Where do I start? New Zealand at last after 15 months and approx. 13,000 nautical miles. This place is as close to Heaven as you can get. It's like Canada and the US in the 50's full of trusting, friendly people ,all with great attitudes and a sense of humour. The people and the countryside are beautiful. I'll try to briefly describe some of the photos I've just posted. The shot of a bungalow, silver car and Linda is our rented place about a 5 min. walk from Don Pedro that is moored in the Whangarei town basin. It's new, charming and quiet with great landlords who are also sailors. Pat and his BMW are in there. We both got 2nd hand cars, ours is a great little Honda Accord, $1900. We will resell it for at least $1500. after using it for 8 months..not bad. There is a pastoral shot of horses and lounges under a tree. This is the "farm" of Doug and Helen, friends of Kay and Craig from "Little Wing" whose photos is also here. We had a Xmas Eve party with our boating friends John, Nancy and their girls from Meridin, Glen, Marilyn and son,Jaryd, from Tin Soldier. Also Pat, Andy,(Linda's oldest son) and Bronwyn, his partner(she's in the Santa hat). Marilyn is the one dancing with the camera, work it baby, work it!!! There are also some pix of the trails around our bungalow as NZ is a country of "trampers"(walkers) and there are great hiking trails around every city and in all parts of the countryside. You are never more than 10 minutes from a god "tramp"- even in downtown Auckalnd.
It's difficult to know what to show you as every corner of every road has beautiful pastoral, coastal and mounain views. Oh yeah, Pat continues to enjoy his job, helping run a small Bay of Islands charter sailboat company, teach sailing and doing general dock work.
Well, the battery is dying and its time to go. Oh yeah, we haven't met a New Zealand wine we don't like and they are CHEAP, $10. gets you a very very good bottle. Until the next time. Love to all. John, Linda and Pat

Farewell Tonga Hello Kiwi Land

Last but not least, it was time to party party party and so we did when we got to Pangaimotu, the little island off of Nukualofa. All of us, "yachties" ended up here to await a weather window for our departure to New Zealand. Its an analysis paralysis situation where we all study the weather, maps, consult our hired meteorlogical gurus and discuss it over and over and over. In the meantime, we party. We were fortunate to be invited to the 60th B day party of the owner of the island. He is related to the royal family and was given the island by the previous King of Tonga more than 20 years ago. His wife, Big Mama is in the photo with the Red Bastard. There he goes again, rubbing shoulders(and noses) with the nobility. She, Big Mama, created a great bar/restaurant/ yacht club complete with a sand floor. They do eveything for you including taking your fuel cans, water cans, propane tanks etc to town, filling them and returning them to you. They, like most Tongans, are warm, sincere and are wonderful to spend time with. It was a great time spent with all the other boaters we have met and travelled with since Mexico. There are boats here also from Germany, Sweden, Finland, England, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Brazil etc etc etc. Alas, our window opened, we departed and here we are, safely in Kiwi Land. Pls remember that you can add a comment to the blog by clicking on "comments" at the bottom of each entry and type us a message. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Love to all. John Linda and Pat


















1 of our favorite islands was Ooleva where we found that bright orange cook shack, part of a backpackers "resort" What a setting, no one for miles except us boaters, nothing to do but stroll the golden sandy beaches, sun, snorkel, eat, sleep and .....
Thats where the night shot was taken under a full moon with clouds scuddying by and the palms waving at the night.

The market photos were all taken on a typical market day in Nieafu.









Well, the time had come to say farewell to Tonga after 3 months of some of the most beautiful scenery and people. The images I will add to this are from our last days in Nieafu, the center of the northern islands, the 2 weeks+ we spent sailing from there through the Hapaii Group and on to Nukualofa, the capitol and main town in the Tongatapu Group. After a great week anchored off Pangaimotu Island(Big Mama's Yacht Club) we left for New Zealand. The trip took just shy of 8 days of which we had to motor 35% of the time anf the rest was a great sail with 3 days of 25+ knot winds and waves of 10-12 feet. At present I'm updating this from a marina in Opua, NZ. It is just heaven here with great genuine, warm, sincere people who all must have been born with both a zest for life and a sense of humour. Kiwis are a great bunch.
The village photos are from the very remote Hapaii Group.1, maybe 2 islands had electricity, 1 had vehicles but there were lots of curious kids everywhere. Thanks to Gloria and Jon Bentzen, we handed out at least 3-400 pens and pencils to the school teachers on these islands. School supplies are in great demand. The shots of what we may consider shacks are their houses, raised off the grounds so the pigs and chickens have shelter and it keeps any rodents away. They lead the simplest of lives, cook over open fires and share in the abundant wealth of the sea and orchards.