Monday - Auckland

A-sailing we go

How can you go wrong sailing around Auckland harbor on an America's Cup yacht?



With a crew of four and a boatload of eager volunteers (plus a few prefer-to-passively-watch stowaways,) we were ready for a great day on the water.

Most of the volunteer work involved "grinding,"  i.e. turning the winches that hoisted and adjusted the sails. It took a bit of muscle to raise the 2800-square-foot main sail up the 130-foot mast, so Nancy left that work to those who weren't suffering from bursitis.

At its fastest, our vessel clipped along at a little over 10 knots (about 11 mph) this morning. Racing speeds can reach 30 knots (34 mph).

As is typical of nearly every group we've encountered here in New Zealand, our two-dozen fellow passengers hailed from several different countries. Michael took the opportunity to practice his French with an osteopath from Bordeaux. Coincidentally, the other Americans on board were a retired couple from Lima, Ohio.

Michael did his share of grinding, and later had a chance to take the helm. When Nancy asked if he was actually steering or just moving the wheel a little, he assured her that he was in full command of the ship. (No one mutinied.) He successfully guided the boat under the Auckland Harbor Bridge. As we passed the bungee-jumping platform, he wondered why anyone would be so foolhardy as to leap headlong off the bridge.

The day was beautiful and for the most part, the winds were perfect. We did have one short stretch when the wind suddenly died and we simply drifted, but we weren't becalmed for long.



Auckland is a beautiful city, and the view from across the harbor was particularly stunning.

After our sail, we had lunch at Danny O'Doules, an Irish pub with Swedish hosts and waitresses. The fish and chips were tasty, as was the Moroccan lamb salad.

But the day was not over. With our overnight bags waiting in the car, we headed up north to Paihia, the principal town in the area known as the Bay of Islands. On a previous trip to the region, DeEtte had noticed a sign for a chocolate factory along the road. Needless to say, it was not hard to convince Michael and Nancy that stopping for a sample would make a pleasant diversion. 

Unfortunately, we encountered some slow traffic and road construction on our way. When it became apparent that we wouldn't reach the chocolate factory until five minutes before closing, we decided to try again on our way back to Auckland tonorrow. After squeezing into a tiny parking space at the Bay of Sands Motel in Paihia and unloading our bags in our room, we went in search of a good place for dinner. The motel manager recommended the Green Indian and Thai restaurant, about half a mile down the road. The chicken saag, mango curry and vegetable korma were almost as good as the view of the beach. And of course, our evening would not have been complete without ice cream, this time Tip Top (a common brand in New Zealand) from a small convenience store. Back at the motel, the sound of gentle surf promises to lull us to sleep.