Land Ho! Auckland
A fast trip across the South Pacific Ocean from Fiji to New Zealand in under six days.
Passage as planned, weather as forecast: Roam is resting in her berth at Bayswater Marina after a fast Fiji–New Zealand crossing—five days, 22 hours.
We brought Roam back to New Zealand for safekeeping during the upcoming cyclone season. And to spend some time sailing around this wonderful country after the holidays.
We enjoyed great sailing conditions during the first three days. Sometimes PERFECT sailing conditions. Four 200+ nautical mile days (OK one was only 198 nautical miles).
Joining us as crew were our Kiwi friends Greg and his daughter, Miya. Greg managed Roam's refit work last year and helped me sail the boat north to Fiji back in June. Miya is an apprentice at Evolution Sails in Auckland. She is always game to add more sea miles to her sailing resume.
Perfect conditions can breed complacency. Complacency offshore is a killer. The weather models update twice a day. We download fresh forecasts, rerun the routes, and talk through any changes to the plan as a crew.
As we closed on the New Zealand coast, MetBob, our weather router, forecast an "easterly punch." He uses the term for a short-lived but strong southeasterly weather front.
We elected to motor through the light air at a faster speed (and higher fuel consumption) than normal. That extra speed allowed us to reach the lee of Great Barrier Island and avoid the worst of the weather. It's an example of using all of Roam's strengths to make a trip come together safely and efficiently.
Submarine mode. A short clip giving you an idea of a rough sea state. Bashing across the Hauraki Gulf. It was short-lived. About an hour and a half.
Hard ocean sailing takes a toll on the boat and crew. The starboard alleyway bilge pump seized and tripped its circuit breaker (which is the circuit breaker doing its job). The Solent sheet outer cover parted due to chafe (but the core held long enough to finish the trip). We had a few new drips in some of the hatches. Not surprising given the amount of seawater we took over the decks during the last day. But this is a great outcome given such demanding conditions.
We chose Auckland as our first port of arrival and arranged clearance at Jellicoe Harbour. The New Zealand Customs and MPI biosecurity officers were efficient and made quick work of the formalities. After clearing in and spending our first night downtown, we moved Roam to her temporary berth at Bayswater Marina.
We still have 120 nautical miles to go to get Roam down to Tauranga, where she will spend the holidays getting work done. For now, she'll stay here in Auckland while we travel to Japan for work and fun. I'll come back to Auckland later in October to move her down to Tauranga. Pam will head back to the US from Japan.
I remain eternally grateful to our mighty Roam, who takes such good care of us in the ocean, and to her fearless crew, who did such a great job sailing her.
Passage Stats
| Predicted | Actual | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | 1,205 – 1,246 nm | 1,149 nm |
| Time, dock to dock (d:h) | 06:06 – 06:21 | 05:22 |
| Average speed | 7.4 – 8.0 kn | 8.1 kn |
| Motoring time (d:h) | 00:13 – 01:20 | 01:17 |
| Max sustained wind | 21 – 28 kn | 29 kn |
| True wind angle | 70° – 110° | 65° – 110° |
| Max wave height | 3.3 m | 3 m |
| Time with roll > 4°¹ | 3% – 12% | As forecast |
| Time with vertical accel. > 0.2 g¹ | 24% – 27% | As forecast |
| Sails | Main (full, 1 reef), Solent | Main (full to 3rd reef), Solent, Code 65 |
¹ Roll and vertical acceleration are good indicators of sea state. Our PredictWind routing software calculates both metrics.
A Few Photos
The view from the escape hatch. Short clip of what it looks like in great sailing conditions.
