Australian, New Zealand and SouthWest Pacific Anchorages

Hi everyone,

This is a technical post.  It follows on from previous posts on Western Australian and New Zealand anchorages.  We've now compiled additional anchorage, mooring and marina waypoints to cover Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Overview of waypoints in OpenCPN

The new waypoints were compiled from Terry's Topics GPX files and our own research.  Terry's appear to have been provided mainly by SVs Banyandah, Black Duck, Matilda, Olena and SuAn.  Many thanks to them!  We removed most of the many duplicates in Terry's files.  Useful comments and links were retained.  The MinScale parameter was set on most waypoints to avoid obscuring underlying charts - so zoom in to find them all.  And the symbols used were modified to follow our convention.

Our waypoints are also available as KMZ files for GoogleEarth.  The latter are useful for exploring anchorages and marinas in the Google Earth Pro app.  This is especially helpful if you don't have satellite 'charts' installed in OpenCPN.  This of course presumes you have Starlink aboard since Google Earth Pro needs a high-speed internet connection.

With correct setup Google Earth Pro can show your current location via a serial NMEA013 data feed from your boat network.

Our Australian waypoints from Cocos-Keeling to Norfolk Island

Our SouthWest Pacific waypoints for Fiji, Vanuatu & New Caledonia

The screenshot below shows how we arrange our OpenCPN persistent layers.  Each is read from one of our GPX files.  The number of waypoints in each file is shown.  Loading the GPX files as layers avoids inadvertent moving/editing of waypoints.

In addition to our GPX and KML libraries we also have a KAP library.  The KAP library contains satellite 'charts' for use in OpenCPN.

Here are links to the three folders holding this data on our Dropbox site:

• GPXlibrary
• KAPlibrary
• KMLlibrary

None of this information is for use in navigation!

If you find these waypoints useful consider donating using the button at the top of this page.

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Trust all's well where you are.

Bay of Islands Marina

Hi everyone,

We spent a week in the Bay of Islands Marina after clearing-in.  Great marina costing about $50/night for a 12m berth including live-aboard charge.  Great showers - our first since Panama - but you pay for them separately in 5 minute periods.  Excellent laundry too.

Zen Again in the marina

After arriving and clearing-in on the Wednesday we spent Thursday early morning doing our laundry.  Our friends on OCC sv Wild Iris invited us to share a taxi with them into Paihia to visit the town market.  The market was small but had lots of great stuff.  We stocked up on fruit & veg.  From there we walked out on the jetty for lunch at Charlotte's Kitchen - very nice.  We then walked the 1km or so to the Waitangi Woolworths for more general shopping.  We taxied back to the marina.

Marina building

Laundry

Paihia market

Lunch in Paihia with OCC sv Wild Iris

Paihia waterfront

Later on Thursday we met the crew of local sv Sam.  Like us they plan to cruise the South Island this summer.  They very kindly offered their car for us to use.  On Friday we drove south to Whangarei where we visited Bunnings, K-Mart, Woolworths and Harvey Norman.  Amusing how they're all arranged exactly as in Australia.

Shopping included another supermarket run; replacing our sheets, pillows and cushions; and buying a bread-maker.  The latter will be great not only for making bread but also as a 600W heater 'down south'.

We had lunch with Helen and Steve of OCC sv Cerulean.  We originally met them immediately after they purchased their boat in Gosport, UK.  We cruised in company with them on & off from our post-Covid UK departure to the Caribbean, Colombia and Panama.  It was great to catch up with them again.

On the road

Lunch in Whangarei with OCC sv Cerulean

Booty from Whangarei

Over the weekend we got on with various boat jobs made possible by two chandleries in the marina grounds.  We replaced our old, light-less, northern hemisphere compass with a new southern hemisphere unit.  We stocked up on various consumables such as cleaning fluids, head treatment liquid and hull scrubbing pads.

New compass

We measured-up for a bracket to stow our secondary 16kg Manson Supreme anchor on the stern.  We ordered 100m of 14mm 8-braid nylon rope for the rode.  And we cut 15m of 10mm chain from our main anchor chain, end-for-ending the remainder.  We need an anchor with 100m of rode for some of the Fiordland anchorages.  Local stainless steel fabricators Fisheye will make the bracket.

Test fitting for stern anchor bracket

Fisheye Stainless Steel Fabricators

On Monday we again drove to Whangarei to complete our shopping, visiting Spotlight, K-Mart and Woolworths.  We also visited Hunting and Camping for Bushman insect spray and sandfly-proof netting.  We drove on to Marsden Cove Marina for lunch with sv Island Kea II, Mistral Dancer, Moody Rudie and Thestral.  We won't see them again until next year so it was good to catch up with them all.

Marsden Cove Marina

Brunch at The Marina Cafe

This time sv Sam loaned us their truck.  We had hoped to refill an almost empty 10kg GRP propane bottle.  It turns out only NZ-certified bottles can be filled here - international standards don't count.  So we bought a 9kg metal bottle for our stay here.

The Truck

On Tuesday we met FSC sv Halcyon Days.  They had sailed in from Vanuatu a fortnight before us.  Their sail number is F89 and ours F88.  It was good to meet them and we agreed to do some island hopping in the Bay of Islands over the following week.

FSC F89 sv Halcyon Days II

During this stay we spent two evenings at the Opua Cruising Club.  They're a very active club and have great beer and food.  The nearby General Store is good for essentials and also meat pies.  Nearby also is an excellent fish & chips place.

It was a very busy week but we're now ready for a 'week off' cruising the Bay of Islands.

Trust all's well where you are!

Minerva Reef to New Zealand Passage Summary

Hi everyone,

Here is a summary of our 800nm passage between the North Minerva Reef and Opua in New Zealand.  We sailed in loose company with at least a dozen other yachts.  We had a wide range of conditions.  During the first four days we motored for 50 hours in very light wind.  Then we had to cross a stationary front which gave us 20-30 knot E winds.  On the final night we had to motor for another 10 hours in flat calm and fog.

Bound for New Zealand

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

Here are the vital stats for the passage…

    • Distances/Speeds

        • Route Distance = 790 nm

        • Logged Distance = 763 nm, so we had current assistance overall

        • GPS Distance = 828 nm

        • Duration = 7 days

        • Average speed = 4.9 kt

        • Minimum boat speed = 2.0 kt

        • Maximum boat speed = 6.1 kt

    • Weather

        • Minimum wind speed = 0 kt

        • Average wind speed = 15 knots

        • Maximum wind speed = 25 with gusts to 32

        • Apparent wind angle range = 70 to 150

        • Seas 1-2m

        • Swell 1-3m

        • Cloud varying from 1/8 to 8/8

        • 3/4 to full moon

    • Engine

        • Total = 60 hour

        • Driving = 60 hour

        • Charging = 0 hours

    • Failures

        • None

    • Stars

        • The boat - as always

        • Pelagic autopilot in the light airs

        • WindPilot vane gear in the breeze

The weather for the passage was interesting.  We had always expected to encounter a front since they come through too frequently for us to avoid.  But we ended up with a stationary front to cross, with mid--level troughs above too.  Here are two synoptic charts from the middle of the passage.

Synoptic chart from Fiji met service

Synoptic chart from NZ met service

The stationary ftont had some big embedded storm cells but thankfully they were scattered and we didn't encounter any.  Some boats had 50-60 knots to contend with.  The nastiest part for us was before the wind set in but the sea state was ugly with 3m breaking waves on the beam.  I reckon they came from a storm upwind we missed, but we got its waves which were tumbling once out of the wind.

Through the front under storm staysail & trisail-sized main

Seaway

Looking at NoForeignLand showed over 70 yachts enroute to New Zealand with us, from Tonga, Fiji and elsewhere.  The officials told us they were setting a new record for the number of boats being cleared in one day at Opua.

So it was an interesting passage!  It was great to arrive in New Zealand - our primary goal for the year.  Now we have an entirely different country and climate to enjoy over the summer.

Trust all's well where you are!

Opua Arrival

 Hi everyone,

We arrived in Opua at 0630 on Wednesday 5th, making it a 7 day passage.  We'll post a passage summary soon.  We docked at the Bay of Islands Marina Q (for Quarantine) dock.  It was fairly crowded but we found a spot.

Bay of Islands Marina

Tuesday afternoon saw us reaching towards the Bay of Islands in a slowly fading breeze.  By 2100 we were losing steerage way and the sails were slatting in the low swell so the engine went on.  We slowly motored the 35nm to Opua.  On entering the Bay of Islands we were enveloped in fog which made it an interesting arrival.  Visibility wasn't too bad at 100-200m.  We did one 'circuit' to delay our arrival until after dawn.

Into the foggy Bay of Islands

Approaching Opua

At the Q dock

At about 0800 officials started to visit all the waiting yachts, building a queue based on their arrival times.  Very fair but we were well down the queue.  A few hours later we were searched by a NZ Navy guy on loan to Customs.  Then we were interviewed by a very friendly and efficient Customs lady.  Then in the early afternoon we were interviewed by an equally friendly and efficient Biosecurity lady.  She had seen our Biosecurity document and asked to see our video taken after the most recent hull cleaning.  She then used a GoPro to inspect the hull herself.  All good thank goodness!  The many hours of hull cleaning paid off.

By mid-afternoon we were in a pen on E dock of the marina.  At 1700 we joined an OCC get-together on an Amel 56, then dinner at the Opua Cruising Club.  The beer was good, as were the sausages.

In the marina

Opua sunset

On Thursday we did our laundry then joined the crew of OCC sv Wild Iris to taxi into the nearby town of Paihia.  There we got fresh fruit & veg at the farmer's market, followed by a great lunch at Charlotte's Kitchen.

Marina office with great facillties including laundry

Laundry time!

Lunch!

After lunch we walked the 2km to the Woolworths supermarket in Waitangi.  The town is famous for the treaty signed there between the British and Maoris.  The supermarket is pretty good.  We taxied back to the marina from there.

 

Heading home with booty

Back on board we filled our water tanks and jerries, and washed off the salt on deck.

Today we filled our fuel tank and jerries, did the remaining laundry and started spending at the two on-site chandleries.  Busy busy busy but fun too.

Trust all's well where you are!

Opua Inbound Day 3

Hi everyone,

At noon today we were at 34 07S 174 44E steering 185M, sailing under double-reefed main and double-furled yankee at 6 knots.  The wind was 15G18 from the E.  Our noon to noon distances were 122nm by the log and 127nm over the ground.   Overall we'd logged 688nm and 745nm respectively.  Our distance to go was 79nm.  Just a Freo to Bunbury.

Into the blue

Yesterday afternoon the wind held in at 20G28 fro the E to ENE until mid-evening.  Then we broke out of the cloud and wind decreased gradually to 15G20.  We had a 7/8 moon which lit the scene wonderfully and made the brighter stars conspicuous.  Twas a very nice overnight sail.

By dawn low cloud had re-emerged and the wind continued to slowly ease.  Then mid-morning the sky began to clear again with only mid-level cloud remaining.  The 'long white cloud' perhaps! 

The screenshot below shows our position at noon and the few other yachts still at sea in our group.  Two days north are EBBYC SVs Moody Rudie and Island Kea II.  They spent only one night at Minerva Reef before departing.  We've been between a few days and a couple of weeks ahead of them all the way across the South Pacific, apart from a few brief get-togethers.

PredictWind Tracks

We've updated our ETA with NZ Customs from noon Thursday to dawn tomorrow (Wednesday).  We'll be very pleased to have made the passage in a week.

Trust all's well where you are!

Opua Inbound Day 2

Hi everyone,

At noon today we were at 32 18S 175 57E steering 190M, under double-reefed main and storm staysail at 5 knots.  The wind was 20G27 from the ENE.  Our noon to noon distances were 113nm by the log and 120nm over the ground.   Overall we'd logged 566nm and 618nm respectively.  Our distance to go was 204nm.  Just a Freo to Geraldton.

Into the grey

Yesterday afternoon the engine was shutdown at 1400 when a new breeze appeared.  We'd been fooled by two preceding new winds, thinking they were the predicted wind arriving at last.  But this one was the real deal.  Since the wind was predicted to increase and boats ahead of us reported strong winds and nasty sea state we double-furled the main and set the storm staysail.

Kazi the WindPilot at work in 3m waves

Overnight the winds stayed moderate but the sea state was pretty ugly with 3m waves falling over themselves.  Very rolly and a little concerning since we were beam on to them.  But Zen Again handled it well and by midnight the seas had calmed to match the 15G20 wind.

By dawn the wind had built to 25G30 and the waves were building back up but not breaking.  The sea scape was quite impressive under a low overcast sky with light rain.  Temperature dropped from 19 to 16C.  We were passed through the stationary front shown on the synoptic chart below.

Synoptic Chart showing stationary front

The screenshot below shows a set of boats which departed Minerva Reef on the same day as us.  All except one are much bigger than us.  The top left blue boat is Swedish sv Aura, a 32-footer, and we're to their E.  It seems they're determined to overtake us.  We're taking it easy for a Wednesday morning arrival.

PredictWind Tracks

Trust all's well where you are!

Opua Inbound Day 1

Hi everyone,

At noon today we were at 30 40S 177 12E steering 210M, motoring at 5 knots.  The wind was 8G12 from the SE.  Our noon to noon distances were 116nm by the log and 123nm over the ground.   Overall we'd logged 452nm and 498nm respectively.  Our distance to go was 320nm. 

Rugged Up

Yesterday afternoon we had the motor on for an hour, then in the evening for 7 hours.  And since 0800 this morning.  Winds have been very variable and we've been sailing when possible.  This morning's motoring was due to a very confused sea which shook the wind out of the sails as we pitched and rolled.  And it rained for much of the evening.  Champagne sailing it is not!

We believe we're at last getting clear of the stationary front and mid-level trough we've been battling through.  We hope to get into the E winds soon and they should take us all the way to Opua.

Another cloudy dawn

Below is a screenshot of the group around us and current forecast winds at noon today.  We are the middle blue dot in the top 'row', on the S edge of the 'blue hole'.  Almost into the wind!

PredictWind Tracks

Trust all's well where you are.

Minerva Reef Outbound Day 4

Hi everyone,

At noon today we were at 28 54S 177 56E steering 190M, motoring at 5 knots.  The wind was 5G8 from the E.  Our noon to noon distances were 107nm by the log and 124nm over the ground.   Overall we'd logged 346nm and 375nm respectively.  Our distance to go was 432nm.  Nearly half way there, and just a Freo to Albany to go.

Dawn this morning

We've been motoring on and off for the last 24 hours.  We had a good sail yesterday evening when a cloud line passed overhead giving us 20 knots of SE wind.  Before the cloud the wind had been very light W and afterwards it became light again but from the SSE.  This morning we sailed for 90 minutes in a nice 8G12 SE wind until we got into the lee of a big raincloud.  Happily we seem to have dodged that one.

The screenshot below is from NoForeignLand.  It shows the number of boats streaming towards NZ.  New Caledonia is at top-left and southern Tonga at top-right.  We're in the area where the boats from Fiji and Tonga are merging.

NFL boats on passage towards NZ

And here's today's version of the PredictWind GPS tracking page.  We're all making pretty good progress.  Like us I expect everyone is looking forward to escaping the blue hole.

We're expecting some wet and windy weather when we initially find the ESE winds ahead.  Can't wait to have some good wind which should take us all the way to Opua.  Hopefully it won't rain all the way!

Trust all's well where you are.