whangamata, coromandel peninsula

We took our first break from work & Auckland since November.  Four days on the Coromandel Peninsula for some rest, relaxation, and recharge of energy before the big intensive haul-out period for the boat.

James and Raivo boogie to the surf.
Whangamata, Coromandel Peninsula, NEW ZEALAND

yachting world, march 2013 issue

Anasazi Girl and the story of our most recent family voyage from Fremantle to Auckland is featured in Yachting World's March 2013 issue.  Photos/words by Somira Sao.  Issue is available on news stands in the UK this week.

big man, by lucy bucknall

Title:  Big Man, 2011

Artist: Lucy Bucknall (1966), United Kingdom

Location: Silo Park, Wynyard Quarter, Waterfront Auckland

Materials: Sheet and rod phosphor bronze

"Big Man, with his paws deep in his hoodie, contemplate the state of our planet, his environment, and things to come."  Lucy Bucknall.

Big Man by Lucy Bucknall
Silo Park at Sunset

north wharf, auckland waterfront

Tormentina dancing on North Wharf in front of The Kestrel, a 1905 double ended
Waitemata Harbour Ferry, currently under restoration.
North Wharf, Wynyard Quarter, Waterfront Auckland

harken new zealand / fosters ship chandlery

Preparing for our next voyage, we headed up the hill to the corner of Fanshawe & Hobson to Fosters.

As soon as you step off the noisy street through the arched doorway, the old wood smell creeps up the steps, into your nose and transports you back in time.  The historic building was constructed by Alex Foster in 1906, directly opposite the original Auckland waterfront (before the land reclamation).  Alex Foster began a small engineering and marine supply agency called Alex Foster & Co. in the downstairs section of the building.

Today it is the home of Harken New Zealand / Fosters Ship Chandlery.  Half store/half museum, you will find marine supplies as well as historic photos and nautical antiques.

We met with Garry Lock, Managing Director at Harken.  He is part of our team, helping us go into the deep blue once more.  Nothing happens in the sailing game without friendship and expertise.

Our barefoot crew entering the Fosters Building on the corner of Fanshawe & Hobson.

Garry Lock, Managing Director - Harken New Zealand

sir peter blake

Raivo, Tormentina, and James roll to & from the pool.  Every day we commute past the MAN we respect, Sir Peter Blake.  In 2004, the Sir Peter Blake Trust was launched to honor his leadership, love of the environment, and dedication to young people.

la loupiote

La Loupiote present "Les Navegateurs" at the Viaduct Basin in Auckland.

Acrobatic antics on a 37' sailboat called La Loupiote
Viaduct Basin, Auckland

auckland city tepid baths

The biggest reason why Anasazi Girl is docked at Hobson West Marina is because Auckland City's Tepid Baths is located one block away.  Tormentina and Raivo lead the way on their scooters and we arrive at the pools within minutes of stepping off of the boat.  It is an easy exercise without the stress of getting into a car, strapping three kids into three car seats and dealing with parking.

The Tepid Baths, which originally opened in 1914, has recently undergone a NZD15.8 million renovation and redevelopment.  It has been beautifully restored and is the cleanest aquatic facility we have been to since soaking in the geothermal pools in Iceland.

When we are underway on Anasazi Girl and the kids want to be on deck or in the cockpit, then they are in full body harnesses and are clipped into the boat.  When we are in port and on the docks, the kids do not wear PFDs all the time.  Raivo has fallen off the dock into the water twice. Tormentina has fallen in three times.  We have been lucky, but we're tired of worrying about them drowning.

It has been our goal to get them in the water every single day so they can work on strengthening their swimming. We are teaching them ourselves and they are making huge breakthroughs.

In December the Viaduct Marina installed hard wired internet to many of the power plinths, so there is free high-speed internet for many berth holders.  As a result, we have been able to stream swim lesson videos, free diving videos, and competitive swimming footage from the 2012 London Olympics, which has been a useful tool for helping the kids progress.

Raivo in the learner's pool at Auckland City's Tepid Baths.

silo park, auckland waterfront

Silo Park, Auckland Waterfront

cytoplasm, by phil price

Artist: Phil Price, 2004
Location: Waitemata Plaza, Viaduct Basin, Auckland
Materials: Carbon fiber, glass fiber, high temperature epoxy, precision bearings, stainless steel
Sponsor: Auckland City Sculpture Trust

Phil Price's kinetic work is one of the most popular on the Viaduct walkway. It comprises 16 pod-like discs that move both individually and collectively in the wind. No two views of the work are the same, and herein lies much of Cytoplasm's attraction. / Auckland City Council (Public art on the waterfront).

More work by Phil here: philprice.co.nz

cytoplasm, by phil price (2003)

cytoplasm, by phil price (2003)

greenpeace rainbow warrior III, auckland

This morning, we went out on Andy Ball's Sea Harmony and joined a flotilla of boats to welcome the Rainbow Warrior III to the Port of Auckland.  She is a state of the art, purpose-built motor assisted sailing yacht owned by Greenpeace.

Rangitoto Channel, Auckland Harbour

Commemorates the sinking of the anti-nuclear protest ship Rainbow Warrior
at Marsden Wharf by French Government agents on July 10, 1985.
"Let the World be Nuclear Free"
Quay Street, Auckland

hobson west marina, viaduct harbour, auckland

Raivo grooving to the tunes of Bob Dylan
Hobson West Marina, Viaduct Harbour, Auckland

north wharf & wynyard quarter, auckland waterfront

North Wharf & Wynyard Quarter, Auckland Waterfront

Detail:  Metallic Sunscreen Leaves
ASB Head Office, Jellicoe Street, Wynyard Quarter
Sustainable building designed by BVN in association with Jasmax.

pearl kiri

Raivo & Tormentina welcome aboard our newest crew member Pearl.

PEARL KIRI SAO-BURWICK
Born: 20-12-2012
Auckland, New Zealand
Pearl = after James' Grandmother
Kiri = "mountain" in Khmer

Our Southern Ocean Pearl was born at the home of our midwife,Tina Patrick, in Ponsonby.  Tormentina, 4-year old junior mid-wife, cut the cord and helped catch the baby.  Pearl moved onto Anasazi Girl when she was less than a day old.

Happy holidays to everyone!

auckland harbour

Team Vodaphone Orma 60 Trimaran

Triple 8

Snatch

auckland city skyline

evening sailing - auckland harbour

hobson west marina, viaduct harbour, auckland

takapuna beach, auckland

mission bay, auckland

following the vendée globe

We are following the Vendée race every day now.  Tormentina & Raivo are especially interested since we lived next to Jean-Pierre Dick's boat Virbac Paprec 3, Armel Le Cléac'h's Banque Populaire, and Tanguy de Lamotte's Class 40 Initiatives for a month at the Base-de-sous-marins in Lorient last year.  Tormentina also met François Gabart in Lorient two years prior (at age 1) when James went out for a day sail with him.

We met Armel's wife and son and she mentioned that some day she wants to go sailing with her family.  We had to laugh when she told us that she had a "qualified" skipper.

Tormentina fell in love with all the bad-ass skippers when she saw them walking down the docks in their "action suits", but Tanguy won BIG points when he gave her a box of chocolates.

Look forward to returning to Lorient with baby #3.

Armel Le Cléac'h's Banque Populaire

Banque Populaire 90° Stability Test

Armel on his boat Banque Populaire

Cockpit of Armel Le Cléac'h's Banque Populaire

Banque Populaire 90° Stability Test

James and Raivo in front of JP Dick's Virbac Paprec 3

JP Dick's Virbac Paprec 3

Tormentina kissing Tanguy de Lamotte

AC72s, viaduct harbour, auckland, nz

Anasazi Girl is currently tied up downtown at the Viaduct Harbour, at Hobson's West in Auckland.  It is super nice to not have to get into a vehicle and strap the kids into car seats to go somewhere.  The newly renovated Tepid Baths is just a block away, so our dirt-bag sailing family is getting clean, the kids are getting plenty of swim exercise, and we don't have to worry about them falling off the dock.

Gone now is the hard-stand work area and work sheds that used to make up our neighborhood when we were in Auckland with Anasazi Girl five years ago.  A pedestrian bridge connects the CBD to Sailor's Corner, cafes and restaurants line the waterfront, and the new Events Center building is located where James and I used to have our 20' sea container.  

In 2007 we lived in the container for two months while we prepped Anasazi Girl on the hard for James' non-stop (9000 mile West to East) run Auckland to Cape Town.  We worked long hours on the boat, provisioned at the Fish Market, showered in the Team NZ locker rooms, cycled to Okahu & Mission Bay on our Merida road bikes, had a frequent flyer card at Valentino's, and rode Sector 9 longboards every Friday night to Mo's bar (corner of Wolfe & Federal) for one of Hemingway's favorite drinks - mojitos.  James is certain that we conceived Tormentina with a recipe of mojitos and skateboards in the 20 footer on the wharf.

These days, one of the coolest things we get to see are the AC72s out for their practice sails in the harbour.

playspace, wynyard quarter, auckland waterfront

Playspace, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland Waterfront

whitianga, coromandel peninsula