News from the bay: return of the yachts; Christmas parades and embroidery exhibition

Home is the sailor of the sea.

The cruisers are back. With the lifting of border closures, the number of offshore seafarers arriving in Opua for customs clearance has increased.

One is Scott Farrand, owner and skipper
of the catamaran Serenity, out of the water today but which will be back this week with a new coat of anti-fouling paint.

Scott took a circuitous route to Athens in April with a colleague he had sailed with on a yacht in 2009. He bought Serenity without seeing it in Lavrio, a small port just outside Athens.

He had a marine surveyor assess his condition, then flew to Greece to prepare the boat to sail to New Zealand. He had the experience. He was a superyacht captain until border restrictions during the pandemic forced him to switch to a life on land.

“I tried to take over the family business growing kiwifruit, but after 18 months I found I missed working in the maritime industry, so I decided to find an opportunity in the Bay of Islands. “

That’s how he ended up in Greece. The trip to New Zealand wasn’t all about, well, sailing, however.

He planned to take between three and five months to avoid hurricane season in the Atlantic, cyclone season in the Pacific, and allow himself enough time to enter prospecting in New Zealand in early summer.

“Two weeks delay was caused by the starboard engine seizing a day before arrival in St. Lucia. Disruptions to supply lines meant that many parts had to be rebuilt and were out of stock.

“A few splinters of sail meant I had to spend a week on top of the boom while we were underway, sewing the sail up by hand.”

The number of crew members on board varied between three and four, including himself. From Tahiti to Rarotonga, when the family boarded, they were seven in total.

Scott is attempting to obtain Serenity Certification for Marine Operator Safety Systems to allow him to operate commercially for charter work in the South Pacific.

Christmas parades around the Bay of Islands

Christmas is approaching in the bay with a host of parades planned for Santa Claus to spread his goodwill to children of all ages.

Here are the details so you can keep going and enjoy the festive fun:

Paihia Christmas Parade:

Friday 2 December.

Road closures for the Paihia Christmas Parade will be from 3-7pm.

Williams Rd will be closed from Marsden Rd to Seaview Rd. A one-way system will operate along Marsden Rd from Kings Rd to Bayview Rd via Seaview Rd.

The theme of the parade this year is board games.

Kerikeri Christmas Parade:

Saturday, December 3

Departure at 5.30 p.m. from the Domaine. Before that, there are several themed areas, an animation stage, an ice rink, a climbing wall, Santa Claus, games, food and craft stalls in the Estate from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

At 8:45 p.m., the giant Christmas tree will be illuminated.

Kawakawa Christmas Parade:

Sunday, December 4.

From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. There are no road closures. The parade will take place in the Hundertwasser Memorial Park and children will be able to take part in the “decorate your bike” contest.

Russell’s Christmas Parade:

Sunday, December 4.

From 3 p.m., along the waterfront. Free to enter the floats, just show up during the day, 2:45 p.m. by the museum. The parade ends in Long Beach with a sizzle of sausages and games.

learn to paddle

The Kiwi Association of Sea Kayaking (Kask) is holding a free workshop for kayakers in Waitangi on December 3.

It is led by Dallas Veitch, with help from Jay Howell. Over the past few years, between 20 and 30 people have participated and the same is expected this year. The age of the participants varies from 18 years and over and between 12 and 17 years old if they are accompanied by a parent.

“With summer fast approaching, many Kiwis are considering dusting off their kayaks and paddling out in the bay,” Dallas said.

“If you’re unsure where to paddle, how to choose the right conditions, or how to stay safe alone or in a group, the workshop will give you that instruction and it’s your chance to meet the local kayaking community.”

The Kask workshop is organized with the support of Safer Boating New Zealand and is interactive. Participants will learn essential safety equipment, communication devices, marine forecast interpretation, hazards and emergencies.

A waterproof bag and a mobile phone case are offered at the end of the workshop. For more information: https://kask.co.nz/kayaksafe

Telephone Dallas Veitch 02102918988

Exhibition of fabrics at the Miellerie

An art exhibition featuring fabrics, collages and embroidery is held at the Honey House, the cafe at Kerikeri Mission Station until Christmas.

The work is by Liz Bigwood, the director of the Mission Station which uses French knots and other embroidery stitches while incorporating elements of household heritage like old set rags and pieces of tatting.

“These elements already have an embroidered energy in that they were created by someone else many years ago and I reused and reused them,” she said.

The exhibit is called Four Seasons and is a collection of abstract fabric works that depict spring, summer, winter, and fall.

Liz became fascinated with spinning flax, using European flax, which is smaller than native harakeke. Later she discovered that her Scottish ancestors were not only Paisley weavers near Glasgow, but also flax spinners and weavers from Stonehaven, south of Aberdeen.

As a result, she came to appreciate the idea of ​​cellular or genetic memory, and how understanding is passed almost intuitively through generations. She also learned traditional Maori weaving techniques.

“I had the privilege of being taught by the famous kaiwhatu [weaver] Digger Te Kanawa, spending two busy weeks at her home in Piopio and learning to weave korowai from scratch.

“She believed that every New Zealander should be able to weave a korowai, which is a style of coat that was developed by the Maori people after the Europeans arrived. Later, I used the weaving technique that she taught me to do a large installation that hung on the New Zealand Tourist Board for several years.

Prominent New Zealand artist Malcolm Harrison commissioned Liz to weave a piece for his installation in the Atrium of Parliament. It is still on display there.

Liz’s pen and ink illustrations of Victorian Chatterbox books are on display at the Honey House, to which she applies her own creative approach.

Corroded pipe in Waitangi to be replaced

Emergency work to replace a corroded sewer pipe that runs across the one-way Waitangi Bridge began last week.

A recent inspection revealed serious deterioration to a section of the pipe which serves the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, Copthorne Hotel and Resort Bay of Islands, yacht club, boat launch and dock facilities.

The works include the installation of a temporary polyethylene pipeline below the bridge, which will take several months until a larger capacity permanent pipe can be installed.

Andy Finch, managing director of infrastructure and asset management at Far North District Council, said there was no evidence the sewage leaked from the line, but the sewage is now being diverted to an underground storage tank on the side of the bridge.

He said the permanent solution will be made after the end of the summer tourist season and after Waitangi Day to keep disruption to a minimum.