Riada 2011 christmas cruise....merry christmas wbf

[John B]

We're leaving on thurs night for a month or as close to it as we can get. Its a trip North this year hopefully bypassing the Bay of Islands for the early (rush) part of the season and spending more time on the coast either north or south.
That general plan might get hexed a bit by the strategic forecast of the la Nina weather pattern, which typically means North easters and lots of good weather plus lots of bad weather( due to warmer water temps), so it should be fun but we might be forced into anchoring up with 100 boats in the bay yet. I'll update this thread periodically when we get coverage .

Anyway, merry christmas you wbf people, its been a pleasure again to have another year of your insights and company in this little virtual world.. bring on 2011.

[John B]

oh , and for anyone here....
watch out.



heh.

[Thad]

Have fun!!

[rbgarr]

Fair weather, fresh breezes and a safe trip. Can't wait for the photos!!

[davidagage]

What Dave said!

[bamamick]

Fair winds, John. And to all of the B's, Happy Christmas!

Mickey Lake

[twodot]

I have so much to learn, you plug with your fingers behind your ear?

[C. Ross]

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!! This is the thread I so look forward to every year!

Fair winds and sunny skies John. Looking forward to some cheer from the other side of the world in our dark days after Christmas and New Years!

[Willin']

Is that a bikestand behind that canon? Heh, heh! Have great sailing and good fun! All the best to you and yours.

oh , and for anyone here....
watch out.



heh.

[John B]

's only a bike stand when yer nekkid Willin, as you well know..

Funny that ear thing twodot.. who knows what lurks in the head of a 10 yr old. (Damn sight more than lurks in the head of a 15 yr old anyway...)

Cris,Mickey, Dave and Dave and Thad... I hope 2011 is a great year for you guys.

I just came from poor Riada.. she's down on her lines something awful.

[StevenBauer]

Don't forget to take some videos, too. Happy Christmas!

Talisman gets down on her lines when the two of us go on our ten day cruise. A month's worth for five might sink her!

Have fun.

Steven

[Chip-skiff]

I just came from poor Riada.. she's down on her lines something awful.

They do sell beer, wine, etc. in the North. So you could set out a bit lighter, and re-stock as necessary.

[John B]

Too late now Chips, and I don't want to go there unless I have to anyway.. To be fair there is a dinghy on her foredeck that won't be coming with us.... the sabot has gone on, the big glass delta is yet to come off, the stripper is yet ( tomorrow) to go alongside( delta off ).. its freakin bedlam.

.. it wouldn't surprise me if it was 95% humidity and its about 26 degrees C.. its difficult to breathe.

Not too good with video Steven, I'll give it a go tho. Have a great christmas Chips and Bauers.

[The Bigfella]

Enjoy....

and have a merry christmas ya Kiwi gits

[Portland]

Merry Christmas John , and the rest of your family.
We still haven't heard from the Czech Daniel , hopefully he is wondering around over there someplace.
Regards Rob J.

[Larks]

Have a great trip John, I hope we get the chance to catch up somewhere along the way.

I meant to say earlier that I was a bit surprised by your BOI rush concern, I didn't realise that it got that busy. It's a couple of years since my last trip but when we went out crayfishing we hardly saw another boat, though that was up around behind the point past Harekeke (?) island, and the bit of sailing that I did on a friends H28 out around the same area was much the same, hardly saw another soul other than a few mad kayakers. We didn't anchor overnight anywhere down amongst the islands so I guess that must be a different kettle of fish??

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

Fair winds and fine weather, Johnno.

Take a decent boathook, won't you?

Mike

[Thad Van Gilder]

I'm jealous!!!!!! We are planning a block island cruise this summer!!! In 7 months!!!

-Thad

[John B]

Have a good one Ian ,Thad V, Rob. Greg it's state of mind more than anything.. the bay can absorb a few hundred boats and not seem stressed in good weather. When the breeze gets up , they all go to the same bays though and it gets very busy in there.
I picked up a nice ali boathook out of the dumpster Mike. One of those things with the twist lock expansion action gimmick and the really cool black plastic hook . It had a dimple in the tube which is why it would no longer lengthen and why some I'm sorich I canchuckthisout guy chucked it out, but knowing your interest in such things I thought I'd save it. I call it 'Mike'.

Pass mike will ya. Take mike and get that stern line. Grab mike and catch that cap we're passing.

[Dave Hadfield]

Have a great cruise, John! LOTS of pictures, please. Having been fortunate enough to spend a day on Riada once, it will be a lovely and easy daydream, here amongst the snow...

Dave

[htom]

Have a great trip, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

[Robbie 2]

Have a good break and trip..........looking forward to the photos.
Catch heaps of fish. We want to see photos of them too.

[P.L.Lenihan]

A safe and happy holidays to you and yours John B. Hope the fush bite like they're starving!


Cheers!


Peter

[Hwyl]

Have a great sail and we'll look forward to a breath of fresh air when you get back.

Keep those telltails flying

[John B]

Hi guys, a quick check in ( patchy coverage). We're holed up in whangaruru with 30 knots over the deck at times, but its forecast to moderate.
Uneventful trip so far, lots of motoring on the day passages in very bright weather generally. Picked up an albacore on the way to the hen and chicks and then caught a small mako with the bones( and the rapala).. fiesty little fella.. more teeth than steve h in the classic book.
Christmas day and boxing day at whale bay just like that first pic up top, a nice night and a couple of hours with dolphins at Mimiwhangata and a really nice afternoon snuck in between the reefs at the Rimarikis before the the blow .It arrived last night and we're in it today.Only problem so far is I've been sick as a dog.. typical, pick up the flu or something the day we left. I went for a good hour row in the stripper this am and a lot of that into this hard breeze so I reckon I've broken its back hopefully... fantastic surfing back downhill in the stripper! but I need some more rowlock positions aft or a wee drop down skeg , she wanted to broach in the troughs.
I haven't tried uploading any pics yet.

[John B]

That seems to have worked ok... now

sail rock where we picked up the little chicken of the sea






Our friend Steve, who fought like a fish that was a very powerful 4 ft long fish. Fortunately he was just foul hooked outside his pearly whites and was easy to release.

[StevenBauer]

Your pics are tiny, John. How about a pic from my driveway first thing this morning:




And blowing 25 with gusts to 45.



Steven

Pics are fixed. Keep 'em coming.

[John B]

Whale bay .. it was actually a bit overcast during the morning but it brightened up after lunch

[John B]

I think I've fixed em Steven..er, looks a tad cold there.

Boxing day... dya see why we risk overnights at this place.......

[John B]

Yesterday at Mimi.. broody in the am again.. these guys just hung on around for a couple of hours....





Through the reefs for a stop for lunch and the afternoon, and then off up harbour last night for the blow and rain today.

[John B]

Riada's racy ( sloop)sister RiadaII dropped off some flounder on the way past this am.

[snow(Alan H)]

Hi John
Whats the classic launch on the left in the background? I spoke on the mobile today with Larks (Greg) we were trying to hook up for a beer at Mangonui but our timings were all bad.
Hope the weather gods sort themselves out over night.
Cheers Alan

[snow(Alan H)]

[QUOTE=John B;2821328] caught a small mako with the bones( and the rapala).. fiesty little fella.. more teeth than steve h in the classic book.

For those that wondered what John is referring to.........

;

[StevenBauer]

I think I've fixed em Steven..er, looks a tad cold there.

Boxing day... dya see why we risk overnights at this place.......

Not so cold, about -6C. And we sure do see why you risk it. Sweet.

Steven

[Larks]

How'd you go with the bit of weather up there today guys? I got a bit hijacked by another family lunch but I guess it was probably not a bad day to do so. Heading up for a bit of an explore tomorrow regardless though so will give a call and see who's about.

[dhic001]

Whats the classic launch on the left in the background?

Looks like Wirihana to me, be about right, Chris is usually out and about this time of year.
Daniel

[John B]

Yup wirehana, had a brief chat to Chris yesterday, but I've not been visiting people due to the cold.
Currently clagged in in deep water cove in from Cape Brett, the weather is a lemon and nothing but easterlies forecast for the next week even when the rain clears. Don't know what we're doing, its a lemon.
I was on anchor watch for a few hours last night.. a bit puffy down the valley , the anchored boats going all over the place and rocks with teeth like a mako , or Steve h, on either side of us.

[C. Ross]

Thanks John. Sorry the weather's bad, hope you feel better. Whale Bay looks beautiful.

What are you intending to catch instead of molesting those poor mako?

[Steveh]

The reason you foul hooked me John is I DIDN'T want you to damage my pearly whites.

[Steveh]

Merry Christmas and Merry Christmas to WBF peoples too. Thanks for the profile pic Alan. Whilst John was heading north we stayed local and had some beautiful evenings at Kawau. Wally and Kath Roberts joined up with us at Rocky bay in Clarionet, Christmas Day. It was such a nice evening we decided to stay, fearing a repeat of the 'Bostaquet Bay Roll' we chanced it with perfect conditions for an open anchorage. The slight off shore kept us stern on to the minimal swell and it was a perfect nights sleep.











Clarionet is a Howard Chapel design with a little topside added. Wally spent 30 years in the build, yes I'll repeat that, 30 years. And the workmanship is a thing of beauty.

Caught up with Tony on Contour, Monday morning, North Harbour. We headed back to home base before that last nasty weather pattern crossed and will probably head out again for a few nights on the 3rd.

[Thad]

Sweet!!! Nice to see Summer with our 18 inches of snow that came with winds gusting over 50 kts.

[snow(Alan H)]

Stunning pix Mr Horsley, I have not seen Clarionet b4, she is a sweetie. If you say the workmanship is 'a thing of beauty' then she must be museum standard because you are a bit of a master yourself.
Your 'Ngatira' was discussed on xmas day at the island because Rob's granddad (Jack(John)Boner) used to crew on her, with the Fraters, b4 buying is own yott - 'Alma',I think. Rob's auntie (Jack's daughter) thinks she might have some old pix, so when she is back on the mainland will have a look. Fingers crossed.

ps nice work on the fishies teeth

[Paul G.]

Wish I was still out there too! heres us in a post northerly sunset on tuesday

[Larks]

Wonderful photos guys. How are you doing John, over your cold yet?

[StevenBauer]

Clarionet is just gorgeous! And I love this pic:

[Phil Y]

Hope the weather picks up John, always love your photos.

Just back from 2 weeks on Balia down in Tassie, will post a couple of pics soon.

Happy new year all

Phil

[John B]

Back in the BOI after spending some ( brilliant)time out at the cavallis and into whangaroa for a couple of days, saw Wal go sailing through a couple of times but we haven't caught up yet. We'll start in the tall ships/ classics tomorrow.
caught anothetr steve except this one was about 6 ft and belligerent... went aerial about 8 ft a few times and charged the boat from 20 ft away after 20 mins and bit the trace off thank goodness.

[L.W. Baxter]

What a feast for sore eyes!

Clarionet is a ship/monument/concert hall. Not a bad use at all of 30 years spare time.

[Steveh]

Sort of went off the radar there for a moment John. I've been told Bronze Whalers can attack boats, any shark for that matter if so provoked. Reminds me of when we were fishing off Flat Rock on an oily morning and a 6' Bronze took Claude's live bait. It bit the trace as soon as pressure was applied so I attracted it over by splashing the side of the boat. Claude tried braining it with an Hawaiin sling, there was a big splash, a bent sling, and a broken thumb.

We've just returned from 4 glorious days out at Barrier, will post picks when I sort em.

Should see Brucie up there in Petrel at the Tall Ships.

More pics John, and say hi to Kirsty and kids.

[John B]

I'm glad you got to Barrier Stevey.
No Clarionet at the tall ships...still a lot of interesting boats about... not the least a real cutie by the name of Ludique.
Sitting at Roberton island this am after 30 knots or so last night.. still a bit breezy out there.
Yesterday was brilliant, sunny , too hot and a mild breeze. Some people including Mr pirates of the carribean got to feel the WBF love as the Waione centennial wbf cannon spewed forth its glee a few times. Great day.
Caught up with Brucie .. always a pleasure.
photos to come .. I took too many.