Leaderboard

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/crime/swimmers-bust-alleged-poachers-at-goat-island-marine-reserve-in-leigh-north-auckland/ upshot is one of the swimmers got a message onto Leigh chat and the boat was filmed at Leigh harbour ramp and then stopped at Matakana by a park ranger and occupants ticketed. Well done swimming club,residents, lab staff and doc! Ballsy effort on the guy/gal that boarded and chucked their gear and catch overboard.

I'm genuinely surprised this was someone moored in the river.... just the sheer audacity/stupidity of stealing from your neighbours and then putting their stuff out on your lawn....

I've been looking at https://weatherwatch.co.nz/maps-radars/wind/wind-forecast as it makes it easy to compare forecasts (and has the predictwind models, too). If more models start to agree on a break in the SW pattern I think we'll go for it and let the wind blow us out from Kawau on Monday or Tuesday, return to Kawau Fri/Sat.... either way, we'll be out on the water so it's not the end of the world if we don't make the barrier this time around.

At this point I'm inclined to think it will be sw 15-20 for the foreseeable

Another useful resource is this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/haurakigulfweather Their latest post today has this to say: Coolest start to the year since 2017. A continued sequence of fronts from low pressure systems that commenced from around Christmas day, is the reason for a much cooler, showery and windier start to 2025. A large high is likely to develop over NZ by next weekend (Jan 11th) bringing more settled and warmer conditions mid-month. The tropics will become active around Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Cook Islands region during this period but high pressure will

If you’re referring to the forecast on the coastguard app just be aware that it’s copied directly from MetService (as is the Maritime Radio broadcast on VHF).

We’re all mad anyways for being in love with boats……..

I've been trying to fix all the outstanding items on my boat for the last, err, 10 to 15 years. It's a fools game. Unobtainable. You will go mad trying to achieve it. Like trying to achieve perfection. By the time you get to the end of the list, the stuff at the start will need fixing or replacing again. Sure, you def need to fix things like bearing screech and the water pump, but I'd really caution against trying to get everything perfect on a boat. You will go mad.