Torries

WHANGAMUMU OR BUST

january/february 2017

cruisingworld.com

69

The exit from Whangamumu was easy. With light

wind coming down from the hills to the west and an

outgoing tide, I had the anchor up at 0915 and was

out the entrance a few minutes later under mainsail.

The departure was the best part of the day.

The wind, forecast to be 8 to 10 knots from the

southwest, died within the first half-mile. I rode the

outgoing tide and played the slightest of breaths to

move Gannet away from an inhospitable rocky shore.

Two other sailboats that had come in late the preced-

ing day departed not long after me and motored past

with friendly waves, one turning south and the other

continuing north as Gannet and I sat rocking gently.

We sat most of the morning off the same head-

land south of Cape Brett, until finally light wind filled

in from the north, heading us. I was glad to have it.

Sailing in any direction is better than drifting.

I was seriously considering the possibility that we

might not be able to reach any anchorage before sun-

set, in which case I planned to

ease Gannet offshore for the

night. We were finally beyond

Cape Brett at 1330, taking

four hours to make good 5 or 6

straight-line miles.

The day was overcast with a solid layer of low

cloud and a breeze cold enough for me to put on a

Polartec jacket.

I had the mostly below-deck Pelagic tillerpilot

in place, but hadn’t been able to use it much in the

morning, when we had no way on or steerage. For

the 8 miles from Cape Brett to the north end of

Urupukapuka Island, the wind remained steady on a

very close reach, and the pilot performed exactly as

it should.

Just beyond Urupukapuka, the wind suddenly

backed to the southwest — as forecast — and as

suddenly increased to 20 to 22 knots. Gannet heeled,

lee rail under. I released the mainsheet with one

hand while grabbing the tiller from the tillerpilot

with the other.

After a day of glass and inch-high ripples, the bay

was abruptly covered with whitecaps and 1- to 2-foot

waves, into which Gannet slammed.

I hand-steered the rest of the way, and the wind

continually headed us: west when we wanted to go

west, south when we turned the corner near Russell

and wanted to go south.

There were possible anchorages, but Russell, the

lagoon at Roberton Island, and Paradise Bay are all

open to the southwest. Paihia was tenable, but I

thought I could reach Opua before dark and pressed

on, tacking all the way and playing the mainsheet

even after I managed to partially furl the jib.

We made it to Opua at last light. The sun was

already below the hill.

Just north of the ferry crossing, I lowered the

Torqeedo into the water instead of continuing to

short-tack in what had become light head winds and an

outgoing tide. I engaged the tillerpilot while I furled

the jib and lowered the main. The Torqeedo whirred

along quietly. For an engine, it is almost likable.

I picked up the mooring after 1900. It had taken

10 hours to cover 26 miles, though while tacking, we

sailed farther.

Gannet had not been in full passage mode, with

everything secured in place, yet in the gusts she

had repeatedly heeled rail down on each tack. The

V-berth was in shambles.

I sorted it out, stowed the anchor and rode in the

bow, went back on deck, lifted the Torqeedo from the

stern (though I left it in the cockpit for the night), put

on mainsail and tiller covers, and moved spare halyards

and the running backstays from near the mast.

By then it was dark. I went below. My neck and shoul-

ders were sore. I thought: Crossing oceans is easier.

Webb Chiles, 75, is preparing Gannet to sail soon from

Durban, South Africa, to continue and perhaps this year

— time and chance permitting— conclude his sixth circum-

navigation. You can follow his progress underway on his

tracking page: my.yb.tl/gannet.

Piercy Island,

also known as

Motu Kokako or

Hole in the Rock,

is a stunning

landmark off the

tip of Cape Brett.

CRW0217_FEA3_Whanga (outlines).indd 69 11/21/16 12:35 PM