Spring Fever is here! Local schools are closed for two weeks for Spring break, and we’re enjoying more sunny days with fewer rainy ones. More flowers are starting to bloom.
When we first arrived in New Zealand, we planned to stay for six months, but it turned into a year. During that time, We’ve experienced all four seasons. The year-round pleasant weather, clean air, abundant fresh water, and stunning landscapes, and untouched nature are more reasons that we continuously like New Zealand.
New Zealand’s sailing team won the last two “America’s Cup” competitions and are currently competing in the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona, Spain. (https://www.americascup.com/)
John has been pleased with the boat work done by the Kiwis. As a final step, he hired a professional to inspect the rigging. He believes it is better to prevent problems ahead of time rather than fixing them in some remote island.
The cyclone season in the South Pacific runs from November to April. Many boats are now arriving in New Zealand, seeking refuge from the Cyclone zone. We hope to sail to Australia before the Cyclone Season begins, though the rigging job may cause a slight delay.
With the extra time we have in New Zealand, we decided to take a tour to the northernmost part of the country, the Cape Reinga Lighthouse area. We woke up at 4am, drove 1.5 hours from Whangarei to Paihia, where we embarked on an 11-hour tour. It was a long day, but a beautiful one, filled with Spring sunshine and adventure.
