By George.Curtis2 - 21 Mar 2016
Flying Fish Articles
Members Websites
Jim and Katie Thomsen S/V Tanaya
They provide a .pdf to download Covering:
Opua Marina – 35°18.89'S, 174°07.33'E [Approximate]
Port Golden Bay – 40°49.30'S, 172°53.00'E
Anchorage Bay in Torrent Bay – 40°57.19'S, 173°03.44'E
Nelson Marina – 41°15.63'S, 173°16.89'E
Deepwater Basin, Milford Sound – 44°40.63'S, 167°55.23'E
Alice Falls, George Sound – 44°45.66'S, 167°26.44'E
MacDonell Island near Precipice Cove, Bradshaw Sound – 45°15.94'S, 167°08.38'E
Deep Cove, Doubtful Sound – 45°27.70'S, 167°09.77'E
Third Cove, Breaksea Sound – 45°31.49'S, 166°52.23'E
Muscle/Stick Cove – 45°39.60'S, 166°44.17'E
Outer Luncheon Cove, Dusky Sound – 45°46.18'S, 166°32.32'E
Pickersgill Harbour – 45°47.75'S, 166°34.45'E
Cascade Cove: Dusky Sound – 45°48.66'S, 166°35.03'E
Evening Cove, South Arm, Port Pegasus – 47°12.41'S, 167°37.03'E
Boat Harbour Cove, South Arm, Port Pegasus – 47°14.17'S, 167°36.59'E
Ben’s Bay aka Spar Cove, North Arm, Port Pegasus – 47°10.84'S, 167°39.85'E
Golden Bay, Paterson Inlet – 46°54.28'S, 168°07.23'E
Halfmoon Bay – 46°53.56'S, 168°09.32'E
Careys Bay/Port Chalmers – 45°48.47'S, 170°37.49'E
Otago Yacht Club, Dunedin – 45°52.31'S, 170°31.61'E
French Bay, Akaroa – 43°48.32'S, 172°57.68'E
Napier Sailing Club – 39°29.02'S, 176°53.52'E
Tiritiri Matangi – 36°36.23'S, 174°52.89'E
Gulf Harbour – 36°37.33'S, 174°47.29'E
Mansion House Bay, Bon Accord Anchorage, Kawau Island – 36°25.65'S, 174°49.11'E
Tutukaka Harbour – 35°36.96'S, 174°32.16'E
S/V Three Ships May 2008
S/V Plades in New Zealand
S/V Hawk Beth and Evans
Other Websites
Yacht Mr John A quick Guide to New Zealand
Report: S/V Three Ships May 2008: Opua, E Coast & Circumnavigation of S Island
New Zealand Cruising Notes
S/V Three Ships May 2008
These notes have been put together on the basis of what we would like to have known prior to our arrival in New Zealand. They reflect our personal experience and views and are only as accurate as the information we gleaned during our travels around New Zealand. Please feel free to amend or add to the information as and when any changes occur.
Arrival and Clearing in procedures when approaching New Zealand from the North.
Arrival Packs are available in various Pacific islands groups for boats heading to New Zealand. These packs include documentation which must be completed in advance and faxed to New Zealand Customs and Immigration ahead of arrival. This alerts the Authorities to yacht arrivals and eases the checking in process.
Ports of entry in the North Island are Opua, Whangerai, Auckland and Tauronga and all vessels are required to give 48 hours notice of their ETA
Yachts approaching Opua in the Bay of Islands often use Russell radio on 4417 kHz 0700 – 0715, 6516 kHz 0715 – 0730, 4445 kHz 0730 – 0800 or 13101 kHz 0800 – 0830 and they will pass details on to Customs. Alternatives are Maritime Radio on 4125 kHz and Auckland Cruising radio on 6516 kHz at 1830. There are also patrols by Orion aircraft which may call boats to identify themselves several days out.
On arrival it takes roughly 2 hours from landfall up the well marked channel into Opua There is a dedicated Customs dock at Opua which is clearly marked and must be used. In our experience checking in was straightforward and friendly though be prepared to give up any foodstuffs which fall outside MAF acceptance.
We were granted a visitors visa extending from our November arrival date until the following June and a Temporary Import Entry for the boat which allowed us to make boat related purchases without incurring GST (12.5%). Entry visas may vary according to nationality. We were also able to extend our visas twice resulting in the boat remaining in New Zealand for 18 months while we spent a total of 12 months in the country – we had 2 visits back to the UK. All extensions seem to be granted on merit and are not guaranteed so it’s worth planning ahead.
Once formalities have been completed marina berths, moorings and anchoring are all possible at Opua.
OCC Port Officers
Nina Kiff – Bay of Islands. Nina had planned an OCC rally the year we arrived in 2006. Sadly this was confounded by a lack of visiting club members - but it’s the thought that counts.
Graham and Anne Evans – Nelson. Graham had only just taken on the roll when we were in Nelson and offered us every hospitality – much appreciated.
Dave and Hazel Sneath s/v Montour spend the New Zealand summers based in Nelson marina and, as well as being good friends, are an excellent source of information concerning tramping, mountaineering and mountain biking on South Island.
Cruising Areas we visited
Our circumnavigation of South Island, and trips up and down the east coasts of both islands, opened our eyes to the fantastic cruising opportunities New Zealand offers the keen sailor with time to pick the right weather. We found huge numbers of yachts and power boats on the east coast of North Island down as far as Tauronga. After that numbers diminished to residents of local sailing clubs and occasional visitors.
Bay of Islands – is rightly famous as an attractive area which provides a comparatively stress free cruising ground for many who have been on the move across the Pacific for a year or more. We found the two day walk out to Cape Brett and back to be a good leg stretch after a long time on the boat.
Great Barrier Island – well worth a visit, with good walks or bike rides ashore, though best avoided between Boxing Day and New Year when it seems like most of the boating population of Auckland arrive and anchor for the holiday.
Marlborough Sounds – an area of deep fiords, with a huge variety of anchorages, on the south side of the Cook Strait. The only tide dependent entry is via the Tory channel – also used by the ferries from Wellington to Picton. We entered the narrow pass against the flow about two hours after slack in calm conditions and just made it against the current by creeping up the slack water and ferry gliding at full revs up and across the channel - not to be recommended, especially in other than perfect conditions. Ferries put out an all ships to notify transit times and many pleasure craft do the same. We found that the anchorages furthest from Picton offered the greatest seclusion and would recommend those surrounded by conservation land. For keen walkers or mountain bikers the Queen Charlotte track offers a multitude of opportunities from short day walks to the whole event. We did it by mountain bike over 3 days. An excellent water taxi service allows leaving the boat on a safe mooring such as those offered at Punga Cove in Endeavour inlet. This is also a good spot from which to climb Mount Stokes, the highest peak in the Marlborough Sounds and an excellent view point. The Sounds do suffer from funneling winds and it’s worth keeping an eye on the weather to find the most sheltered anchorage.
Tasman Bay – a popular area on the South Island is in the Abel Tasman National Park which again has a very popular long distance coastal walk with water taxis operating between bays which mark the normal overnight stops for trampers. The short walk from Torrent Bay to Cleopatra’s pool for a fresh water dip is worth the effort. D’Urville island on the other side of the bay is also reported to have good cruising though we didn’t visit there. Finally, we found Torrent Bay a good place to wait for a weather window to sail around Farewell spit and down the west coast to Fiord land.
Fiord land – the 390 nm trip down the west coast from Torrent Bay to Milford Sound traverses an area of coastline which is generally a lee shore and lacks any straight forward shelter from bad weather for pleasure craft. (Greymouth and West Port are both commercial harbours with entries which are difficult in strong winds and high seas) It is therefore advisable to wait for moderate wind from a favourable direction before committing to the route. This may explain why only between 15 and 20 boats (including leisure fishing craft) make the journey south each season. The entry to Milford Sound is dramatic to say the least and the anchorage in the pool at its head is well protected. Milford is the only place other than the head of Doubtful Sound where one can get diesel before arriving at Oban in Stewart Island. Once south of Milford we encountered very little traffic other than a few local fishermen or hunters all of whom were very friendly, helpful and generous. It’s possible to keep in touch with weather forecasts and activity in the area by listening to Bluff Fisherman’s radio on vhf 67 and 4417kHz at 2030. The fiords are steep to in most places and the shore is covered with virtually impenetrable bush. Almost without exception sheltered anchorages are small and require a stern line ashore. Fortunately fishermen have put shore lines across the back of most of these making the job much easier. If in doubt it’s worth putting a call out on 16 for advice and then following it. We used the following anchorages and found them all secure and well sheltered. Alice Falls – George Sound, Deas Cove – Thompson Sound, Blanket Bay – Doubtful Sound, Stick Cove – Wet Jacket Arm of Breaksea Sound, Pickergill harbour – Dusky Sound, Weka Island – Preservation Inlet and Isthmus Cove – Isthmus Sound. The sting (or bite) in the tail of this outstanding cruising area are the sand flies which plague almost every anchorage. Locals use a mixture of dettol and baby oil to keep them at bay, we used Bushmans 80% Deet but what ever you use good mozzy hatches are essential for preserving sanity.
Stewart Island – If not returning north up the west coast, Stewart Island is a day’s sail away around Puysegar Point into the Foveaux Strait. Big seas can be expected and moderate winds are once more advisable. We were advised to anchor in Port William just short of Oban rather than try to enter Oban at night and find an anchorage among all the moorings – this was good advice and we reached Port Willam just before dark in 40 knots off shore. The anchorage looked unlikely but proved to be sound. Oban is a busy fishing and tourist harbour but our enquiry regarding a mooring on Ch 16 was immediately answered by a fisherman offering us free use of his mooring for 3 days while he was out. Just another example of the generosity of the people who live and work in the deep south. Stewart Island has a wide range of sheltered anchorages some of which in Patterson Inlet are large enough to swing. As one moves further south the sense of isolation returns particularly when cruising Port Pegasus. However the landscape is a little more forgiving and several good walks ashore are possible – the scramble up Bald Cone is especially worth while. Some anchorages such as Disappointment Cove and Evening Cove are small, requiring several lines ashore, but very sheltered. Others such as Billy’s Cove are open and require settled weather. The blue cod, scallops and crayfish are outstanding. On the way back to Oban we anchored at Abraham’s Bosom in Port Adventure – another good spot. Sadly the yellow eyed penguins that we had hoped to see when anchored in Little Glory Cove were much diminished in number due to a mystery virus and the kiwis hid in the bush, though they are reported to exist. Finally, it’s worth noting that on occasion boats have traveled down the east coast of South Island with the intention of reaching Fiord land via Stewart Island and have wasted a huge amount of time waiting for a weather window which never arrived.
Banks Peninsula – the trip back up the east coast is considerably easier than the way south down the west and can be divided into convenient overnights with stops at Dunedin and then Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula. This area is quite a contrast after Fiord land and Stewart Island with a landscape much more like the English Lake District. Sea fog can be an early morning issue on this coast and we found radar particularly useful on several occasions. The Hectors dolphins that inhabit Akaroa harbour are much in evidence and seem to welcome the company of swimmers. A trip to Flea Bay to visit the Blue Penguin colony is very worthwhile though a 4 wheel drive is necessary to get there if going overland – there are also guided tours departing Akaroa each evening ask at information centre for details. On the north side of the Banks Peninsula we stayed at Lyttleton and also anchored in Diamond Harbour on the other side of the bay for the walk up Mount Herbert – long but easy with good view points. There are also excellent bikes rides from Lyttleton over the Port hills.
Marinas and Harbours
Opua – large marina with easy approach and good facilities and the most popular venue for checking into New Zealand. Moorings are also available and a there is a limited area for anchoring.
Whangerai – probably the second most popular initial venue with cruisers although the approach route was reported to be a little tedious. We didn’t visit but lots of cruisers seemed to take root there.
Tutukaka – a small, very pleasant marina with narrow channel entry which includes a small anchoring area.
Auckland has a number of marinas but we didn’t visit the area.
Tauronga – a major port with two marinas. We used Bridge marina which enjoys a considerable tidal flow. Arrival at slack water is advised but help is available during office hours. The entry channel to the port has a tidal flow of up to 6 knots and large vessels use the channel and may be at anchor outside. Great place to get boat jobs done though a car is useful.
Gisborne – we didn’t visit this harbour and heard mixed reports.
Napier – a narrow shallow approach channel used by fishing and pleasure craft. Alongside berths available at the Yacht club – very friendly, good value.
Wellington – a major port with up to 11 ferries a day crossing the Cook Strait to Picton. Contact Harbour radio on Channel 14 if arriving after dark to check for ferry traffic. The approach channel is narrow requiring close attention to rules of the road – ferries have right of way. Chaffers marina is virtually in the centre of the city and good value. However if you need supplies for boat jobs, they are best sourced at Petone a 15 minute car journey away. Wellington is renowned for strong winds and for that reason we felt that Nelson was a much better base to leave the boat unattended for trips back to the UK.
Picton – is the gateway to South Island and a major hub for recreational activities around Queen Charlotte Sound. It has the only super yacht marina outside Auckland and is correspondingly expensive. Waikawa marina in the next bay is an alternative – though we didn’t visit there.
Nelson – is a friendly, well sheltered municipal marina near a town which vies with Blenheim for the reputation as the sunniest place in South Island. It may have the most basic toilet and shower facilities of any marina in New Zealand but it is also very good value for a long stay. We found Nelson to have a wide range of small engineering and supply businesses for supporting anything from general boat jobs up to a major refit only a short walk or bike ride away. If approaching from Wellington the route through French pass requires a favourable tide, preferably near slack water, unless you’re happy with some vigorous helming in turbulent fast moving water .There are convenient anchorages either side to wait for a favourable passage and the route is clearly buoyed. An all ships call on 16 is good practice to announce your transit. Once in the Tasman bay there are a wide variety of anchorages and the cruising ground of Abel Tasman is only about 30 miles away. Nelson has a good selection of mountain bike tracks and is a good base for tramping trips into the Kahurangi and Nelson Lakes National Parks if you have transport.
Lyttleton – is a busy commercial port and the only small craft facility at the time of our visit was an area of pilings in the NW corner. However we were made most welcome by Phil Fraser and the Dampier Bay Cruising club and he soon found us a piling berth. Facilities at the time were a toilet and shower in the club house but as we left it was confirmed that the Harbour Authority were about to provide limited alongside facilities and a new amenity block with Phil in charge of the marina. We would recommend a visit.
There are no marinas in South Island south of Nelson and Picton, only small fishing or commercial harbours.
Trip Reports
If you want to check in with a shore based station when coastal passage making, as many kiwi sailors do, call Maritime Radio with details including your radio call sign. Maritime radio use this information to assess the potential resources available in a given area should a vessel require assistance. An alternative is to check in with the coastguard, which in New Zealand is a volunteer service, or a local marine radio station such as Bluff Fishermans radio or Russell Radio. Incidentally, Des Renner who worked Russell radio for many years, now comes up as Opua Offshore Communications and Russell radio continues under different management.
Pilot Guides and other useful publications.
A variety of Cruising Pilot guides have been written, some of which are no longer in print, include -
Royal Akarana Club Coastal Cruising Handbook covering North Cape to East Cape.
Central Area Cruising Guide covering The Marlborough Sounds, Tasman Bay and the south of South Island including the Cook Strait
Fiord land Cruising Guide which includes brief details of the west coast approach route.
Stewart Island Cruising Guide which includes brief details the east coast approach route.
New Zealand Nautical Almanac for tides and lights as well as useful detail of tides through the Tory Channel and French Pass
New Zealand Radio Handbook from the Coastguard.
Weather Notes
The only thing certain about the weather in New Zealand is its uncertainty – which can prove to be a bit of a challenge after the predictability of trade wind sailing. The country stretches from 35 to 47 degrees south latitude, well into the ‘Roaring Forties’. In winter and spring the weather tends to be dominated by areas of low pressure separated by ridges of high pressure moving from the west or south west across the country, while high pressure cells moving off the east coast of Australia pass to the north. Depending on their intensity these areas of high pressure can cause enhanced trade winds over Fiji and Tonga making the decision, when to leave the islands on the voyage south, an interesting process. As summer progresses the high pressure belt moves south over New Zealand interrupting the passage of lows or pushing them further south and bringing periods of settled weather. Towards the end of summer the south Pacific convergence zone can extend a branch as far south as the North Island allowing an occasional intense tropical low pressure systems spawned in the Coral sea to move south into the Tasman sea and over New Zealand bringing strong winds and heavy rain. One of the most notable characteristics of New Zealand weather is the speed with which systems move over the country and bring corresponding changes. However, the New Zealand Met Service provides high quality forecasts up to 3 days ahead and reasonably accurate outlooks. Remember when looking at weather maps in New Zealand; anticyclones (high pressure areas) rotate in an anticlockwise direction, and lows rotate clockwise, the opposite to the northern hemisphere. Perhaps because of the relatively unsettled weather, at least compared to the trade wind belts, many cruisers arriving from the north choose to park their boats in the Bay of Islands or one of the harbours down towards Auckland and tour the islands by car. However, provided one is prepared to wait and watch for an appropriate forecast, our experience has been that New Zealand offers a wonderful cruising ground and a great, not to be missed, opportunity to meet members of a most hospitable cruising and fishing community.
In a little more detail, weather patterns seem to follow approximately a 6-10 day cycle. The westerly airflow brings cold fronts or weaker troughs, moving from SW to NE, associated with low pressure centres that usually pass to the south of the country. Between these fronts, ridges of high pressure bring generally fine weather. However, depending on the pressure gradient, they can also be associated with strong winds – so look out for Highs of over 1032 centred just to the north of New Zealand or stationary to the east. Sometimes a depression will travel directly over New Zealand, bringing large amounts of rain, but if a slow moving anticyclone passes over the country, long periods of fine weather can also be experienced.
Nor 'westerly
A northwesterly airflow associated, with a low approaching the South Island from the Tasman Sea, can bring rain and high winds to the west coast. At this time, the wind velocity increases and arched shaped lenticular clouds are seen in the sky, or sitting over major summits, indicating high winds at altitude and are the forewarners of a nor 'westerly. As the sky greys this high cloud intensifies and the air temperatures will rise. The increase in night temperatures is particularly noticeable. As the low moves to the south east of South Island gale force SW winds can be expected around Fiord land and Stewart Island and in the Cook Strait. North westerly’s can provide a good opportunity to sail down the east coast of North Island. We sailed around Cape Palliser and into the Cook Strait on a light NW wind after a good sail down from Napier.
Southerly
Southerly winds generally bringing a noticeable drop in temperatures and a cool rain but in summer do not generally last very long, ranging from hours to a day or so. After the southerly trough has passed through conditions generally clear from the south as the next ridge of high pressure moves in from the west. We sailed down the west coast of South Island as a ridge moved on to New Zealand from the west and experienced SE 15 - 20 knots around Farewell Spit as far south as Cape Foulwind when the wind went more southerly and dropped to 10 knots or less. We then motor sailed on down to Milford Sound. The 400nm trip from Torrent Bay in Abel Tasman took 69 hours averaging 5.6 knots.
Southerly blows can move very quickly on to the east coast. We were in Lyttleton in March when a fresh southerly came through. Low cloud rapidly developing over the Port hills and into the SW heralded the approach of the front and the wind changed from light and variable to 40 knots inside 30 minutes. It took about 18 hours to pass through and our intention to ride north up the east coast on it’s tail was thwarted when the wind dropped back down to SE 10 on it’s passing – more motor sailing.
Westerly
A light warm westerly airflow following the passage of a low to the south does bring some cloud cover on the western side of the divide and early morning coastal fog can be expected around Fiord land, but this often clears as the day progresses. We had to use radar to navigate between fiords on several occasions.
Easterly
Easterly winds are comparatively rare and often bring light warm rain with very little wind to the east coast, and fine weather is experienced on the west coast. However they can be caused by a tropical depression moving south east towards the North Island and should be monitored carefully especially when sailing off the east coast. This happened once, in March, during our time in New Zealand and brought storm force SE winds and 5m swells to the east coast with severe flooding on North Island.
Northeasterly
North easterlies occur as ridges of High pressure move away to the east and provide a good chance to sail south down the east coast of South Island. The change will generally be into the NW giving enough warning of any deterioration to make safe harbour.
The Cook Strait
The Cook Strait deserves a mention. The passage between North and South Islands has something of a reputation resulting from a combination of strong currents and strong NW or SE winds caused by the funneling effect. Strong SE winds can result in 4 – 6 metre seas particularly if combined with an ebbing spring tide off headlands – worth avoiding at all costs. Moderate NW winds offer a good sail back from the Marlborough Sounds to Wellington, although a wind increase can be expected as one closes the North Island coast and can funnel powerfully out of Wellington harbour approaches. When we first arrived in Wellington in January, we approached Wellington harbour across Palliser Bay in the late afternoon with a light wind forecast and were surprised when the wind increased to NW 30 knots. We had a vigorous beat for the last 10 miles or so into the channel. We put this down to the sea breeze enhancing the light NW gradient wind flowing over the hills to the west of Wellington and increasing katabatically as it funneled down through Wellington harbour in the late afternoon – beware. Call Beacon Hill radio on 16 for an update on local conditions.
Sources of Weather Information
The Maritime Radio provides forecasts which are announced on Channel 16 six times a day (at 0533, 0733, 1733, 2133 and 2333). An accuracy of over 80% is claimed for forecasts for the following day and outlook for the following 3 days is also provided. Forecasts do not mention actual pressures at the centres of highs and lows although pressure trends can be established by listening to reports from coastal stations.
From Coromandel north to the Bay of Islands coastguard provides a continuous marine weather forecast on VHF Channel 20 or 21. This service has recently been extended to cover the Cook Strait.
Other sources include:
Local maritime radio stations on VHF- such as Russell radio – Bay of Islands, Beacon Hill radio – Wellington, Bluff Fisherman’s radio – Bluff. We couldn’t find a publication which gave details of these radio stations – but they were definitely good value.
Weather Fax via ssb radio – schedule 5805 kHz 1100 1115 local time
Local radio stations, especially in summer - National radio at 5am.
Online - www.metservice.co.nz
www.metvuw.co.nz – this is a Victoria University site and has grib files covering the SW Pacific, NZ and Australia plus lots more.
www.wxcharts.org – wide range of weather information including synoptic charts.
Sunrise/Sunset/ Tide Times
Times given are New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) which is 12 hours ahead of UTC. Add one hour to obtain New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT) from the last Sunday in September until the first Sunday in April.
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