A New Route

For the first time since 2016 we will be sailing east from New Zealand rather than north.

Instead of heading to Southwest Pacific island nations again, we are heading home by way of French Polynesia. (The alternate route via Japan and the northern Pacific is longer and generally has more difficult winds--and no, boats don't sail straight to Washington from here!) Our planned landfall is at Raivavae, in FP's Austral Islands Group: about 400 miles south of Tahiti, and about 2300 miles east-northeast of New Zealand. This will be one of the longest passages we have ever made, and certainly the coldest so far!

In addition to those concerns, we will have to say farewell forever to New Zealand, our home away from home that is full of places, people and cultures we love. But family and old friends beckon, and we're not getting any younger; it's time to start the long trek back.

While on passage we will continue our practice of posting daily position reports at www.yit.co.nz/yacht/secondwind. We haven't tried SSB-to-land base connections from that remote expanse of ocean, so don't be dismayed if you're following our progress and we seem to disappear for a few days; we've probably just been unable to reach a reliable relay station clearly.

The next post will have photos of what is reputedly the most beautiful island in the South Pacific (though if there's not good internet at Raivavae, it's likely to be late June before those photos get posted). Here's to safe travels!

Sydney Side Trip

Should we jump through bureaucratic hoops and pay a bunch of money to extend our New Zealand visas--or should we just take a short trip to Australia, as many cruisers here do, to re-start the NZ visa clock?

And whoa, we'd also have a chance to see Camden: serendipitously, the Dover Quartet was scheduled to perform in Sydney very near our visa expiration date.

Hey, let's fly to Australia!



First stop: Featherdale Wildlife Park

What could be cuter than a koala?

Oh! Maybe a wombat!

Current estimates put Australia's population at
25 million humans and 50 million kangaroos

Next stop: Blue Mountains

...looking very blue

and very dramatic

Steep hikes brought us to panoramic views,

and to beautiful waterfalls

And we thought Camden had been hired
to play at a music festival!

The hand prints at Red Rocks Cave are a poignant reminder
of the people who lived here for 40,000 years

Exploring Sydney

We walked for miles every day, to fascinating museums in the city and on long coastal walks to the north and south. Flora and fauna new to us--particularly trees and birds--were constantly intriguing. We even got to hear kookaburras laughing in the old gum tree!

(So much for the old song; in reality they sound like screeching monkeys.)

On a ferry crossing the harbor

Banksia trees along a trail

Cockatoos near a magnificent tree
 in the Royal Botanical Gardens

Beaches, rocks and pools near Sydney

Why didn't we think to bring bathing suits?

Badu Gili: "Water Light",

a contemporary Aboriginal art show
projected on the Opera House every night

The Dovers were the guest quartet at Sydney's biennial Musica Viva Festival;
this photo is from the final curtain call at the end of the 4 days of concerts

Between the many rehearsals and concerts,
we found delightful family time

How marvelous
 to get to pal around with Camden
half way around the world!