Summer in Christchurch is windy. Winter isn’t. In Summer, you get nice calm mornings, but as soon as the sun starts to warm up the land, the hot air rises and in comes the Easterly sea breeze. It usually switches on about 1pm, just in time for the yacht racing start. In winter that doesn’t…
It was a stunning still winter’s morning. Once the frost melted, the day warmed up nicely. Not a breath of wind, and clear bright blue skies for as far as the eye could see. We are mid way through the winter series, which for the last three Sunday’s has involved floating around the harbour at…
As many of my regular readers know, I have been working at the yacht club for the last few months, getting things in the office all ship shape to hand over to a new club manager. Every day I sit at the desk, gazing jealously at the people heading down the boat ramp, while I…
I have been busy lately, I recently left my job in politics and started a short term contract at my yacht club, helping out in the office until a new manager is appointed. Sadly, about a year ago, the club manager passed away suddenly. He had been involved in the club for many years and had…
This story carries on from Chapter 1 – Chatham Island Adventure. After lunch we drove back to the airport. The pilot let us in to the tarmac and we helped him load the little plane chokka block full of freight for the Pitt Island Residents. Everything from eggs, spare parts, and clothing, along with all…
“DELAYED” read the sign board at the airport, making my frantic morning racing around at work to get to the airport seem somewhat futile now. However the beers were taking the edge off my frazzled nerves and it was a taste of the Island time that we needed to get to grips with over the…
Punakaiki on the wild West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island is a well known tourist stop. Famous for its pancake rock formations, and that is where most people pause for a 20 minute look and carry on. But if you stop and stay a while, you will find that this area has much more…
Banks Peninsula was initially called Banks Island by Captain Cook when he circumnavigated New Zealand back in the 1770’s. When you are out at sea it is easy to see why, as the Port Hills and Mt Herbert rise high above the very flat Canterbury Plains, making it look like the Peninsula is sitting it…
Seth has been doing a school science project on Astronomy. One of the projects he had to do was to find out how to find South using the stars.
My lovely friend Naomi flew up to Auckland last weekend (while I was reconciling the Yacht Club’s bank statement…!) and she went to see the Volvo Ocean Racing yachts. I was super jealous that I wasn’t going as well! Naomi is a brilliant writer and she agreed to write a guest post on the blog…
Astrolabe Sailing 