25 08 South 176 30 West 102 NM made good 256 to Tonga
The windvane is steering fine in these 20-25 Knot winds with gusts to 30. Down to a double reefed Main and staysail. Crew, Harmony, is doing great. Holding on, wedging in, and putting up with the rocking and deep rolling of INTENTION in the gusts. The god of the winds is gifting us with a little more wind than is necessary. At this point, we take what we get and are thankful we’re making miles toward Tonga.

26 44.35 South 177 12.74 West 137 NM dist. made good. 359 NM to Tonga
Well, just as i rave about my AUTOHELM 1000 auto pilot being so great, it stops working. Now using the windvane only and changing it frequently as the wind keeps changing. I keep forgetting that cruising is ‘fixing your boat in exotic places.’ It is interesting that life keeps reminding me what have forgotten. The winds have strengthened to 30 knots so the windvane can easily steer INTENTION.

28 53.7 degs. South 178 10.15 degs. West 110 NM Dist. made good 500 NM to Nuku’alofa on Tongatapu
As the rising sun illuminated Raoul Island (29 16S 177 55W) slowly about 20 NM off INTENTION’s Starboard bow we marveled at the greenery and the steep cliffs surrounding all its visible parts. It would not be easy toland a dingy on those rocky shores. Although the chart shows a small anchorage and landing bay on the opposite side of the island we could see. It would have been interesting to have investigated and even gone ashore to explore but the steady light winds and flat seas were allowing INTENTION and us to average 5 knots toward our intended destination. In New Zealand I took the opportunity to create another way of steering INTENTION by using an AUTOHELM 1000 connected to my HYDROVANE windvane to follow a compass course. Using it lowers my electrical needs to 1.5 Amps from the over 5 Amps needed by my B&G hydraulic autopilot. So my solar panels have been able to mostly maintain a fairly good charge on my batteries. Also my B&G autopilot has not worked since leaving NZ.

S 30 13.7 Degs. South 179 37.1 Degs. West Traveled 76 NM by GPS toward Tonga 83 NM on log. much Zig-zaging in light airs We gained a day, Crossed the international dateline.
Wind were very light the first half of the day. Started engine to charge batteries and motor and when done at 1 AM the wind was strong enough using the jib, staysail, & mainsail to keep INTENTION moving at 4 to 5 knots. I felt feelings of grateful joy and happiness to be sailing again. At night the sparkling lights of phosphorescence passing by the boat in the water were like floating diamonds/jewels streaming past the sides of hull. Also behind INTENTION was a foot wide white trail of phosphorescence caused by the keel and rudder exciting the micro-organisms / plankton in the water. Today the lone bird is an albatross gliding over a pastel blue ocean as far as the eye can see. Its long wing-span allows it to effortlessly soar barely missing the tops of waves against a golden sunset. We had a sweet fresh New Zealand persimmon for a taste treat.

Position Reports are being returned to me by YoRepts unposted so I will now include it in my day’s journal report. INTENTION is 31.03 deg. South 179.15 deg East Distance made good toward Tonga is only 46 Nautical Miles in the last 24 hours Average Boat speed is only 1 to 2 Knots
The winds are so light they barely keep steerage way on INTENTION With 8 hours of complete calm during the night. At this rate it will be weeks before reaching Tonga. Since ‘Change is the one thing you can always count on’, I think and am counting that it will not stay this way the whole passage. The gods of the winds have played tricks like this on mariner’s before.

The day started with lighter winds and continued to get lighter until we were becalmed by midnight to 7AM. I lowered the sails and went below for a wonderful long nights rest / deep sleep. The wind has since picked up and INTENTION is moving smoothly and easily through the water averaging 6 knots in the direction of Tonga. The day is bright and sunny with still a little crispness in the air. Happy solar panels are putting almost 10 AMPS into the batteries. Hurray, it feels good to be moving at a good speed again. The idea is to keep the water/miles rolling by toward our destination and eventually we’ll arrive.

Hi everyone, INTENTION and crew are currently sailing to Tonga. If you would like to follow our position reports on passage and adventures, please go to our website at www.sailvalis.com/intention and click on Journal or position report.

Love to everyone, Jim and crew on Sailing Vessel INTENTION

More crew came to visit. My friend Jeff Dryer from Southern CA has just left
after sailing for 2 weeks out of Whangarei Harbor. Our best and longest sail
was out to and around the Great Barrier Island. Averaging over 6 knots
with the wind off the starboard beam to quarter blowing 15 to 25 knots it
was an exciting sail there. We anchored in Port Fitzroy surrounded by the
rugged green hills covered with many varieties of trees and lush ferns. WE
took many great hikes along clear rushing streams and to the tops of hills
to See the views. We even drove around the island traveling through the
valleys and over the mountains having an opportunity to see a great deal
more if the Island.
Just outside Whangarei harbor entrance we had a great day drift fishing
thanks to Roger and Jenny acting as guides to find the good spots. Jeff
caught more fish that day than he ever had. Of course Jeff had ‘the life of
Riley’ as Roger was taking the fish off the hook as well as baiting his
hook. All he had to do was catch the fish, mostly snapper and one gurda.
Back in the harbor Jenny did a great fish fry in a beer batter with Chips
for everyone and of course a few beers to help wash down that salty food.

Photo #1 – Jeffrey with Whangarei city, river & Bay in the background
2 – Tom, Jenny, and Roger on the Dock
3 – Jim taking a dip in a cool mountain stream
4 – Cute Church on the beach
5 – NZ sheep grazing on the Airport runway
6 – INTENTION anchored in Port Fitzroy, Great Barrier Island
7 – Jeff fishing
8 – Roger handling Jeff”s fish
9 – beautiful NZ sunset

Jim – A week ago Sunday our local Kiwi friends, Roger and Jenny, took us to
the Kauri Museum in Matakohe. We discovered the mighty Kauri Tree,
its timer, gum, and fascinating exhibits and old photos. The trees were as
old and big a diameter as our Redwood trees but the wood is a much harder
with a beautiful grain. The lumber was prized for its quality and especially
used for furniture and shipbuilding. Kauri was so sot after that there is
not many trees left except for stumps that have been left in bogs or swamps
for up to 300,000 years. The north Island is so narrow that on the drive
there we were able to see the Tasman Sea on the other side of the country.
The following evening we were invited to Tom’s house and a Kiwi BBQ of pork
steaks, mutton sausages,and introduced the Kiwis to a new taste
treat, Swirl’s killer guacamole & corn chips. Then we all jumped in Tom’s 4
wheel and headed 5 miles down the beach to 10 acres of the highest
sand dunes, land Roger used to own. We watched a partially cloud
blocked yellow full moon slowly rise out of the Pacific Ocean accompanied on
each side by the dark shapes of islands, the Hen & Chicks. The shimmering
reflection of the moonlight changing from yellow to a brilliant white on the
ocean waves entertained, fascinated, & bewitched us for over an hour. It is
summer here in NZ so sunset is not until about 8:30.
Friday, we used R&J’s car to pick up, Ellie, my & INTENTION’s 2nd Crew. She
has begun to get acclimated to the warm sunny days after a long plane ride
from snowy Maine. I’ll let her continue her impressions in her own
words. And now we are 3.
After a motor up the Whangarei River to the small city of Whangarei,
INTENTION are scheduled to be hauled out at Riverside Drive Marina on
Friday. In the mean time, we are sanding and varnishing INTENTION’s exterior
teak. She is loving the TLC.

Ellie – Yes i am here in the most beautiful rolling hills of evergreens,
hibiscus and pineapple trees. The landscape is lush and the light from the
ocean surrounding us is extra beautiful. As the third addition to
the other two free thinking crew members, i enjoy the conversation and
perspectives from both Capt. Jim and Swirl. That’s right, Swirl. We
varnished today and danced while making lunch. Not bad for the third day in
New Zealand. Intention is a beautiful boat – we are already having a great
time!
Swirl’s World – I continue to go on more adventures with my Kiwi friends -
Jenny, (Captain Grumpy) Roger & Tom. We all went out on Roger’s boat
fishing in Whagerai Harbor. I caught a Red Snapper. The bait was squid.
We reeled in 3 Snapper that day. The Harbor is beautiful as we sailed
around going to Roger’s favorite fishing spots. After we got back Roger
cleaned all the fish and we went to Tom’s house for a “BarBee” (Kiwi fro
BBQ) The gang smoked the fish in a smoker, coating the fish with salt and
brown sugar. They gave me my fish and I made fish tacos the next day on
INTENTION for everyone. YUM YUM ! Another Kiwi that lives here in the
marina, Adrian, took me and the gang out sailing the next day. (I know, it
sounds as if I’m abandoning my crew members on INTENTION, but what’s a girl
to do? Turn down sailing trips? I think NOT). Anyway no fish on that trip,
but we did sail outside the harbor on the Pacific Ocean for the first
time. Our time is coming to an end here at Marsden Cove Marina. We move to
town Friday morning . Roger and Jenny are coming with us and haul their
boat out as well, so the party will continue for two weeks in Whagerai as we
work on our respective bottoms. I’ve really learned how to sand and varnish
wood these past three weeks.

After about week of being at Marsden Cove Marina, Whangarei, New Zealand,
Swirl, my first crew to arrive , and I are having a snack of cheese,
crackers, salami, and olives before our dinner of Pesto on fresh Pasta and
zucchini. The weather has been inthe 70′s until this low pressure began
passing by the North Island. Yesterday, the wind began blowing at 25 to 30
Knots and today it is gusting to 35+ with intermittent showers.
It’s continuing tomorrow so there’s not much painting and varnishing getting
done. So much for my time table and those best laid plans. We’ve gotten
accustomed to NZ time, 3 hours less than a day ahead of you on PST. We are
having fun learning and marveling at the coloquil expressions in the Kiwi
language eg, a local convience store is a “dairy” & a refuge dump is a
“tip.”
*Swirl’s World*-It’s been a real slice, not the “default world”, but the
Kiwi version. The crew’s newest best friends are Roger and Jenny, a Kiwi
couple that live in the marina on their sailboat. They have taken a liking
to the crew of Intention and have become our official tour guides of the
area. Last Sinday we we to tea at Roger’s parent’s house. A proper Kiwk
home. Then we were off to the Maori Church and Cemetary, the beach in
Ruakaka, a cave with and under ground river (that reminded me of the cenotes
in Yucatan) and drink at the local pub in Waipu. Everything is familiar,
yet very strange and wonderful. It is a world of opposites; driving on the
other side of the road, summer instead of winter, plastic monopoly money,
and no GMO foods,