Kawau Island to Rangitoto Island

Hi everyone,

Yesterday we had a fantastic sail from Bon Accord Harbour on Kawau Island to Islington Bay between Rangitoto and Motutapu Islands.  A 30nm passage in a 20G25+ SW wind.  Again we sailed in company with OCC sv Thestral.

Auckland Ho!

Here are the usual screenshots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

The initial part of the passage was SSE towards Huaroa Point.  This was a nice easy close reach.  As we approached the point Thestral suggested we head for Islington Bay instead of Waikalabubu Bay on the NE tip of Motutapu Island.  This was a challenge since it'd be hard on the wind.

sv Thestral astern

Reaching S towards Huaroa Point

Hardening up at Huaroa Point

Needless to say we took up the challenge.  We laid the island but Thestral bailed and went the other way around.  Tim needs to get his forestay tension sorted.  Zen Again loved the challenge and we all had a great time.  The skipper hand-steered all the way as any "Captain Araldite" naturally should.

Close-hauled with 1 reef (& double-furled yankee)

Rangitoto Beacon on island's W end

Auckland astern

With sv Thestral in Islington Bay

There were about ten boats in Islington Bay.  There's room for many more and the holding is good in 3-6m over mud.  The only seas penetrating the bay were wash from high speed ferries going between Auckland and Waiheke Island.

Quiet morning in Islington Bay

We spent only one night in Islington Bay.  It's a nice spot but having buddy-boated from Marsden Cove to this Bay with sv Thestral they are heading in to Auckland and we'll head east.

Trust all's well where you are!