Position:  35 47.40 S  174 27.82 E
At anchor ‘The Nook’, Parua Bay
Wind: light
Sea: calm   Swell: nil
Weather: sunny, warm
Day’s run: 26 nm

This morning a pod of dolphins were exploring the smooth waters of Tutukaka Harbour. Initially we assumed they were feeding but then we noticed that one of the dolphins was very young, perhaps only a few weeks old, and the pods movements were slow and careful, always keeping the baby of the pod surrounded. It was not long before there presence attracted a number of onlookers. Most were sensibly on paddle boards or quietly rowing inflatable dinghies though we were annoyed that one fellow turned up on his noisy PWC. And then the big dive boats stopping for a look on their way to the dive spots must have been a rather disturbing influence as well. Nonetheless, the dolphins all seemed pretty nonplussed and eventually all the humans got bored and moved on to other things. Indeed I wondered whether the pod might have brought the young dolphin into the harbour on purpose to familiarise him or her with the strange going-ons of my all too pervasive species.

By 0930 a light breeze was starting to fill in and I wanted to get underway but also wanted to minimise disturbing the dolphins, so I decided to sail from anchorage without using the motor. All went smoothly and despite the rocky narrow entrance and the fact the wind required a couple of tacks, Sylph managed to find her way out with the minimum of fuss.

Once clear of the harbour entrance we were able to bear away and were soon running square before the slowly freshening NE sea breeze. It was a pleasant smooth sail and we made good time, rounding Bream Head off the entrance to Whangarei Harbour at 1320. We worked our way into the harbour proper but as we approached Motukaroro Island the wind fell calm and the sea mirror smooth.  We motored the remaining few miles into ‘The Nook’ in Parua Bay  where we dropped anchor among a few other yachts in 5 meters of water.

We will stay here tonight and tomorrow will complete our passage to Whangarei where we plan to spend several months giving Sylph a refit.

All is well.

Dolphins:

Young‘un staying close to Mum:

Rounding Bream Head: