Well A lot has happened since my last post, we're currently in Auckland parked up in the Viaduct basin living the high life.

Getting the Cat 1 certificate isn't as easy as when I did it 13 years ago, Nanny State is getting worse by the day and I can't see things getting any better any time soon, now we need an off-shore survival course and a off-shore first aid certificate to get a Cat1 clearance, wont be long and only doctors will be allowed to sail from NZ.

 Luckily Bella has done the survival course and she is booked in to do the first aid course Tuesday and Wednesday, I refused and will be getting "Do Not Resuscitate" "Do Not Rescue" tattooed on my chest instead. Plus now I'm looking into registering my boat in the UK, which will mean I don't have to go through this Nanny state Cat 1 bullshit ever again.

 This is the madding thing about Cat 1! It only applies to NZ resisted vessels Leaving NZ, I could sail a bath tub from NZ if it was registered in any other country, I can for instance also sail a NZ registered bath tub to the Auckland islands or anywhere in NZ waters without a Cat 1 certificate, I can also sail my boat around the world for years and return without a Cat 1 certificate, I think that's about enough said about this, One rule for All I say, sailing NZ wont be hearing from me ever again.

So the trip up from Waikawa went well, my old mate Scotty who sailed to Tonga and Fiji last time came with me, Invererne is a fast ship compared to Material Girl, sailing/motor sailing she gets along between 7-8 Knots, it took about three and a half days, we had a very smooth trip, even caught a couple of nice skip jack tuna off Cape Reinga, been parked up in Opua Marina for the last month getting some final preparations done, new fore-stay fitted and loads of other bits and pieces.

 So all going well we will be out of here and sailing north mid June, Savusavu being our destination, because there's no Covid on the top Island yet!

 Some Pics

                         Bella cleaning up.
   
              Heading to Opua


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