As of Thursday, October 28, 2010 - By Olivier
Thursday, October 28 in the morning, the profile of Islands Poor Knights Islands, off the coast of New Zealand, is outlined on a cloudy sky background.
We sailed from the island of Tofua six days earlier. A crossing rather quickly, despite the light airs of the end of the trail.
In France, it seems that the router official Meteo France, Sylvain Mondon, used to advise the stars of racing, laughing: analysis of local weather Jangada, it seems he told my brother Louis, who knows, it was better to have more air, that we get ashore. But me, unaware that the program is behind the board, I cut the shorter, and I'm going straight to try to arrive before dark ...
The damn wind abated, Marin and send me the gennaker. Then double laughingstock Volvo needed.
Water is passed to the green bottle, it's cool, visibility is incredibly good. Albatrosses soar endlessly in the wake, and we saw our first penguins of New Zealand, who dive at the approach of the boat.
change of scenery. We double
Bream Head to 15:00, and headed toward the river channel from Whangarei. It remains a time of flow, enough to reach Marsden Cove before backwards. We cross a few small boats that fish in the mouth. The green hills of New Zealand marched a few hundred meters. We see cows, sheep, houses surrounded by flower gardens, yachts at anchor on a small safe in each bay. These first images
delight us.
Aotearoa Kia Ora! Welcome to the Land of the Long White Cloud, the Maori name of this country addressed first by the Dutch in 1642 Abel Tasman and James Cook on the Endeavour in 1769, the first of his three voyages around the world. Marion Dufresne, the French navigator, will be less lucky: he lost his life June 12, 1772, killed (and ate ...) in a battle with the Maoris, whose motive seems to have been cut by crews Mascarin and the Marquis de Castries, the two ships (damage) of his expedition, moored Moturua Island in the Bay of Islands (just north of Whangarei), tree sacred to the Maori and therefore tapu, the famous kauri trees in New Zealand, whose wood was for repairs. Price to pay to learn the custom ...
Cook, a few years later, was assassinated in Hawaii for the same kind of pattern, then transgressed ignoring an element of the custom of the islanders.
Marion Dufresne was not also not alone in this plight: twelve Other crewmen were listed on the menu ... The next day, some sailors were sent ashore, will also be slaughtered. One can join the ships at anchor, swimming. Crozet the second Marion-Dufresne, who will then take command of the expedition, will be released shortly after an armed intervention by the crew: he alone had survived, standing on the ground to defend. Okay, well enjoy!
Today, the kauri are subject to special attention and special protection in New Zealand. The government treats the cultural heritage the two communities living together. I told the children to avoid the same fate that Mark Joseph (Marion Dufresne), it should not touch the kauri, OK? I seem to be fully understood ...
We identify the narrow channel leading to the Marsden Cove Marina, one of the sites approved by local authorities to carry out the formalities for entering the country. The end of a pontoon is reserved to the authorities. It is surrounded by impassable barriers, and that is where the boat arriving from abroad must imperatively moor. It is the custom berth, the quay of the quarantine. Q flag of the International Code of Signals stationed in the spreaders, prohibition of land pending the authorities. VHF, I am informed that their visit, given the hour of our arrival (18 H00), will occur until the next morning.
Bon, ben for the first sip of Steinlager at the corner bistro with my sweet, will have to wait a bit ...
The weather has cooled a lot with the wind coming from the (large) south, and at sunset it's downright chilly. Failing to go rinse my throat with malt, I begin, to the dismay of Barbara a mega-session of the boat capsizing, taking advantage of water jet Wharf quarantine, which has sufficient pressure to increase to half mast.
A simple happiness. Our catamaran seems to breathe with ease.
Night fell a long time when I finish the job, drenched and cold. I'm going to bed and fall asleep suddenly, the prospect of a full night's sleep, docked in calm waters after our crossing from Tonga, I evaded the route of dreams ...
The customs officer in New Zealand, which also combines the functions of immigration control (Well, not this con!) arrives to 9:30. He goes first to a yacht in New Zealand, arrived in the night from Fiji, and then comes to us. Very friendly, and at the same time very professional. My two e-mail reached him, he already knows all of the boat and crew. I pre-filled forms that the New Zealand government divides the islands of the Pacific bound for yachts wishing to visit New Zealand, we, we had found in Tonga, the coup that goes fast. He explained the customs status of the vessel during its stay in New Zealand tells me the maximum allowed of it (12months without any problem, renewable upon request and justification single), I calculate, and registered me approve and sign a document on the amount of tax that would have to pay if ever the boat is imported into the country. In short, contrary to how to make that known to us, essentially repressive, here, we play cards on the table. It also gives me a certificate of customs allowing me to make all purchases of equipment for the boat free of VAT, another unthinkable thing here.
He asked me if we stopped along the coast before come to Whangarei? Negative response. If we met ships at sea, approaching the coast? Yes, we crossed a trawler fishing yesterday morning at daybreak. I wonder what he was doing what he was called. In New Zealand, citizenship clearly shared by all that it is normal for a person reported to the authorities any notable potential interest their job. Which is to serve the community citizen, apparently. Here, it is considered good citizenship incumbent on everyone to live in the best country possible, and not as informers.
Then he explains the restrictions and import prohibitions, and motivations that go with it. He then asks me to confirm what I said, I read and confirmed. The officer is satisfied. He stamps our passports (visa of 3 months renewable), makes a quick turn into the floats, we announced the imminent arrival of the officer of the agency of bio-security of New Zealand, and leaves us wishing a good stay in his country.
It is simply the most pleasant customs which I never had.
His colleague, well-constructed is always so friendly. She takes the documents prepared, careful reading, and asked to quickly go to the kitchen and the galley. She unfolded a large black garbage bag well beefy, plus cob with apologies, the little that remains of fruits and vegetables from Tonga. And eggs. Direction the trash bag. It also would have taken Honey, if we had had. And meat, especially meat, but we have not. She repeats the question, but no, we will confirm that we have not. Not the least disgusting corned beef. He said they knew that the meat was destroyed on arrival, so we do not. As that senior board, supplies of fresh fish, I told him with regret that we eat mainly fish, and that we have on board, there beneath his feet, canning glass jars, sterilized UHT way home, the pressure cooker of the board. The Atlantic sailfish, marlin and Pacific, as desired. I remove the floor of the starboard float, and shows him the jars, it still remains a score. I had made to regret the idea that we should throw them coming here. But to our surprise, it does not pose any problem, it leaves us! I can not believe it. That is, the visit is over, she puts the big black bag in a second identical large black bag, carefully tied it all before landing on the platform of quarantine, and to proceed to his vehicle with his meager booty bio-security. It also leaves us wishing us a happy stay in kiwifruit. His visit did not last a quarter of an hour.
And we who, having read all prospectuses New zeds found in Tonga, had picked up any insect that the death had caught aboard Jangada ...
Go, en route to Whangarei Town Basin Marina, a ten miles upstream on the River. There are still two hours of flow is sufficient. Tyee, Canadian catamaran, arrived early that morning, is with us. The markup is nickel, the wooded banks on either side scrolling. Whangarei is Northland's largest city (50,000 inhabitants), and we find in approaching the commercial and industrial zones as we have not seen in years. It moves in this country!
On the pontoon, it was Brian Caulton in person, the marina manager who makes us the place and we take the hawsers. Service first, with a smile.
This will be our first impression by putting your foot down in New Zealand: the premises are nice, nice, friendly, warm, especially in the northern region of the north island, it seems. Well, as long as we eat is not as Marion Dufresne, as it should be fine in the south, I think.
We moored for a few days in the heart of the city: we see cars, grandmothers walking their grandchildren, neo-solid zeds wearing a hat like a farmer coming down Red Lion (the main competitor of Steinlager beer, but there are others!) on the terraces of cafes, concessions of Japanese cars and shops. Lots of shops. It fucked, Barbara and the kids are untenable, dropped like animals too long a leash in poverty it is true recurrent (apart from Papeete) small grocery crappy Pacific Islands ...
Note that I'm not the last found plenty to appreciate this for a while.
Happiness same material, is probably due to comparisons. Relativity.
The difficulty of happiness is perhaps the coup, when you can not compare ...
was then difficult to assess. To know his luck.
Because we are constantly immersed in abundance, for example.
What horror!
How I pity that poor Paris Hilton and (yes) Liliane Bettencourt! They
déconnent full blast, no longer know how to fool around more, but how could it be otherwise?
To avoid this, and to paraphrase my old friend and famous travel to Antarctica, Erik Orsenna ("Hi in the Grand Sud" by Erik Orsenna and Isabelle Autissier in Stock) one remedy: to travel! As possible, never consider stopping travel. And not first class.
Voyager, as a moral safety personal.
Yes, I think the trip helps keep things in their place.
to know oneself and also first, then reach out to others. Because few men, fortunately, that sufficient time to themselves.
Voyager, so.
For now, the trip turns materialism food! This is not what he does best. One of the first reflex of the crew, under the pretext of fetching fresh bread for tonight is really to rush to a cash dispenser of ANZ, a local bank, and rush in the nearest supermarket Pontoon Pak'nSave, the yellow sign.
And I'm not telling you: it's the shock. Visual. The shock of the abundance found. Rays
whole fruits, vegetables, meat, a fish counter worthy of Brittany North with extra-large mussels and smoked fish fillets, corner booze, white or red, incredibly well-stocked (we had to to worry about) with that of varieties of French origin, bread per m3 integers, and cheese, marked (here, we must get laid somewhere ...) "Sweet creamy pie" or "soft ripened brie!
I tell myself that the days of the boycott of French products in New Zealand, following the high-feat of arms of the French secret services of the day against the Rainbow Warrior fanch'mitt Greenpeace in the port Auckland (for the French nuclear tests at Mururoa and Fangataufa) in July 1985, is definitely over! France has gradually regained a prominent place in the heart of New Zealand.
Our sailors and sailing their beautiful machines, and sometimes the achievements of our national rugby team against the All Blacks (Ah, the match of 1999, remember? Half-final World Cup, France - New Zealand at Twickenham, led 24 -10, our players will end the match at 43 -31! What a game! Well, it's not every day ...) to impose here. Chabal is known and respected. Smiles predators during the haka, and the dismantling of a few conscientious New Zealand players have made it famous. The country comes alive at the time of the next World Cup rugby next year.
Well, after this first pass at Pak'nSave the regular menu is radically improved. The odds of atlantic sailfish and marlin in jars is pacific down, as I say, plummeting! Reappears in the cream sauces, meat is the menu for every meal, followed by cheese and a little red wine, with kiwifruit for dessert ...
The toilet the lip is also deserted. For a $ (NZD), the hot shower on the premises of the marina is recipe. Barbara is also running washing machines at full speed, everything goes, and I think at some point, just after the emptying of the two Volvo engines, I saved myself a little stroll in the drum Stainless ...!
The toothache, reappeared recently in large, are subject (excluding Social Security, we are no longer covered, when I think of what I paid him for decades ...!) to the local practitioner, it is not only the boat has to go stand ...
hurry to finalize our configuration of another family trip (with a 4 x 4), I started very quickly in disarming Jangada and the early work, before leaving water. Between the procedure for long term storage of the membrane desalination of seawater and thorough inspection of each terminating cable rigging dormant oil changes between revision levels of filter-engines and disassembly of the toilet pipes calcified by sea water, I connect to the internet site Trade Me, used by all New Zealanders to buy and sell of occasion. I'm looking for a second hand camper van, cheap.
Before our trip, we thought to Papa Tango Charlie (remember, the song of Schumann's death?), The Land Rover family dwelling on the long history, in a 20-foot container, the opposite direction on board a container ship. But it was too complicated and too expensive. Was our first idea to visit the country from north to south.
From time to time, since I was looking for an old camper, Barbara whispered to me that she does not see me driving this kind of gear. Too soon, too young ... Somehow, I was flattered. That said, if one day I can no longer travel differently, with more freedom and comfort on bad roads, and God willing, maybe I'd like my old father, who at 86 years, through Europe still driving his bulky gear ... He should be quiet, the old, but he has trouble. I know he is discreetly but carefully, our journey.
prices motorhomes are unreasonable for a few months. We change our tactics and I look at the 4 x 4. By observing the New Zealand market, I realize that the Land Rover Defender (our preferred model) are very rare here. The 4 x 4 Japanese monopolize the market. I select the Toyota Hilux Surf, and the Mitsubishi Pajero, many resale. 50 ads on pre-selected, I keep a dozen, then the half. The vehicles are in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch ... We need to rent a car to go see them, and distances in New Zealand are important. No highways, kilometers convert quickly accumulate hours of driving. Not very welcoming, the short trip "purchase jalopy" looming for me. I ask Brian, the owner of the Marina, whom he must praise when he m'annone there a guy there on a small trimaran on the other side of the river, just tell him he sold his Land Rover! It reminds me to the phone, it's a Discovery 97, less than 100,000 kms, good condition, motor 4000 cm3 V8 petrol ... Uh, it consumes a bit, that sort of thing, right? Reminds me of my two former Jaguar XJ Series 3 (the most beautiful of the English brand XJ), who hummed the weekend in La Rochelle. But the guy told me he just let the vehicle consignment shop specializing in a box, signed contract, and he must now deal directly with them. Damn! Marin and I borrowed two bikes Tyee, and crash through the Port of Whangarei. Damned, the seller tells me that someone has already signed an option with funding. We will test drive, and to my surprise, the salesman made me sign a paper but do not come with us! It is the custom here. 10 km and a visual and aural later, the trial is successful. Fingers crossed, only a refusal to bank financing we deliver front line for the acquisition of the equipment. That evening, I phone, it's good! The way is clear, a banker still has raged
... We are with a new Land Rover Discovery for travel companion. It remains to equip it for camping, all our equipment has remained in France ...
soon as our little program implementation entitled "Change of Life! "Permitting, we fly walking on the trails around Whangarei.
Chlorophyll replaces iodine it is a joy.
Forest roads are nice, well marked, well maintained. Small rivers, streams, waterfalls abound in this green country. Ducks, cormorants, moorhens, gulls are everywhere. It is not a house that has its garden, lawn, perfectly mowed.
New Zealand is the country of the outdoors. Often, adjacent homes, we see a motor boat transported on a trailer, a 4 x 4 and a motorhome. And always the crucial gas barbecue, a respectable size.
With our new toy with four wheels, we leave in recognition on the east coast, north of Whangarei. The children took the rugby ball, and kites of La Tortue. With ours, we now have five!
the side of Bream Head, after Parua Bay, young bulls run through a huge meadow rolling and just sniff this funny thing that flies in the sky.
Girls worry, Marin is in charge, and I'm taking off with, behind me, my fan club cattle, I watch the corner of his eye.
After the sea air, the crew starts Jangada green for several months.
Olivier
Jangada heading southwest towards New Zealand in late October 2010.
We crossed the meridian 180 °, between Tonga and New Zealand. 180 degrees West or East, as you want! The antipodes!
quarterback with the Captain Adel, a pure delight!
On Thursday, October 28 in the afternoon, double Jangada Bream Head, we arrived in Whangarei!
Jangada the Whangarei Town Basin pontoon Marina. Water and electricity at will. River and flatwater. We had forgotten ...
nature walks around Whangarei, desires chlorophyll ...
New Zealand is the country of the outdoors. Everyone to remuscler calves!
Marino, new clothes for her return to civilization, to the waterfalls of Whangarei Falls.
House New Zealand, in Whangarei.
Water Outlet Jangada of the Chantier NorSand Boatyard, November 9.
Adelie and Simi build a shack behind Jangada under construction at Shipyard NorSand.
The Captain quickly found a new way to travel on land this time! A Land Rover Discovery 97, V8 ...!
La bella on the trail of Parua Bay, back to the fields!
Olivier, a kite survivor of the sinking of La Tortue, and young bulls of New Zealand for public ...
Children are shaped, the Captain has the lines drawn by three weeks of intensive work on the boat ...
landscape Northland (North Island) coast of New Zealand at the end of the austral spring.
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