s/v Field Trip

Cape Brett Lighthouse Last year when our anchor seemed cemented in the Bay of Islands, we vowed to return to New Zealand and venture out a bit more.  Of course, back then, Mark had lofty dreams of sailing all the way around top of the North Island and down to Nelson on the South Island.  I’m afraid we didn’t quite make it that far, but we have sailed beyond the Bay. Cape Brett and Whangamumu  Mist rising from the crashing waves along the craggy coastline. Kids love watching the hulls break through the water It was a gorgeous day for a sail as we rounded Cape Brett and finally waved goodbye to the beautiful Bay of Islands.  The coastline is rocky and jagged, with the famous Hole in the Rock at the very tip.  The seas were so calm, we could sail between the outcropping of rock and the lighthouse that stands watch atop a grassy hill.  As we rounded into Whangamumu Harbor, we noticed turbulence on the water’s surface.  Birds, small ...

Photo from hubpages.com Living in land-locked Colorado didn't lend itself to a lot of fresh seafood dinners.  Sure, we could feast on buffalo burgers, venison stew, or elk medallions, but pelagic fish cooked up at a Colorado restaurant could hardly be advertised as  fresh.   And sushi?  That was just asking for trouble.   On board, however, the sea has become our supermarket.  And fresh?  You can't get any fresher than hauling a tuna aboard and slicing off a piece of sashimi to nibble on while you fillet the rest.  Again, I will say, I'm not an adventurous eater, but I'm willing to try anything.  Well, sea turtle cooked in coconut milk?  No way.  (yes, this was offered to me on more than one occasion)  Okay,  almost anything.   Since visiting New Zealand, I have had my first tastes of raw oysters (not again... ever), steamed green-lipped mussels (yum!), and raw scallops (double yum!).  Our palate...

Who knew we'd become bird watchers?? From the graceful Bermuda Longtails to the clumsy Blue-footed Boobies of the Galapagos, we have been fascinated by the varied and unique bird life we’ve encountered.  I never thought I’d be a birdwatcher, but the moment I hear a clear, lilting call or see a shadow swooping across the sails, I scurry up on deck to get a better view and holler to one of the kids to grab the bird book and binoculars.  We’ve learned to look for certain characteristics that help to classify birds - tail shape, wing design, prominent coloring or marking, beak shape, and even the way that they fly through the air.  We’re not great at identifying a bird from it’s call yet, although some are hard to miss - like the Tui’s long melodic song here in New Zealand or the loud squawk of the greedy seagulls fighting over a crust of bread outside our galley window. Dive-Bombers  Striking markings on head, lining wings, and around the eyes an...

Our Field Trip class of International Boatschoolers! English, Kiwi, and American students.   New Zealand's Northland Field Trips - Part One Between book reports, irregular plurals, and long division, we somehow managed to get off the boat for a few field trips.  In fact, New Zealand offers so many learning opportunities that we’ve found it hard to buckle down and maintain our core curriculum.  Who wants to do school inside at the salon table when we could be walking through a cave or exploring hobbit holes?  So, true to our name, we set out on a few learning expeditions.  After all, students just want to have fun, too!  (check out my previous blog post) Kawiti Glowworm Caves Near Kawakawa, we were lured to the Kawiti Caves  , where glowworms can be seen twinkling like stars in the Milky Way on the ceiling above us.  As we were led along the wooden walkways between stalactites and stalagmites, the guide told us about the life c...

                                                     A Welder’s Experience   By: Elizabeth and Michael Today a welder came on our boat.   He is very nice.   He had to train for a year before getting a license.   He is so good he never has sparks flying everywhere.   His hardest job was when he had to build a spiral staircase.   He likes welding and even creates paperweights and metal flower decorations.    The welding tool he uses is called a ‘tig’.   Its fire gets hot enough to melt metal. He sometimes burns his hands, but they get tougher. After he uses the tig, he puts acid on the new weld, which takes of the brownish-blackish burnt metal.   ...