NOON POS 34 DEG

54'S/177 DEG
27'E - 24HR RUN
152nm-motored 1st 24hrs.
12kt Sthly filled in this morning and  we are sailing NE at 7.5kts

SUN SHINNING AND CREW HAPPY
MC

Goodbye Long White Cloud…..

Goodbye Long White Cloud…..

After three wonderful years of having Mistress based in New Zealand, the time has come to leave the land of the ‘Long White Cloud’ and to head Mistress’s bow Northeast back into the Pacific for the long sail back to Vancouver.

Time in New Zealand has seen Mistress sail the local waters of the Hauraki Gulf, enjoying the very best of sailing and cruising New Zealand. Friends and family have been the best of crew.

The sail back to Canada is planned to only have two stops, Tahiti and Hawaii. With some 7,500 nm of sailing over the next 2 months it will be a busy time for both boat and crew.

Once again I am blessed with having some great crew aboard. I leave Auckland with Millsy aboard as my ‘wingman’ for his 4^th voyage on Mistress. His offshore experience, ability to fix almost anything and his great humour makes him invaluable! The rest of the crew for this first leg include two Canucks from Alberta…..Rob McNeill and Andrew Hicks. While they live a long way from the beach when at home, they both are capable sailors and keen to learn on what will be their first offshore passage. The crew is rounded out with two twenty-something’s in Kiwi sailor Nicole Halliburton and American Alex Carter. Having the company of youth for us older baby boomers.  is a real plus. Everyone is settling in and I am confident we have an excellent team.

Mistress herself is in better shape than ever and I sense she is itching to get back to sea again and do what she does best…..sail with speed and strength and to deliver us safely to our destination....

We will keep you posted on our progress as best we can.

Cheers

The Mistress Crew