On the move again, this time, heading south along the east coast of NZ, eventually towards Wellington, and then Nelson.

Arrived and in a berth in Opua after a great passage. Thanks Bob McDavitt! Thanks weather gods. Thanks Legacy. Thanks Gulf Harbor.

22 miles from the entrance to Bay of Islands!!! Nice day yesterday, though motoring the while day. The current giveth and the current taketh away. We were gifted 74 miles by the current this trip. Today, it's taking a little of that back: 4 miles. Oh well. The current in our favor was wonderful while it lasted, and it lasted a long time. We hope to clear in today. Oh joy... restaurants!!!

Motor sailing with a great current behind us. It's pushed us 64 miles in the right direction so far, this passage. (Why is all the water from the South Pacific going to Antarctica? ;-) What a great passage! I know I shouldn't say that yet, but I've knocked on wood, so it's OK. We've run the engine very little. Even the light winds seem to push us along magically. If we forget the bad day at the beginning (and I pretty much have), this has an incredible ride. We're only 163 miles from the barn! ETA: Friday evening (probably after customs closes).

What a great passage so far! (If we forget about the bad bits at the beginning!) We're moving along nicely in light air. We should be at the Opua Q dock at 9PM or so Friday. I don't think we can clear customs until Saturday (gee, I hope they work weekends!)

We haven't touched any of those rope/line thingys in two days. I like set-it-and-forget-it sailing!

Yesterday was one of the nicest sailing days we've ever had. Legacy just moved along effortlessly in flat seas, light winds and a strong current pushing us. It doesn't get any better. Today, a small tragedy: we had to use a blanket!!! It's still pleasant, but a blanket? Really?!

Finally, a nice ride. The last 36 hours were terrible. This is wonderful. The boat has a gentle movement and we are making good progress. The conditions started to get better last night about 3AM and have been steadily improving since. I guess we're out of the trough! Maybe we'll even put out a fishing line today.

We're telling ourselves over and over that we do this for fun, but it's not helping. All's well, but we're not having fun! Looks like the winds we had last night (about 26 knots, starting south and then backing) are dying down a bit. We're waiting for the choppy seas to get the message.

Beautiful morning. Motoring in pretty calm seas. Had a boobie passenger last night. Had a boobie mess this morning! Oh well.

On our way south. Got out of Vuda at about 10:30 AM. We are so sad to leave. See you in 8 days or so, New Zealand. (Nero is hot on our heals, just 1.9 miles behind us.)

Getting ready to head to NZ (Opua) tomorrow. We're sure going to miss Fiji! We're sure going to be glad to be back in NZ! Nice life!

We're came here from Vuda Marina (Wonderful!!!) for a few days getaway. It's nice and quiet here.

Anchored off Likuliku resort on the northwest corner of Mololo island after almost a week at the hit-and-miss Musket Cove. It was fun to get to meet the rudest woman in Fiji though! ;-)

It was hard to leave wonderful, beautiful Vuda Marina, but leave we did on an arduous ;-) 16 mile journey to Musket Cove, fighting 7 knot head winds for at least part of the way. We're on a mooring - peaceful, under a starry sky.

We are at the quarantine mooring off of Vuda Point Marina. Yay! We are alive and well... well, alive anyway! Not a bad passage compared to what it could have been, but I'm still not a happy camper. Search for the words "flu passage" on our website at www.twoatsea.com to see what I think of passages.

I guess we're lucky with the weather we got on this passage. The true wind, so far, has never been forward of the beam and I guess the seas could have been worse, but I'm sure glad it's almost over (with just 76 miles to go to the pass)! It's one of those hold-on-tight rides today.

Not a bad day... better than expected with lighter wind than called for and a pretty comfortable ride. We're 217 miles out from the Navula pass. We still have some room to turn north when the trades come up.

Not too bad... kinda like a pleasant visit to the dentist for a root canal. The wind went just a little west of south and that was nice. We'll make a slight left in another 60 miles or so and that will hopefully keep the wind at or behind the beam.

Yesterday was great. Today, not so much (but not so bad either). Seas are pretty confused with left over swell from the east and building from the south. Wind is still on our beam. Gusts to about 25. All's well.

This has been a nice start to a passage. Calm last night - motored. Not bad this morning - motor sailing still but we may furl the engine soon. Staying south so we can fall off when the trades come up near Fiji.

Departing Noumea for Vuda Point Marina, Fiji in a couple of hours. Crazy? Yea, we know. Wish us luck. Will update here while underway.

Guess I forgot to update YIT when we got back to Noumea - so busy with French wine, French cheese, French food! We're at Port Moselle, tied up to the dock. Squally and windy tonight.

Well, that didn't work out so well (Ilot Mato). We stayed about two hours and it looked like it could get very rough as the wind backed, so off we went, for our second anchorage of the day. Now, we're on a mooring ball at Ile Casy in Prony Bay. Much better. It's still here and very protected from the south.

Anchored at Ilot Mato after running from wind chop this morning as the wind backed. Another pretty place.

We are anchored at Ilot Kouare in the lagoon at New Caledonia. Wow! Beautiful! And what a nice trip down. The worst was when we turned south for the last two miles and had to beat into almost 6 knots of wind. The rest of the trip was 6 or 7 knots on the beam and a comfortable swell.

We're anchored in Kuto on Ile des Pins, New Caledonia. We'll post more after we've had a chance to explore a bit.

We're anchored in 9 feet of water in Baie de Gadji. It's windy but flat calm in here. Sitting in the most beautiful, powder-blue water amongst three small islands for protection. (Hey, it's OK, we have a few inches under the keel at low tide!!! Haven't bounced on the bottom yet.)

Trades seem stronger than advertised, but there wasn't much swell for the short downwind trip yesterday. We posted some pictures here: www.twoatsea.com

Hook down on Ile des Pins near L'Maridian Hotel. Wow!!! This is beautiful. We left Proney at 4 AM and arrived here before noon - a beautiful broad reach almost all the way. The wind's supposed to back. That's why we started on this side of the island. We'll post some pictures later: www.twoatsea.com. (Yea, we have internet!)

Heading out to Ile des Pins today, via Prony Bay. We hope to stay out at the island and in the lagoon for two or three weeks. The fridge is packed and we're ready to go!

We're tied up to the dock in Noumea and already through our first bottle of champagne! It's so good to be in. And we beat the swell!

Well, the big swell must have stopped for a long black on the way up 'cause they ain't here yet! We're motoring in flat seas and are 10 miles from the entrance to the lagoon at Passe de Dumbea (Thanks Patricia and David for the recommendation!). We're not alone. There are 6 ships waiting for dawn to enter.

Choppy. Bouncy. Slow. We're motoring. Sailing. Motor-sailing. Nothing works. We're 137 miles out from the reef passage. At this rate, we'll be lucky to get there within our lifetimes! OK, seriously, still hoping for Friday morning.

What a nice motor boat ride we're having. We motored almost all of yesterday and looks like we'll motor the rest of the way. We'll keep going slow and try to get in Friday morning.

Wow, nice sail. A little rolly, but nice - and fast! We flew for a while yesterday. But the current is taking its toll on this passage. We've lost 72 miles to current in the 700 miles we've covered. We have 340 to go to Noumea.

Surprise northerlies last night - no fun at all, but not too strong. Now, we're sailing along nicely in the 17 knot westerlies. Still 1.7 billion miles to go! (478 actually - I never exaggerate!)

Nice motoring conditions. Wind played with picking up but as soon as I set some more sail, it died again. Big, slow swell. In the last gribs I got, I don't see the westerlies that I thought might get us all the way to Fiji so for now, we'll keep heading to Noumea.

Motoring in light winds. No help from sails this morning. Pretty nice ride. 688 miles to Noumea, but looking at turning towards Fiji. Stay tuned.

Rough ride last night but OK. What the current taketh away, the current givveth back, it seems. We lost 42 miles to current our first day and gained 25 of that back last night with 3 and 4 knots with us. Yea!

Nice motorsailing yesterday in light wind. Rough sail last night.

Departing Sydney for Noumea this morning. Warm air, warm water, here we come! We'll check in here daily (communications permitting) and report weather along the passage.

Sittin' in Sydney, waiting for weather. We're looking at Wednesday (5 May) now for our passage to Noumea. Fingers are crossed. Boat is mostly ready.

After an overnighter, we're tied up at the Southport Yacht Club just across from Surfer's Paradise. It wasn't a long trip, but what it lacked in excruciatingly long hours, it made up for in rough, uncomfortable seas! I just love sailing ;-)

We're tucked in a berth in Mooloolaba (ma-loo-la-Baahr). Weather permitting (as always), we'll head south on Friday - Southport hopefully.

Happy New Year!! (the photo is from the show just a two minute walk from our berth).