Good People

So far the New Zealanders I have met on the water and land have been delightful.

My latest acquaintances are Richard and Charlotte on the lovely motor yacht D'Urville. We had a spontaneous potluck on board their roomy 70 foot boat last night complete with two types of bubbly, and too much red wine. Richard and Charlotte are neighbors at the Pier 21 marina of Grant, Sebastian, and Lisa, whom I met out at Great Barrier Island just after Christmas. They were spending the holidays there on Lisa's boat, 'Bama Breeze'. Grant and his son Sebastian also live on board a boat in the same marina in central Auckland. I first met them while sailing the Walker Bay, because young Sebastian has the same type of dinghy and sailing rig. He is an excellent sailor and soundly whipped me in a race around the bay. Perhaps feeling sorry for me, Grant and Lisa invited me on board, offered me a drink, and sent me home with a freshly caught Kingfish fillet for supper. Since then we have had meals on board both boats and they have helped me line up a berth for Ladybug so I can meet Rani in a few days.

Another couple on a Beneteau 42 named George and Liz were also remarkably generous and helpful. I mentioned a few posts ago meeting them while hiking on Great Barrier Island. Well they sailed over to the bay I was anchored in after the hike and invited me to come into town (Port Fitzroy) with them on their boat the next day to do some shopping and refill our water jugs. Later they gathered clams and oysters and we had a fresh seafood potluck on Ladybug. They were both very helpful in suggestions about anchoring and cruising in the area as well as getting work done in Whangerei, where George comes from.

Other people I have met only briefly have offered me a place to stay if I visit Tauranga or the Coromandel. This after talking to them for maybe 10 minutes, telling them about our trip to New Zealand. I cannot think of too many places I have cruised where this would happen.