Photos of the caper are available here
Early on in 2019 John Welsford proposed that our Wellington contingent join the Auckland Dinghy cruisers for a joint Caper in Auckland in 2020 ….and so it came to be, and better yet it was planned to coincide with the 2020 Mahurangi Classic Yacht Regatta! Richard and I left an overcast and damp Kapiti early on the morning of Thursday 23 rd January for the 10-hour haul to John’s home on the Weiti river at Whangaparoa Peninsula. (Note to self...Auckland commuter traffic is terrible, especially with a trailer on the back…. avoid if possible!).
Friday dawned with a clear blue sky which stayed with us for the next week. Come 11am we had launched at Gulf Harbor marina and headed off for Mahurangi Harbour, via Tiri passage, in a light NE sea breeze. Alex joined us in Tamlin while John in Spook took off in the light airs and did a horizon job on us. A moderate SW finally arrived about 4 pm and we had a brisk sail for the last couple of miles into Mita Bay I Mahurangi harbour , catching John in the process. Mita Bay is a great spot in a SW with onshore camping facilities including water and toilets, but can be subject to a NW roll at times.
To our amazement we counted over 70 boats at anchor in Sullivan’s Bay next door and an uncountable number as far as the eye could see from Mita Bay all the way up Mahurangi Harbour.
Throughout the evening a constant stream of yachts and launches kept arriving to eventually create an astounding constellation of anchor lights reflected in the mirror still waters. The effect was truly magical, a must see if you can get there! Interestingly a few boats were displaying blue anchor lights. Saturday morning, we registered to join the Regatta race at Sullivan’s Bay after winding our way through a small part of the huge fleet of anchored classic yachts and launches. Way too many and
too beautiful and interesting to describe here but they were all crewed by friendly folk only too happy wave and say “Hi” to our modest boats.
The scow Jane Gifford served as the committee boat to start the many different classes of yachts racing around Saddle Island and up to a buoy near Scotts Landing. In our small boat class John took off in the light airs but could not catch a super-fast Welsford Pathfinder which won the race with John finishing 3 rd . ( A vicarious win I guess John?) Meanwhile we struggled with the light airs and with being constantly distracted by huge A class gaffers storming past just feet away, all of them pointing at incredible angles. You have to go and be part of this regatta at least once in your life to be part of this enormous fleet of all kinds of beautiful yachts..,.. put it on your bucket list!
After Saturday’s high, Sunday dawned quietly as some of the fleet slipped away toward Auckland. We Island hopped to Kawau to find Bon Accord Harbour full of anchored yachts and an
uncomfortable slop from all the traffic. Therefore North Cove was our destination for a quiet sheltered night where we were joined by Andrew in his Navigator who had had a roundabout route from Gulf Harbour to find us.
The next couple of days we spent sailing around Kawau Island included visiting café s at Mansion House , the Copper mine and Kawau Island Yacht club plus a visit to Moturekareka and the wreck of the Rewa. Overnights were spent in the upper reaches of Bon Accord Harbour and a couple of breakfasts were enjoyed at the Kawau Island Yacht club which also sells ice. Best of all smelly sailors can buy a hot shower for $5 from the Kawau Island Yacht club, bless them !
Wednesday turned on perfect SW winds and plenty of sun so our little fleet headed for Sandspit from Kawau but a late start (café again ☹ !) and the turn of the tide meant we could only poke our nose into Sandspit before heading off to Mita Bay for yet another quiet night, hiding from a rising SW evening blow. Thursday morning saw all 6 of us pile into Emeraude for a trip up the Mahurangi river all the way to Warkworth. Thanks to John for Pilot services for the long motor up and back along a very narrow and winding channel. And sadly, Warkworth has café’s so we were obliged to check one out for lunch.
Friday morning saw the SW wind coming back as we all set sail for Gulf Harbour from Mita Bay. Before long we are obliged to heave to and pull in a reef as things are getting a bit torrid heading into Tiri passge. Tide against wind produced a miserable chop but we bashed our way through shaking the reef out as we neared Gulf Harbour. The SW wind made the ramp a bit difficult but we were soon on the trailer and unpacking a mountain of gear..why do we take so much we never actually use or eat?
Andrew and John arrived about an hour later and with team work we had everyone ashore after a tiring but thoroughly enjoyable Caper. Leaving Auckland to head south on Saturday morning without commuter traffic was much easier and we were home in Kapiti in about 9 hours.
See you on the next Caper.
Cheers
Brian.
p.s As an aside Richard and I got though 50 litres of water during 8 days on the boat and we were
being fairly liberal with it.