While it was so exciting and satisfying to have made it back safely, with H3 still in mint condition, it was very strange to be leaving the boat to live on dry land again. I certainly could have quite easily stayed on board to continue doing this type of cruising; even for a period of several years! It is actually a lifestyle.
Horizon III proved herself as a strong sea worthy vessel more than capable of handling our conditions. Robin and I discussed what changes we would make to the hull design if we were building a similar boat. The answer was, very little, maybe a little more ‘vee’ to allow the hull to soft enter the water when coming off large waves?? We liked the low centre of gravity, the flattish stern, providing amazing stability even when in a broach situation. As I have stated before, this vessel has no bad habits!
The biggest issue for me in deciding to do this trip was ensuring the the boat was in perfect working order. That meant all engines fully serviced including fuel filters with engine spares on board, such as fuel filters, V belts and water pump impellers for the genset as well. Also adequate spare oil for transmission, hydraulic systems and engine oil. We were doing large engine hours and knew that all engines would require a full service on our return.
In speaking with experienced South Island commercial skippers prior to leaving Tairua, it was clear that we needed adequate large fenders, minimum of two springer ropes about the length of the boat and shorter ropes to tie up to jetties and the like. We also took two planks to use as sacrificial splinter boards to hang on the outside of the fenders horizontally where they can rub against piles. We only saw one boat use this method in Ahuriri (Napier). These boards save the fenders and the hull from being damaged especially where there is lots of boat traffic and swells rolling through. We managed without them but we were happy to have them on board....just in case. One way to annoy a local boatie is to be inadequately prepared for rafting up to other vessels or tying up in Marinas or alongside piles. We also carried a spare anchor, chain and anchor warp just in case we became hooked up on rocks and needed to drop our main anchor. Thankfully that never happened. The danger is that of having the chain loop around a rocky structure when setting the anchor, it can be impossible to release without a diver who is capable of getting down there to untangle the chain. Generally if you follow the charted anchorages you will be on a Shelly, stony or muddy base where it is very unlikely to have any issues getting stuck. Fishermen on small vessels like grapples which allow them to anchor over rocky seabed’s. The grapples are only suitable for temporary anchoring as the prongs will straighten and release under extreme loads, ideal if the anchor becomes stuck. These are also ineffective anchors for sandy seabeds.
From a communication perspective we had our cellphones with GPS navigation (still works without signal) as a backup for our main GPS on board, we had charts for all areas to be navigated and we had VHF radio, satellite phone, including a recently fully serviced EPIRB. We used Maritime Radio extensively in the South Island and Coastguard everywhere else when logging all trip reports. We ensured they were closed on arrival at each destination. Planning was key to ensuring that this journey would be enjoyable and safe. My only fear during the trip was mechanical failure in crucial situations, such as dangerous sea conditions where loss of power or steerage could end in catastrophe, otherwise I felt safe throughout knowing that we had done our homework.
What we loved
The overwhelming feeling I am left with is that of just how beautiful and diverse our country is; reflecting both our natural assets and the way New Zealand is developing our communities and commerce within our landscapes. It is sad that many Kiwis will never get to see all we have enjoyed on this journey in their lifetime, yet I am left feeling that we were only scraping the surface of what New Zealand has on offer. My one regret is that I should have set off with an expectation of spending much more time doing this circumnavigation and as such should have set off at least a month earlier!
An observation of the many villages, towns and Cities we visited, was that they all were developing their own style. In doing so, they had created their own individual ambiance through both architecture, using available local building materials and that of leveraging the differentiators of their geographical locations. This is exactly what we should be doing to enhance the lifestyle of New Zealanders up and down our Islands and create destinations that can be leveraged through tourism. It is clear to me that this can be a sustainable, profitable industry for New Zealand. It should force us to think about the environment and the impact we are having on it. It will consequently drive better behaviours regarding how we care for our environment. We need to understand the needs of visitors who arrive from Air, Sea or by road. We should ‘walk a mile’ in their shoes to figure out how we can do better, survey visitors to understand what is lacking and use our visitors tax to provide better services through DOC and other providers. Our coastal ports definitely need to do better! I challenge them to come into their own ports as visitors and check out the services and facilities. Most were substandard and unwelcoming. It many cases it is the simple luxury of being able to bring a tender to a jetty where you can come ashore in any tide and keep your clothes dry.
With regards to the environment; we can’t sit back relying on our small scale to save us from noticeably degrading the stunning environment that we are charged with taking care of. It is time to analyse everything we are doing, consuming, trashing and spoiling. It is everyone’s responsibility and every businesses responsibility to self examine and critique the impact that we are having on our planet. Every choice we make as consumers, is accepting the status quo and once we wake up and realise this, we will recognise that we are also a part of the problem. We all have an opportunity to make a difference by the choices we make. It is down to those who are able to make change (businesses) to lead the way. Don’t use foam and plastic packaging, don’t mix biodegradable with non biodegradable packaging, question why that river is spewing our wastes into an otherwise pristine ocean. The fishing industry should be leading the way by cleaning up of our beaches. Stewart Island beaches were littered end to end with fishing vessel losses overboard or from fishing activity itself. The point is, all industries must take responsibility for their activities and be held accountable for any damaging impacts they cause. Anyway, I should stop there, I do not want to labour the point too much! To be clear though, this soapbox response, is a direct result of me getting closer to nature, one simply cannot avoid being ‘shaken to the core’, when you are exposed to the beauty and magnificence of our little slice of heaven and then see evidence of us abusing it. This will have a lasting impact on me by changing some of my own behaviours and encourage me to speak up, write that email, phone that manufacture of food products about their packaging, ask the supermarket to lead change by actively encouraging the supply chain to do better.
Where to next?
Repeat??.......well almost! The plan will be to go back down the east coast taking more time in places such as Gisborne, Napier, Oamaru, Wellington, Queen Charlotte Sound, Kaikoura, Akaroa, Timaru, Dunedin, Bluff, Stewart Island. Well, I have just named almost every significant destination on the east coast! The west coast will be pretty much the same; I definitely want to re-visit Preservation Inlet, Dusky and Doubtful Sounds again. We missed exploring these in depth, due to the heinous weather but the glimpses we were afforded were spectacular! One of the most amazing locations for me was Abel Tasman where the beaches and walks are just stunningly beautiful. Golden Bay was worthy of a second visit too. The Abel Tasman National Park has amazing walks taking you inland and along the coastline which are a combination of rugged rocky headlands and awesome sandy bays. The pristine clarity of the water throughout this region was as good as any tropical Island paradise and just so inviting for swimming, kayaking diving or fishing. All of the above locations deserve an investment of time to appreciate all that is on offer and I felt we didn’t achieve that on this trip.
A trip to the Islands is a distinct possibility but I will need to fit a water maker to ensure we have adequate fresh water on board but in the meantime the priority will be a second southern expedition.
We have recently reconnected with some acquaintances from Dunedin who are soon to travel up the coast to northland. Our plan is to meet Mike and Julie at Slipper Island and travel with them to the Mercury Islands and then on to Great Barrier where we can show them the many great spots to visit. I would love to head even further north to re-visit the Bay of Islands - it is such a special place during the quieter winter months. We would also love to return the hospitality shown by our ‘Southern Cousins’ who are probably the best hosts you will find anywhere on the planet.
The journey has prompted a few changes to the boat with the conversion of our rear head into a utility room with a washing machine to be installed. Robin will do this project, as he is well familiar with this boat. I was very lucky to have had an experienced boatie and brother on board for this expedition who was able to take the time out to accompany me on this adventure. I was easily able to relax with Robin on the helm, knowing that he was always looking out for the boat and us. His knowledge and problem solving skills are second to none. Together, we complimented each other really well ensuring we could solve most issues or come up with a cunning workaround to keep us on the move. The whole purpose of an adventure like this is to challenge and stretch us and take us well outside our comfort zone. At times, we did this, but never had an all out disaster to deal with due to the reliability of our vessel, the homework (preparation) we had done and the experience we bought to our epic journey around New Zealand. I am looking forward to sharing another adventure with you all soon, where I am certain new challenges will present with new problems to solve but most importantly, very special places to visit and very special people to meet.
Thanks to you all for your interest.