Past Whangaparoa and the home of Gulf Harbour Radio; last corner in front of us. A HUGE THANK YOU to Patricia and David for the weather updates over the last 6 months and to Mike who runs the YIT website.

4,600 nautical miles and about 50kg of muesli since leaving NZ 6 months ago. Escorted by dolphins scorching phosphorescent trails through the sea early this morning.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew - signing out.

Just south of Poor Knights as the sun goes down. On the home straight to AK, arriving Thursday morning. Cuba libras in sight.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Sunny calm conditions-glorious. No sighting of land yet... later today. ETA for AK is Thursday.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Motoring in calm conditions. Deck fitting for the starboard aft mast stay gave way this morning so very grateful for the calm conditions. ETA for AK is Thursday.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Finally able to steer the rhumb line to clear Kawau Island (266 miles away) with a steady SW breeze. Current ETA for AK is Thursday.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

A SSW breeze started to fill in around 1300 hours today so we are closer to making our course for Auckland. Current ETA for AK is Thursday.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

And sill being pushed eastwards. We will have to tack before we reach Chile! All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steo me and Drew

Still being pushed eastwards. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Course is being pushed eastwards. About 300 miles to North Cape, ETA for the cape Tues. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Glorious sailing day, battening down for the night. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

An uneventful night. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Turned out to be a nice days sailing with light winds all day enabling us to hold course on the rhumb line. Single reef in the main for the possibility of squalls overnight (last night we had 22 knots at 1am). Still no fish to be had. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Turned out to be a nice days sailing with light winds all day enabling us to hold course on the rhumb line. Single reef in the main for the possibility of squalls overnight (last night we had 22 knots at 1am). Still no fish to be had. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Motor sailing in shifty winds and lumpy seas. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

A great days sailing, sun shining throughout. Not a fish to be seen. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Breeze is easing, steady sailing. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Finally got away from Noumea at 14.00 today, Weds. Cleared the north pass through the reef at 16.30. Just had the sun go down and enjoying steady sailing pretty close to the rhumb line. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Clear Noumea Customs this morning for passage to Auckland, NZ. At this early stage our ETA is Tues/Weds 21/22 Oct. Brother Drew has joined the crew so we are 4 PoB.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Anchored off Noumea. Looking at Weds or Thurs to leave New Cal for NZ. Interested in any comments from David about the timing of the low predicted by Bob Mcdavitt to arrive in NZ around about Sun 19 /Mon 20 Oct?? All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve

Anchored Ile Casy, Bay de Prony. Catching up on rest after a tedious day/night of motor sailing into light headwinds with lots of rain showers. Staying put for the day and hope for sunshine to break through.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve

Motor sailing for Havannah Pass about 50 miles away. Fresh mahimahi caught in boisterous conditions yesterday afternoon. First fish in New Cal after a month of trying.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve

Leaving Ouvea today bound for Bay de Prony. We will be sailing overnight to time our arrival for the incoming tide at Havannah Pass early Thursday morning. We will be in tandem with Kailani but they will be a lot faster than us. The rain eased early yesterday evening but is back this morning. We moved north yesterday to get more protection from the northerly swell and brisk NE breeze - just a few more coconut trees to hide behind. Looking for that weather window for the passage back to NZ, sometime after 15 Oct.

All well on board. Cheers, David, Grete and Steve

Anchored at Ouvea. Steve has joined the team so now we are 3. Starting to look for a weather window for the passage back to NZ, sometime after 15 Oct.

All well on board. Cheers, David, Grete and Steve

Anchored at Ouvea. All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored at Ouvea. All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored at Ouvea. The "GT's" we saw snorkeling the other day was a reference to Giant Trevally. I'm not sure when a trevally becomes a GT, probably when it is longer than 50cm. These were about 1.2m long and really broad across.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored at Ouvea. Went snorkeling under the bridge between Ouvea and Mouli. Big school of trevally and the biggest GTs imaginable. Lots of turtles and other fish life. AWESOME! Planning to stay around Ouvea through the weekend.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Lovely calm day at Ouvea.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored Ouvea. Nice that the wind has eased off. Hopefully the depression due late Sunday will not affect us too much.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored off Paradis Resort, Mouli, Ouvea. Yesterday was peaceful with a multicultural gathering at the administrative centre for the island. We intend staying at Ouvea through the weekend if the weather permits.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored off Paradis Resort, Mouli, Ouvea. Public holiday today to mark the arrival of the French in NewCal. Extra gendarmes staying on the island! All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored @ Mouli, Ouvea.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Left Thio for Ouvea this morning.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored Baie de Kouakoue. 43 miles yesterday in ESE breeze that hardly get over 10 knots all day. Heading up the mainland east coast today for Port Thio (supermarket). Hope to head across to Ouvea the following day.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

We had a lovely day anchored in Port Boise. The river was running strong after the rain and lots of osprey. Heading up the mainland east coast today.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored in Port Boise, half way through Havannah Pass, at the South end of mainland New Caledonia. Heading up the mainland east coast over the next few days.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Heading for Baie Uie, inside the lagoon, at the South end of mainland New Caledonia. The plan is to make our way up the mainland east coast and then 'step' across to Ouvea. Peter & Linda joined us in Noumea. Loved the slice of France in Noumea, huge selection of wine and cheese - oooh la la! All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored in Bay de Prony, New Caledonia. Arrived 21.00 last night after catching the last of the incoming tide through Havanahh Pass. Hit 11.3 knots over ground under motor with the help of the strong tidal stream. Spectacular sunset with clouds billowing up into the jet-max. Pretty much clear and calm now. Squally showers yesterday started to ease up about midday. Clearing Customs etc in Noumea later today.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

55 miles off Havanahh Pass entrance. Gybing our way downwind. Hoping to make the pass before the tide changes to outgoing early evening. Alternative is heaving to off the entrance for the night. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Greta

Arrival Tu/wed Havannah pass

Scooting along with up to 9.5 knots SoG assisted by a favourable current. Steering 225M but CoG 230M. Heading for Havannah Pass to make our way to Noumea inside the lagoon - 380 miles to go to the Pass. Our reported position is as at 07.45 Sunday 7th.

Fresh mahimahi for dinner-caught motoring yesterday afternoon.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete

NNW wind early yesterday evening glassed off so that we motor sailed through to 3am. An Easterly with a touch of South in it has filled the sails again and speed varies between 5 & 6 knots. Lovely clear skies overhead. All well on board. ps Hooked a marlin 10 miles off the Malolo Barrier reef but after jumping about close to the boat and then peeling out 500M it spat the lure - phew! Cheers, David & Greta

Heading up to Lautoka to clear Customs this morning bound for New Caledonia. Very light winds at this early stage of the day. Should be clear of Fiji barrier reef by nightfall- will keep you posted. 2 x PoB - all well.

Cheers, David & Greta

Namotu Island, Wilkes Passage. We will head for Denarau today to provision for the passage to New Caledonia in the next weather window.

Cheers, David & Greta

Musket Cove with 50 other cruisers. Light breeze and clear skies, lovely and warm.

Planning to leave Fiji for New Cal at the end of next week, preferably Thurs 4 Sept.

Cheers, David & Greta

Waya Island, southern Yasawas. Gusty winds swirling around in the bay at the southern end of Waya. Looking at heading south to Musket Cove today. Yesterday we had up to 20 knots from ENE through the passes between islands.

Planning to leave Fiji for New Cal at the end of next week, preferably Thurs 4 Sept.

Cheers, David & Greta

Blue Lagoon beach in the middle of the Yasawa islands. Heading south to the manta ray pass today.

Cheers, David & Greta

Blue Lagoon beach in the middle of the Yasawa islands. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Greta

Blue Lagoon beach with 10 other cruisers. Tragic to see the south end of Yasawa island up in flames as we sailed by yesterday. Many, many hectares burning out of control.

Northern Yasawas. Gusty winds,blue skies and flat sea anchored in the lee of the island.

Heading south tomorrow, braced for strong winds in the passages between the Yasawa islands.

Anchored just south of Yasawaira at the top of the Yasawas. Enjoying the window of calm weather. All well on board.

Anchored at Narawa Bay, just south of Yasawaira at the top of the Yasawas. Gorgeous! Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored north Naviti Island, Yasawas. Clear skies. All well onboard

Naviti Is, heading from southern bay to Somosomo Bay. Snorkel with manta rays in the Tokatokaunu Pass on high tide this morning-AWESOME! all well. Love to all

Anchored off Navadra Island, top of the Mamanuca group. Another beautiful, uninhabited spot. Swell entering the bay makes for a rolly anchorage and too much to make a landing on the beach in current conditions. Quite a heavy overcast sky which is a bother given the plan to head through coral infested waters to the Yasawas.

Loula & Sheran aboard for a week, all well. Love to all

Here we are in Musket Cove along with every other sailor . This has to be the busiest anchorage yet, but interesting to see the place and David wants to surf the famous cloud break . Hopefully he won't be smashed to pieces on the reef if he misjudges his take off. I don't quite feel ready to sail Remedy solo! Didn't get to either Namena or Yandua due to weather so fast tracked it on to Lautoka. We leave Musket cove tomorrow for Vuda point and to pick up friends then it will be cruising the Yasawas. Enjoying the warmth and tropical fruit. Love to all.

Back in port at Savsavu getting supplies ready for the next leg of our journey. This feels like a busy metropolis after the quiet places we have been. Have been lucky enough to time this visit with the yearly Savsavu carnival. Great performances and a real look into the local politics.We are sad to be leaving the Taveuni area and all the outer islands as it has been fabulous cruising and uncrowded anchorages.We are heading off on Monday to make our way to Nadi. We will stop at Namena Island and check out the marine reserve, hopefully get permission to land on Yandua Island to see the iguanas. All well on board.

Anchored off Welagilala Island. Perfect coral atoll/lagoon. Limited protection from the swell at high tide. Chart shows one island but cyclone in 2010 blasted a hole through the middle so now there are two islands.

All well onboard. Love to all

Anchored off Yanuca Island in the Ringgolds. Wind in the anchorage off the school back eddies to come in from the north at less than 5 knots. Great snorkeling inside the crater on Cobia Island yesterday. Hopefully will snorkel the outer Budd Reef today. Head to Welagilala Island tomorrow - weather permitting.

All well onboard. Love to all

Anchored off Matei Airport, north end of Taveuni Island. Picked up Finn who will cruise over the next week orso. Heading for Ringgold Islands (Budd Reef) and Welagilala Island - weather permitting. Calm hot days, the local gardeners are preying for rain. Not much of a sailing wind today.

All well onboard. Love to all

Anchored Albert Cove, northern tip of Rabi Island. Another lovely calm morning, sheltered bay.

Anchored Albert Cove, northern tip of Rabi Island. Lovely calm morning, sheltered bay. 3 thatched huts used by the locals when they come up from the village down south to gather coconuts for copra and tend their grog crops. Otherwise empty and full of bird song, fish leaping about al night long. Awesome! All well onboard. love to all

Picked up a mooring somewhere in Savusavu Bay at 21.49 NZST. Looking forward to waking up to find out where we got to. Moored outside MH supermarket and a gas station. Just what we need to stock up before heading off again. After stocking up on fresh fruit & veg at the Saturday market. Had a mega-bustoff on the trolling lure today - Paul sporting nylon burns to show for it, lucky not to lose a limb in the process. Lost another favourite lure-these fish play rough. Fun & games coming into a mooring in the dark, avoided driving into an island at the last minute. happy to be here. Love to all

In sight of Gau and Nairai islands on our port side. Good sailing, beautiful sunrise. Panic averted on Grete's watch - ship to stbd turned out to be the moon!

Steady progress - 65 miles south of our first Fiji island - Matuku. all well onboard. love to all

making good progress. difficut to sleep in higglydpiggly seas. love y'all

Departed Sth Minerva 11.00 NZST. Just gone past Nth Minerva. 28 yachts anchored-looks like Westhaven! Had a double strike-lost 1 lure and landed a 1.116m mahimahi. Took over an hour to process the fish, packed down in the fridge/freezer. Loads of flying fish, dare not put a lure out again. NZ airforce Orion came by this am doing a roll call of all the yachts. Downwind sailing making 5.5knots with 3m swell-rollypolly again. Missing a party on the reef this evg but keen to make use of the breeze. Love to all

Anchored South Minerva held in by massive swell left over from dirty weather system stationary upon us. System is slowly moving away but not the swell at this stage. Waiting on weather update before making plans. Cabin fever developing. Love to all

Anchored sth minerva. Big blow and steady rain overnight, steady 25 knots this morning. Yesterday's forecast was for easing today which may allow us to punch out through the swell to make our way north. All well on board, lots oflove

Anchored south minerva. Blustery outside and stronger winds expected. Will stay a day or 2 before weather allows us to continue to Fiji. Todays snorkle trip had plenty of colourful fish but crays proved elusive. Grete had a couple of shark encounters but she was bigger than both of them. She did not see the big one that Paul did. Had sundowners with lovely couple and there 6 year old, Sophia. Great tips for Fiji. Returning across the lagoon in the dark with 750 miles from coastguard was pretty out there. Paul serenading on ukelele-awesome. Lots of love...

Anchored South Minerva. Just 2 other yachts in the lagoon. Rollypolly coz high tide allows swell to get across the reef. Snorkle trip yesterday motivated by stories of crayfish galore. No crays but lots of colourful fish. Back to Remedy just ahead of a nasty squall up to 30 knots with lashing rain. Happy to hunker down and it blew hard thru the night. Plan another day here before North Minerva where there are a dozen yachts already and more expected today. Lots of love

The sun has just risen (06.23) as we approach the entrance for South Minerva in calm, cloudy conditions. Breakers on our starboard bow. Flying fish landing on the deck. Great sailing and looking forward to getting the anchor down for a bit of RnR. All well aboard - lots of love.

Making about 5 knots on light breeze under high cloud/full moon. Caught a big mahimahi (1.1m) today so that's the end of fishing 'til we eat our way thru it. Great kokoda for lunch yesterday, everybody ate so much we did not bother with dinner. Made some water while charging batteries. Have not been able to hear much on the SSB radio-weak signal. Speed has dropped off and likely to have calm weather ahead so maybe motoring to make either Minerva reef b4 nightfall on Thurs.

All well, Drew's back improved. Love to all ...

Glorious night sailing. Clear skies, close to full moon and lots of stars. Flat seas and steady light winds. 3 yachts ahead converging on Minerva. Heading for North Minerva. Yesterdays highlight was landing a mahimahi, losing another and then hooking up a BIG marlin.   Too much drag tension, too BIG, and too much HAVOC. Lost the lure but well worth it.

Drew's back/sciatic giving him grief but otherwise all well on board. Love to all

Single reef in mainsail and genoa. Trucking along nicely on track for Minerva. One light (yacht?) seen 06:00, freighter heading south 2 miles to port. Finished last of NZ snapper & small fresh tuna for dinner last night. All well onboard. Love to all.

Downwind sailing with double reefed mainsail only. Taking it easy -all well onboard (Thanks to Mike for advice on email format) David

position at 15.33 NZT 10/05/14 SW 20knots gusting 28kn. 1010.5 mb Average speed 6.5knots On track for Minerva with 'Aradonna' and one other yacht in sight. All well onboard Love to all Grete David Drew Paul

Still in Opua weather keeps changing on us. Funny that who would have thought. hoping to go tomorrow otherwise there may be a mutiny on board.

In opua waiting for the weather.