We are just back from cruising New Caledonia on a friends yacht. We had such a great time (post to come later on today hopefully) and we learn’t a few things along the way that might also come in handy for you if you plan to visit any time soon. Location New Caledonia is located…
Ahhh tax, the thing we all love to hate. Seeing as I work for the Government, I guess I shouldn’t be so cynical as it pays my salary, however while everyone has to pay – the question is how to be smart and avoid paying more than you should!
Our life raft is the most expensive thing we have ever bought that we hope we never have to use! However I imagine that if you were sitting in your life raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean it is probably something you had wished you had spent MORE money on?! Let’s hope it…
I was born in the UK and now live in New Zealand and I also have New Zealand citizenship and am planning on buying a boat in Europe to sail back to New Zealand. Different nationalities have got options on which country you can register the boat in. Like all things there are benefits and…
From the blogs I read, it seems that entering and exiting countries when you are on a boat can be a bit of a painful process requiring a day or more of donkey work and filling in of forms to get both yourselves and the boat cleared in and out of the various countries that…
One of the coolest things about having an article published in Boating NZ Magazine was that I was contacted by Wildwood’s original owner! Ron had spotted Wildwood in the photos in the article, contacted the magazine editor who passed his details on to me. Of course I got straight on the phone and had a great…
I was super excited to have an article published in Boating NZ Magazine this month! Having written hundreds of newsletters, little articles on behalf of the yacht club in the local freebie paper, my blog, blogs for other organisations etc, it was a real thrill to see something published in print! (and get paid for…
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…
Astrolabe Sailing 