Three Kings, New Zealand 9 Dec 2010 34.1742S 172.0742E
A memorable day with an early start, we’d anchored off the northern Tip of New Zealand last night, It was a desolate windy spot with long beaches and a swell rolling through which rolled us right along with it – all night long. Tom Bowling Bay it was called, I guess that was the hint we missed. Still the W/NW winds predicted, aren’t expected to arrive for another 24-48 hours, so we were not ready to turn south yet. Frank woke way before his wake up time, to haul in the anchor and sail to the Three Kings Islands. A beautiful day of sailing brought us to a dramatic anchorage with steep cliffs all around. Despite the light 10 knot winds outside, gusts were sweeping straight down from the cliffs, creating wild air currents and counter currents. The hordes of seabirds were loving it, but erratic winds, combined with a deep boldery bottom, and an even rollier anchorage, convinced us that we’d be better off bobbing around in the ocean all night, so we left, barely one beer later, maybe this year’s shortest anchorage stop.
Sailing past the Prince’s Islands a couple miles to the west, was where the memorable part comes in. These were really more a collection of tall pointy ridgy rocks than islands. Very dramatic, and as we approached we saw a giant arch in the rocks. It looked like one could almost sail through (if one had an unlimited rigging budget and a steel hull…we were only halfway qualified). Instead, the steep deep water right to the cliff face allowed us to get close, without attempting to thread the needle. I was on the bow ready for the perfect shot, the one where the arch frames the pinnacles in the background, when a pod of very large dolphins, I think bottlenose, swam up to ride our bow. I’m afraid my shutter was clicking way to fast for any of the pictures to be any good, so I finally stopped and just watched, it was an amazing sight. They had some of the cutest tiniest babies with them that I’ve ever seen in a dolphin pod. Logan called out gleefully “Did you see the little wrinkley spot by the fin of that tiny one? Just like the wrinkles human babies get around their knees.” I think it must have just been born, his hops out of the water reminded me of a toddler hopping along to keep up with dad, barely able to break the bonds of gravity for a second, before falling back down. They followed along for awhile, perfecting what I thought was an already perfect view. A little farther along, a big Albatross came close enough for Frank to photograph (they always hide behind shrouds or swells for my shutter clicks – and I was at the bread again). We’ve been seeing Albatross all day, but none have graced us with such a spectacular fly by and that in light wind. It was a day for the log books.
Since the wind has not turned yet, we’re heading for Australia. Hopefully the wind will turn by tomorrow so we can head back to New Zealand, ideally towards the south island. Otherwise, we’ll be like Cook, who spent a a couple weeks sailing out from the NZ west coast in the morning, then back towards the coast by nightfall to take a position, then back out then back in. Not too frustrating if you’re trying to map the island, but cartographers we are not, and we’d like to make it to Nelson before Christmas. I wouldn’t mind if we took just this one zig towards Oz, then a straight beeline down, with no more zags or Aussie zigs after. Not that it isn’t beautiful now, not that today’s sidetrip wasn’t appreciated, but it never stays this beautiful for long, even in the summer; a port would be nice before the next chilly southern blow.
xoxomo