Duet II on passage, Tasman Sea

38:05:44S, 172:55:65E Somewhere down in the fiords we lost our bowthruster. We didn’t hear or feel a thing, which is surprising since what ever we sucked in removed the entire set of blades. Once back in Nelson we were able to track down and replace it. I always did wonder what ever happened to the [...]

Fiordland to Nelson, Cape Farewell

40:27:65S, 172:39:78E Cape Farewell. The wind swung around to the south and west, a perfect window for departure and sail up to Nelson. Once out of the sounds we set the sails and for the first 6 hours had a great sail up the coast enjoying the dramatic scenery.

Cooper Island, Dusky Sound

45:44:13S, 166:53:59E Before the hunters came here in helicopters they had to rely on fishermen and a deer recovery ship. This ship was moored at the south western end of Cooper Island. All that remains is a mouldering dinghy parked high in the bushes and the mooring. The line looked sturdy enough to hold something [...]

Cormorant Cove, Dusky Sound

45:41:29S, 166:34:06E Cormorant Cove, Dusky Sound Not much has changed in the last 238 years since Captain James Cook landed here, replenished Resolution with water and dined off crayfish. Instead of Maori paddling their wakas there are only to be found the occasional kayaker making their way around the sounds. If it weren’t for Marie [...]

Duet II South Island, Thompson Sound

45:18:06S, 166:58″60E Milford sound is the most spectacular and impressive of all the sounds. It is also the most easily accessible by road and consequently on the tourist route. Sheer slab sided walls created by plate shifting movements thrust upwards. Raw and brutal edges hardly worn by wind and sea painted subtle shade of green [...]

Duet II South Island, Milford Sound

44:40:63S, 167:55:21E Milford Sound. A dramatic landscape of jagged peaks, glaciers and impressive waterfalls: this is the attraction of Fordland that draws us down here. From Nelson it’s some 400 miles once past Farewell spit with no where to stop on the way unless you are a fishing boat. Once there we knew that we [...]

Duet II South Island, Port Nelson

Nelson 41 15 .5S, 173 16.9E Is this the best-kept secret in New Zealand? The climate is wonderful, the sailing easy and the best vineyards in the country just a few kilometers away. If that isn’t enough, the boatie facilities and shopping is excellent. But I shouldn’t be mentioning this, as I should be keeping [...]

Opua

35° 18 S , 174° 67 E This is the beautiful Bay of Islands where we have spent the last two weeks moving from anchorage to bay and back again. Russell annually hosts a tall ships race around the bay. We took a boat load of friends to watch the stately parade of the old [...]

Parekura Bay

174.14 E 35.15 S Parekura Bay Bay of Islands. New Zealand. We expected the learning curve on Duet ll to be steep; we hadn’t imagined it to be vertical. Our maiden voyage up to the Bay of Islands from the Hauraki Gulf, is a passage of only 100 miles, all the same we stopped for [...]

Duet II

Gulf Harbour New Zealand. Christmas isn’t Christmas without stress! Simon had gone back to New Zealand ahead of me to oversee and install the new radar and wind instrumentation. The original equipment being 10 years old and was in need of an update.