I arrived at Opua at 1130 local time on Monday. I had, of course, been going to Whangarei. The current against at the start of my passage lost me a total of 160 nautical miles, just enough to keep me on the wrong side of a major weather system which had developed quickly over the Tasman Sea. As they do. 

 

That then blew me 100 miles off course and when it had finished its blowing there was no wind. Not a breath. So I started motoring. At 7am Monday I was looking forward to another 12 hours to get to Whangarei wheras Opua was three hours away. I went for the three hour option. Oh, by the way, did I tell you that my self steering broke five days ago? Hand steering while motoring is no fun; hence the three hour option.

 

Coming alongside the customs dock was fun. The wind suddenly came in at 15 knots from behind and I had 1.5 knots of current under me. Somehow I got tied up and then instantly became a movie star. The marina was making a promotional video and as a helicopter flew overhead a marina representative presented me with my welcome pack in the company of the Boisecurity Officers who promptly then came aboard and confiscated my onions, garlic, all my pulses. They unpacked my tent to check for trapped seeds, examined my walking boots. A very thorough job.

I then was cleared to move into the marina proper. The cruising community being the cruising community it was just 15 minutes before I had an invitation to dinner...