out there. Elly, bit late now Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 544 Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 Well we managed to get from Whitianga to Tauranga today. A big swell rolling through that made us roll all over the place and by the time we got to Mayor Island, I could count five different swell directions. But we sat at 6kts all the way and was spot on time coming through the harbor channel. Anchored around to the right off the Wharf. Supposed to blow NE and swing to N again tomorrow and up to 35kts. So it will be a rest day for us. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beccara 25 Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Sounds like it's been a bad holidays, I am somewhat thankful we decided to stay put as newbies http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11570867 Quite a few groundings and near misses from all the bad conditions Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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