Disappointment - but 3rd. time lucky no doubt!

Well, as some of you know we left for New Caledonia on Saturday but turned back. We had had a meal at the Opua Cruising Club on the Friday night and Gina had gravy on hers as did Jim. However, one should know better because catering packs of gravy mix almost always contain MSG (monosodium glutamate) and she is highly allergic to MSG. That night she didn't sleep at all which in itself isn't a good prelude to an ocean passage but she seemed a bit better in the morning and there was a good weather window. So, we decided to go and cleared Customs and topped up our fuel. We then sailed out of the Bay in murky brown chocolate coloured water - after all the recent heavy rain.
We were sailing in around 15 knots of SW wind with a reefed main, staysail and reefed genoa. The old girl seemed happy under that combination and we were making a good 5 - 6 knots of boat speed but as we proceeded further north she was putting her bow under into the leftover northerly swell! However, all was well and we went onto Russell Radio's evening sched at 1800. Then Gina started feeling really bad and blacked out at one stage. She wasn't capable of standing watches and that left Jim on his own which isn't sustainable for too long. Because of this and because of Gina's worsening condition we made the decision to turn back when we were about 60 miles north of the Bay of Islands. Lat 34 degrees 48 minutes S Long 173 degrees 50 minutes E. As you can imagine this was extremely disappointing for both of us and Gina not only felt physically wretched but mentally pretty miserable as well. However, there is still time to try again which we will do. We had thought of anchoring somewhere (Whangaroa or the Cavallis) and advising Customs but we would then have lost the weather window so the decision to return was the right one. Before we left there was another boat called "Courage" which we had come to know during our stays at the Norsand Boatyard in Whangarei and which was also in the Opua marina and intending to sail to Noumea as well. However, they had been advised by their weather guru (someone who has done over 30 passages up there) that this current window wasn't right and so they had made the decision not to go yet. In hindsight we should probably have made the same decision, although it's an extreme balancing act - not helped by the ridiculous Cat One nonsensical requirements - see below!!!
We sailed and motorsailed all night (dodging fishing boats) and were back outside the Cavallis at 0200. We slowed the boat down until we could enter the BOI in daylight and then proceeded to Opua to go through the surreal process of clearing back in. We were told by Customs that we might have to obtain another Cat One certificate as Cat One only lasts for 30 days (although a WOF for a motor vehicle is good for at least 6 months!) and in any case every certificate is cancelled once a boat leaves. One can only come to the conclusion that it is purely and simply a money making exercise on the part of Yachting NZ. Where is the logic is saying that a vessel meets safety standards and then immediately cancelling the document that says so once it leaves??? Presumably it is OK for that same vessel to arrive somewhere else and then clear out without any safety document!! It is only for NZ registered vessels leaving NZ that this nonsense exists because without Cat One Customs will not clear the vessel. They tried it a few years ago for foreign registered vessels as well but an American took them to Court and won. It is sensible to have certain safety requirements but for goodness sake allow the currency of Cat One to remain in force for at least 12 months regardless of whether a vessel leaves or doesn't leave NZ or returns or whatever. We will be contacting Yachting NZ and the yachting inspector in Whangarei (who incidentally is a very experienced offshore yachtsman and a very reasonable person to deal with) to try to resolve this seemingly bureaucratic impasse.
We then left Opua and motored around to the old familiar anchorage in Paroa Bay which Jim has known for over 60 years!! On the way around we passed one of the RNZN's frigates anchored in the Renown Anchorage off Long Beach and inspected them closely! We didn't have our gun mounted so could have been at a slight disadvantage!!
The wind is light SW and this is a perfect sheltered anchorage - just what we need. Gina is slowly improving but both of us are suffering from lack of sleep and this is just the place to catch up on that.
We are both feeling much better this morning which is fine and sunny. Time to get out and enjoy the Bay for a few days before the next batch of bad weather arrives.
As always watch this space.

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