After a full week-end saving lives, I am exhausted! Ok, this was all pretend play, but I swear that NZ Coastguard /MedAire coastal medic course is not for the faint-hearted. Between gore pictures and videos of a femoral artery gushing blood (albeit very pixelated, thank God), de-gloving fingers (I learnt a new word), or wounds … Continue reading It takes a special kind of person
Imagine paying a visit to your old neighbourhood, meeting long-time-no-see friends, and doing a bit of treat-shopping... by boat. That's what we just did last week-end, taking Obelix for the first time to Saint Heliers Bay! Not as exotic as many places in the Hauraki Gulf, for sure, but an idea that kept nagging me, … Continue reading Obelix meets Zampa in St Heliers
NZ lockdown, day 6 on our 12-meter boat. Taking notice of all the positive.
Day 0 of NZ Lockdown on a 12m boat
“It’s alright mum, our boat isn’t badly damaged, just a few small repairs and we’ll be off again”, wrote Zephyr on the day of our incident... (cf. Obelix on the rocks) The small repairs took three weeks, and, thankfully, no one dared tell me at the time it would take so long! Apart from the … Continue reading Scrapes, scratches & sliver linings
It's not a beautiful boat, but it's a good boat! Uwe Tolks Obelix is the brain child of Uwe Tolks, former Master Mariner & Marine Construction Engineer, and Erwin Haag, Naval Architect, both German established in Whangarei, New Zealand, since the 70’s. In Erwin Haag's home office “December 1976, he comes to my office and … Continue reading Meeting Obelix’ two dads
No it is not the name of the latest trendy cocktail, although I wish. This is how I miserably ended an otherwise gorgeous long week-end sailing with friends. I've tried to find myself excuses, or blame others, or circumstances for the accident, nothing softens that overwhelming feeling of shame and guilt. I was at the … Continue reading Obelix on the rocks
Recipe for the best day of 2019 Ingredients 1 handsome multi-talented man2 kind, fun, resilient boys1 sturdy sail boat1 pinch of wind (not too strong, not too light, and preferably in the right direction)slight sea1 whale1 island (not too far, not too close, and preferably with an iconic bay)friends (as many as required) Directions Wake … Continue reading Fare-whale decade!
Tuesday 24th December 2019 6:00am. We're raising anchor from Bon Accord - Kawau, perfectly synchronised with our friends Marion & Borja on Ad Hoc, ready to sail to Great Barrier Island for Christmas. We've set our alarm early to strategically leave at dawn, kids still asleep in their cabin, sea still undisturbed by the sun's … Continue reading Christmas in the engine room
And crew on edge... More than a month has passed since Obelix' last sailing adventure and this meant countless week-ends watching, with envy, surrounding boats vacate their berth for a few days, and their crew coming back on Sunday with a tan and a beaming smile, while we were stuck at the marina with either … Continue reading Obelix itchy feet
