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Voyage down East Coast Nth Island


TimB

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We are planning to sail my brothers 40ft Simpson catamaran, Mindset, from Whangamata down to Wellington via the East coast next week. Does anyone have some useful advice or tips from those that have done this before. Generally I understand most people recommend going the "other way" via the west coast but it is a lot longer distance. I have sailed out of Napier & Gisborne and know that East Cape can be a wind factory, but no experience of south from Napier. Thanks TB

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South of Napier towards the Castle Point/Wairararapa towards Palliser if its blowing dogs off chains Westerly/SW there is a line where the wind descends down from the cliffs and bounces up again. You don't want to be there. Inside this its often a pretty confused sea state and outside is the way to go having done it a few times. Perhaps PM Karl off Fine Entry as Napes is his home ground and he is in the commercial game he will probably be able to give you more of a heads up.

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I have done it many times, probably over 25 but mostly as a kid.

 

I cant remember exactly where the wind funnels are but it might pay to look at some geographic maps of the land, im sure you would be able to see.

Castle point can be nasty but we have actually been in there seeking shelter before. There is also one other place close to white rocks that you can go and hide, I wouldn't be going anywhere near either of those places unless you really had to!

 

Cape Palliser is also a horrible place and the worst part is that you think you are almost there but actually have potentially the worst to come.

 

To be honest though out of all the trips I have done we have really only ever had a few horrible ones.

It can be a really stunning part of the world.

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Agreed booboo. I've done it a few times as well. Stay well Offshore. Wait in Napier for a good forecast - Strong NW in cook strait will make the Paliser - Wellington bit difficult and unpleasant. Getting to Napier is Ok, although East Cape deserves respect.

 

From Napier go fast in good weather - motor if you need to. You do not want to be on this peice of coast in a gale southerly....

 

That said, good luck with the trip, watch the forecasts, and I'm sure you'll have a great time!! :D

 

PS Castle Point should only be entered in reasonable condidtions. DO NOT TRY TO GO IN IN A GALE OR MORE.

 

The Anchorage at white rock is Ok, but NOT in a Southerly...can be used waiting for a NW in the strait to ease...

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Keep well off shore around the big corner of Cape Palliser. Most especially in a lees shore situation. The breakers that roll onto the beach there are huge and you simply want sea room for, not because they form a long way out, but mnre for you just don't want to get pushed in there by accident. A Northwest howls off the Waiarapa coast between Palliser and Wellington from a northerly direction.

Stay away from Castle point unless you really really have to and even then, take great care. But if you should get caught with a big Southerly, it can give you shelter. The one advantage of a Southerly is that it has come from deep ocean and is still extreme deep ocean around that Cape and so you get big rolling seas rather than short nasty breaking. However, Cook Strait is one place that can have three different Swell sets at once. Easterly, Southerly and Northwesterly and it can get plain nasty.

We had Easterly and North Easterly to contend with once we had got up toward Napier. It was shortish steep pounding going into it, but a yacht going the other way just sat between the swells and was having a beautiful trip. I sure wished we were going South at the time.

East Cape was the worst part for us on the first try around, with 60kts. We gave up and tried again with a 25kt dieing southerly. On that try, we found that the wind comes around the Cape from the North and as we came around, the wind was swinging around with us. It comes from off the flat plain and swings right around the cape. So once again, right on the nose for us and wished we were going the other way. Which means that to get out from that, you have to hang off shore a bit. But then you have to be very careful of the Ranfurly banks, as the Seas build over that something horrific. There are a couple of other banks along further that need great care also. The Bays along the coast of East cape to Gisbourne need a lot of care, don't give a lot of shelter, so be especially careful going into any of them if you have to.

I think that if I went South with our boat again, I would go the East coast. But maybe consider the West if I was heading North. But in saying that, on our trip, the West was horrific weather, as in 80kts plus and we were so glad we weren't out that side.

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When we sailed from Auckland to Wellington I found the vhf stations were brilliant they would up date weather forecasts and one of them rung my parents to update them on our progress as we had no cell reception, :thumbup:

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Been doing it for about 20 odd years now as I am Napier based, deliverys, wgtn to gis, nap to gis, Auck to gis etc etc etc etc. there is really two tricky bits, bay of plenty and the wairarapa coast around to Wellington, to actually have some fun doing it, get a good forecast to leave the mercs with and get across the bay and around east cape, after that napiers not far away ( providing a dirty old southery doesn't come through ) then plan the next part from there, in general lately it's been beautiful sea breezes every day down here. Nothing to sinister especially with the absence of the screaming nor westers this time of year. If you have to stop there is always hicks bay, waipiro bay, gisborne anyway, but normally we just keep going to try to get the pain over with quickly.

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I forgot to say when you go south from Napier, work on the fact that you will not be stopping to dodge any weather coming through, in reality there is NO WHERE to stop ( unless your in a 75 foot trawler ). Its only overnight afterall so just get 24hrs of reasonble stuff then go for it.

Have Fun and if you need to call in to Napier we have great visiting boat facitlities right in front of the club and we still serve JUGS OF RUM AND COKE. ( I think thats the main reason the RNI 2 Handed still calls in here :D

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Thanks Brooker et al. That confirms my own thoughts. Current planning is to stop in Napier to make sure we have full tanks and larder etc, then treat the leg to Wellington exacty as you suggest, in one go with NO stops and stay well offshore.

 

I will do a write up and post it on completion (of the trip).... :)

 

 

Cheers

 

TB

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Hi Tim

 

When I last did that strech, I stopped @ Napier got an excellent Wx window for 24hrs, and followed the 100-200m contour down the coastline, which is close (ish) inshore. Had no problems, and there was little swell until cape Paliser, when it was 2-3M of S'ly swell, and the usual 25kts from no-where.

 

As you know I'll hopefully be up/down that bit of caost again shortly in the Central Triangle. Enjoy.

 

Stu

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Hi Tim

A plan to stop in Napier sounds good, but not if you have a favourable forcast for the Wairarapa Coast and a Paliser rounding.

Get down there and dont dick around

 

Dont be afraid of Castle Point or White Rock ,

 

Ive sailed that coast maybe 30 or so times in both directions in various boats,

In behind the light at Castle Point has been a savour when heading south into one of "Those" southerlies. It gets shallow with good holding, A multi with shallow draft should be fine in the bay entered from the Northern side of the light, The bay entered from the south of the light thru The Gap - Forget it

 

If you do get caught in a screamer of a Nor wester, After a reach down the coast White Rock is the place to be if you cant get around Paliser

Its been my home away from home (Sometimes upto 48 hours ) when the Nor Westers come early, Always anchored in the same place and never dragged even in 60 - 70 knots with a 1 1/2 metre chop coming off the beach (Danforth with everything at full length)

 

White Rock is a large prominante white land/sea based rock. Ive found great holding to the right of the rock out in front of a dry river bed, Its easily found by the road bridge that crosses,

Just be careful not ot get in too close to get out of that chop I mentioned A southerly swell that can crop up can make things interedting

 

As for being well offshore I dunno about that - Life can be tuff when youre trying to claw your way back in 50kts to shelter at White Rock, Saying that you do have to miss Honeycomb Rock and a few others between Castle Pt and Paliser along with Ariel Rocks off Gisborne and Bull Rock off Mahia when heading for Napier

 

Any modern charting system should get you into both Castle Pt and White Rock,

Well worth cheching them out, Go take a look even if you dont need shelter.

 

Have fun

 

D.

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Trip completed on Tuesday 26. Waited in Napier for southery to drop. Story to follow once it is typed up. 4 1/2 days sailing from Whangamata to Wellington including going into Gisborne and Napier.

 

TB

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Was that you guys that called in briefly yesterday, I saw a big cat come down the channel then you left, if it was you then it's good weather for your trip to wgtn anyway.

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