C'est La Vie
Finally Leaves New Zealand
July 2 - NZ
"Kia ora from New Zealand for the last time,"
write Keith and Susan Levy of the Richmond-based Catalina 47
C'est La Vie. "The wind and rain have been relentless
and C'est La Vie has been tugging at her lines in the
Opua Marina. Winter has beset the island, which means the days
are short, the water is the color of the Nile, and the sand flies
have become ferocious, so it's time for us to go. We've sold
our car, made all the repairs, and provisioned the boat. So we're
saying goodbye to the excitement of the America's Cup, sheep-dotted
hillsides, Franz Joseph Glazier, the fjords of Milford and Doubtful
Sound, fly fishing on the shores of Lake Taupo, the geysers of
Rotorua, white water rafting in Queenstown, the euphoria over
the All Blacks rugby team, Maori culture, the Haka - and some
of the friendliest people in the world. Good on all of you. The
barometer is falling fast, the high has come and gone, and the
low pressure now over the land promises southerlies on the backside
- so Des on Russell Radio is telling us it's time to get going.
We'll have to don our longjohns, fleece ,and foul weather gear
for a good part of this passage, but the promise of warm, tropical
weather in Fiji lies ahead. As we're about to leave, we're wondering
where our old buddyboats are - Aventura, North Road,
Li'l Gem, By Chance, Mobisle, Final Straw,
and Raven? We will be making this passage alone. No worries,
mate!"
|
Keith & Susan in front of the conga line in PV.
Photo Courtesy C'est La Vie |
