All is well. Now, anyway. We are presently anchored with Chaos and Fundango after motoring over from our previous anchorage in Kiwiwiri Bay. We plowed through some of the heaviest rain I’ve ever experienced. 30 to 35 knot winds with gusts into the 40s. The strong winds and heavy rain made for difficult visibility. Fortunately, the Port Fitzroy area is sheltered, and the seas were flat.

Why were we out motoring around in such deplorable conditions?

At about 1445 local, all three anchor alarms sounded. Two successive bursts of 40-knot plus winds had broken the anchor loose, and we were dragging toward Midnight Sun and the islets behind us.

I quickly got the engines started and the plotter on the helm up and running so we had charts. It took nearly all of our engine power to keep the boat pointed into the wind so we could start the process of retrieving the anchor.

I managed to foul the anchor bridle on the chain, which made it impossible to raise the anchor. In between gusts, Pam and I would swap places and make a little progress unwrapping the bridle. As the chain came up, we found a large fishhook bent around it. It wouldn’t pass through the windlass, which meant we had to free it by leaning over the crossbeam.

An hour and a half later, we had everything recovered, and we set about looking for a new spot to anchor. The anchor had a large metal strap bent around it that Pam had to free. That may have compromised the holding.

The inner part of Kiwiwiri Bay had room, but the boats already there were skewed in all different directions with the swirling winds. It is difficult to precisely anchor a boat in a gale. We’d be a threat to the other boats. Instead, we turned around and headed out of the bay in search of a better protected spot. A cautious hour later, we motored into Kaiarara Bay and, with some guidance from Scott and Joanne on Fundango, settled into a spot up against the hillside.

The wind and biblical rain raged all night, but we held. The next morning, it was calm and sunny.

We handled a difficult situation well. A big credit to Pam, who is always calm in a crisis, and to our magnificent Yanmar 4JH57 engines, that were up to the task.

Departed: Thursday 26March2026, 0152 UTC

Log: 10,605 | Generator: 912 | Port: 1466 | Starboard: 1466 | Barometer: 1014.6-

All is well. We are snuggled into a nice spot in Kiwiriki Bay within the larger Port Fitzroy area of Great Barrier Island. We had a short sail up the island’s west side in brisk 20-25 knot southeasterlies under reefed main and the solent. We ran our “chicken rig” where we fly the solent wing and wing using the spinnaker guy to hold it to weather. Daggers at 1/3.

This was the first time sailing the boat with our new cockpit enclosure fully closed. Our design idea was to make it possible to seal off the cockpit while still leaving room in the back to operate the winches and sail controls. It works as designed!

We’re anchored next to our sister ship, Sugar Shack. Matt and Christine have been out sailing her for almost a decade. They have been invaluable mentors for us. It’s nice to be anchored together for the first time.

Chaos and Fundango are anchored around the corner. We are all here in preparation for a big storm on Thursday. If the wind is as expected, we’ll be in good shape here. For now, it’s sporadic drizzle while we putter around the boat, catching up on work and other projects.

We got in a great hike in the Glenfern Sanctuary with the crews of all four boats. And, we found a small grocery store on the way back.

It’s a beautiful spot to weather the storm.

Departed: 23 March 2026, 1947 UTC

Generator: 906 | Port: 1463 | Starboard: 1463 | Barometer: 1030mb^

All is well. We are presently anchored in Puriri Bay, Tryphena Harbour on New Zealand’s famous Great Barrier Island. We enjoyed yet another perfect spinnaker day on the run up from Great Mercury Island in light southeasterlies, 8 to 10 knots with 3 to 4-foot swells. Daggers up, no mainsail.

We caught up with our long-time cruising friends Chaos and Fundango, who’ve been sailing around New Zealand since we all got here last November.

As islands go, it’s bigger than most Caribbean islands, with only about 1,000 full-time residents. It’s also a true “dark sky” island with amazing stargazing.

We took advantage of the Churrach Irish Pub ashore, which featured a legit wood-fired pizza oven.

It’s nice to be among good friends again. Sailors with whom we crossed the Pacific. We’ll spend another day here troubleshooting the watermaker. If we succeed, we will head up to Port Fitzroy a few hours north. It’s a good spot to wait out the coming storm later this week. If not, we’ll sail to Auckland avail ourselves to the parts and expertise there.

Log: 10584 | Generator: 903 | Port: 1461 | Starboard: 1461 | Barometer: 1024.5^

Departed: Saturday 21 March 2026, 2055 UTC

All is well. We are presently tucked into Huruhi Harbour on the west side of Great Mercury Island. We arrived after another great day of downwind sailing with just the symmetrical spinnaker, no mainsail, no daggers, in light southerlies, 8-10 knots, and a large SE swell.

Our intended anchorage of Peach Grove Bay had a healthy surge from the SE swell (as did all the south-facing anchorages). So, we motored up the west side of the island looking for a calm spot and found it here. We’re in the company of about a dozen other mostly local boats.

The Mercury Islands are privately owned (by Michael Fay of NZ Americas Cup fame). But NZ rules allow anchoring along its shoreline. We’ll visit the beaches while we are here. Mostly we are just getting used to life aboard again.

Generator: 903, Port: 1459, Starboard: 1459, Bar: 1015.6mb

Departed: Thursday 19Mar2026 2235 UTC.

All is well. We are presently anchored off Penguin Island near Mercury Bay on New Zealand’s North Island. Our first day of sailing since last November and our refit in Tauranga. We enjoyed a nice spinnaker run up the coast in light southerlies and 5-6’ seas. Symmetrical spinnaker, no main, no daggers.

We wanted to make it an easy day for our first day back on the water. We picked Slipper Island as our overnight stop. But the southerly breeze made the main bay untenable. Neighboring Penguin and Rabbit Islands weren’t much better. We were fine, but the swell rebound and refraction made it a rolly night. Not an anchorage I’d choose again.

Departed: 18Mar2026 2055Z

Log: 10532 | Generator: 903 | Port: 1457 | Stbd: 1457 | Bar: 1012.4

All is well. We are safely tied up in slip F02 in Tauranga Marina after an overnight motor sail from Auckland in light northerlies and smooth seas.

Richard and Dave flew home from Auckland. I was joined on this passage by our Kiwi friend, Mikayla. We met Mikayla and her BF, Jacob, in the Cook Islands earlier this year. She took the day off from substitute teaching to help me get the boat down the coast to Tauranga.

Now starts the process of getting the boat ready for haul out and her well-deserved spa treatment.

All is well. We are presently tied up in berth HOB10 in Auckland’s Central Marina, in the heart of the city’s Viaduct Harbour.

We had a smooth, overnight motor from Opua in light winds and calm seas. Morning gave way to thick fog as we motored down the ship channel. Land breeze effect. As we approached Auckland, the fog lifted, the sun rose, and we arrived in the City of Sails on a warm, sunny morning.

We’ll be here soaking up all this great city has to offer until the weather allows us to make one last hop south to Tauranga.

I’ve always wanted to tie up my own boat in this famous harbour that I remember from the America’s Cup days back in the 80s. Here we are!

All is well. We are presently tied up to the Q-Dock in Opua, New Zealand’s Bay of Islands Marina, awaiting clearance into the country. We enjoyed a terrific final day of sailing punctuated by whale sightings and a welcome by a pod of dolphins. We sailed into the dying breeze, seeking some favorable current. Once the wind gave out, we fired up the engines and motored the remaining few miles into the Bay of Islands.

The land breeze created thick fog through which we slowly picked our way into the harbour. I finally found a use for the “radar overlay” on the chart plotter. We worked our way to the far end of the quarantine dock, where we tied up, and I promptly fell into the water while stepping onto the dock. That’s a longer story.

It took until 4 p.m. the following day to get fully cleared and into our slip in the marina. We enjoyed long, hot showers, laundry, restaurant meals, and of course, catching up with our cruising friends that we haven’t seen in weeks and months.

We’ll be here until the weather window for our run to Auckland opens up.

All is well. We are presently broad reaching under reefed main and solent in 18 knots and confused 2M seas. We’re moving fast. 9 knots. Daggers at 1/3. We are headed to the barn! Another 200nm day! The third of this trip. Ok, it was actually 199.4nm noon-to-noon but I’m claiming credit anyway.

We’re routing west to 34:30S 174E to pick up better current before turning south to the entrance of the Bay of Islands.

The seas are beginning to smooth out. Finally, after 3 days of a real washing machine. Dave and I feel like eating for the first time. Richard has whipped up an amazing breakfast. Imagine cooking while standing on a basketball on tilt-a-whirl. That’s cooking aboard Roam right now.

120 miles to go.

All is well. We are presently beam reaching under double-reefed main and solent. Daggers at 1/3. 1.5M-2M confused seas. Winds from the east at 15-20 knots. A 173nm day, noon-noon.

We’re keeping our speed down to around 8 knots to better cope with the confused seas. They make it uncomfortable to move around when we are moving fast. That will also give the unsettled weather south of us a little more time to moderate.

Last night was better than the previous night. Occasional rain squalls with winds up to about 25 knots. 306nm to go. If all goes as forecast, we will be in Opua, NZ, early Wednesday morning.

All is well. Another 200+nm day (noon-noon 203nm). We are presently broad reaching under full main and code 65. Daggers at 1/3. For most of the last day, we’ve been under full main and solent. The wind has lightened a little and shifted left. Seas are lumpy and confused at around 1.5M. That minimizes our inspiration in the galley, but everyone is doing well.

We broke out some frozen jambalaya today. Along with a fresh cucumber salad. First hot food we’ve felt like eating since leaving. It takes time to get your sea legs.

The boat is sailing well and we are hanging with the big dogs…. er, cats. Kinetic, Slim, Earendil2,. All much bigger than us. They’ll eventually leg out on us and leave us behind, but not bad for two days of demanding sailing to still be in sight of them.

645nm to go. The models have us arriving on the evening of the 4th.

All is well. We clicked off a 205nm day on our first day at sea. We are presently sailing under full main and solent with daggers at 1/3. Seas are 1.5m and confused. Winds 086 @ 16 knots.

The first day was bumpy and a little rough. Moving around was hard. But otherwise, we did well.

We’ve been switching between a full main and the Code65 and then back to a reefed main and the solent. The conditions are right on the margin for the bigger, faster sail plan. But 10 to 11 knots of boat speed in these confused conditions is uncomfortable and puts more stress on the boat. We’ll slow down and be happy.

And, we aren’t in any rush to get to the Low and its associated weather front. The longer we take, the more it moves off and dissipates.

Otherwise, we are right on the rhumbline and sailing fast. Weather is as forecast and the passage is as expected. 850nm to go.

All is well. We are once again in Port Denarau, hanging on mooring C02 after motoring over from Musket Cove in calm conditions. We are here to collect our crew member Dave, do some final provisioning, and clear customs and immigration. Checking the forecasts twice a day. Departed 2350Z.

All is well. Back at Musket Cove on mooring #22 after an easy sail over from Vuda Marina under full main and Solent. Daggers at 1/3. Overcast skies and a light north easterly at 8 knots and smooth seas.

We will hang out here waiting on our weather window for NZ.

Departed 2250z.

All is well. Fiji celebrates its independence from Britain today. We are once again med tied in Vuda Marina’s outer basin. We are wedged in between two beautiful performance cats: Kinetc, a Kinetic KC62, and Slim, a Gunboat 66. Both have pro crews aboard looking after them. We’re sleeping with the big dogs—or cats I guess.

We motor sailed over from Musket Cove this morning in a light northeasterly. The crew from Subsurface dive shop came by after work last night to scrub our bottom. I video’d it this morning before we left. NZ bio security wants evidence we have a clean hull and that we left Fiji’s biofouling behind in Fiji.

We had a farewell dinner last night at the Lomani Resort with the crews of Fundango, Chaos, and Warrior. We handed off our mooring to our friends aboard the Catana 47, Hudson. Miss you guys.

We will be here in Vuda until it’s time to depart for New Zealand. For now we have freshwater from a hose, shore power, and the air conditioners are humming away.

Whenever guests arrive or depart, the staff of the Musket Cove resort gather to sing the welcome or farewell song. Yet another thing I love about Fiji. Fijians in general are amazing singers.

All is well. We are once again back at Musket Cove, hanging on mooring #7. The regatta crowd has cleared out. Our friend Scott (Fundango) was on hand to help us tie up.

We motor-sailed the short distance after departing our mooring in Port Denarau. We used the opportunity to top off our diesel tanks with 245 liters of fuel ($563 FJD) at the port’s fuel dock. No small feat wedging a big cat in there with a crosswind. And we topped off our water tanks on the motor over to Musket Cove.

We are here to spend time with friends, get in some more diving, and continue the prep for the big trip to NZ.

All is well. We are presently hanging on mooring #3 in Port Denarau Marina after 55nm motor sail from the Yasawa islands. We departed Blue Lagoon early this morning into an 18 knot southerly which gradually faded. Once the wind waves subsided it was smooth motoring into Nadi Bay. The southerly filled in again just as we were approaching the entrance.

It was a nice end to a visit from our friends Jim and Angela who’ve been exploring the islands with us for the past week.

We will be here for a few days getting reprovisioned and ship shape. We have a few projects to check off as well. And we hope to catch up with some friends.

All is well. We are currently anchored off the Blue Lagoon Beach Resort, Nacula Island, Yasawa Archipelago, Fiji.

We motored the short two miles after our morning dive outing with the Blue Lagoon dive shop. It’s a little calmer here, and we plan to have dinner at the resort.

It’s been a consistent 18-20 knots from the east yesterday and today. We are here with one other boat—the motor yacht “Free Range”.

“Yasawa” must be Fijian for “windy as heck.” As in, “YASAWA! It’s windy as heck here!”

We are presently anchored off Nanuya Lailai island, Yasawa Archipelago, Fiji. We sailed here in an 18-20 knot easterly and flat seas. Reefed main, full Solent, and full daggers.

We hugged the western coast of the Yasawas, working around the reefs. There is something exhilarating about going upwind in a strong breeze and flat water. With her dagger boards fully down, Roam climbs upwind like a race boat.

We are here to explore the Yasawa’s famous blue lagoon and the Sawa-i-Lau caves.

We found a 25’ sand patch for the anchor. Here with 13 other boats.

All is well. We are presently anchored in 45’ of water in Nalauwaki Bay, Waya Island, Yasawa Archipelago, Fiji. We broad-reached from Musket Cove under the Code65 (no main) in 18 - 20 knot winds and a short southwesterly swell with wind waves on top. Daggers at 1/3.

We swung through Navadra Island anchorage but found it too rough to stay. The southwesterly swell made it untenable. No boats were there. Wayu was our plan B and we had plenty of time to get anchored and visit Chief Tiko for sevusevu. We are sharing this large, deep anchorage with 23 other boats.

Our friends Jim and Angela from California are out with us. We enjoyed a few nice days in Musket Cove but it’s time to see the other islands.