Back on the Katinka Enjoy

The week on the farm in northeastern New Zealand flew by. We shared the farm with seven dogs, a cat, five chickens, and seven chicks, as well as a boar and four pigs. I’m not even counting the thousand head of sheep and cattle. Gaby initially threw her hands up in horror when I told her about this week. But it was quite an experience.

Everyone understands their job

The animals quickly got used to us, and the dogs, in particular, didn’t want to let us go at the end. I had to stop the car and take them back to the farm because they had been running after the car. The day before, I helped Alexander, the farm owner, round up some stray sheep. While doing so, I was able to observe the interaction between humans and animals. In the Viking, we raced across the meadows in the pouring rain, while the dog jumped over fences several metres high and obeyed Alexander’s commands like clockwork. The sheep—about 150 of them—were herded onto a fresh pasture and initially kept in check by the dog. Only after the gate was locked was the command lifted. The dog then disappeared, following a new command, into a wooded ravine and returned a few minutes later with another five sheep. I was thrilled. 

Fun equipment Viking

Speaking of enthusiasm: This week we met sailing legend Peter Kammler. Now 90 years old, he lives with his second wife, Dagmar. Peter and Beate sailed around the world on their boat, the Manua Kea, from 1971 to 1974. Beate’s book “Come, Let’s Sail Around the World” was one of the books that helped shape my decision back then. In the 1980s, I devoured many of these books. But it took nearly forty more years before we set off on our own voyage. Peter and Dagmar have known each other for just as long. We were very happy to have met both of you.

Farm in northeastern New Zealand

It’s with mixed feelings that we say goodbye to Nicole and Alexander, two wonderful people. But after a three-month tour of New Zealand, it’s time to check in on the Katinka Enjoy and make sure everything’s in order. Luckily, we reach our catamaran just before the weather takes a turn for the worse. Aside from a thick layer of dust covering the boat, it looks to be in good shape. In the cockpit, we’re greeted by new upholstery that we’d ordered before our departure. Inside, everything is dry, and after a quick airing out, even the slightly stale air dissipates. We’re home again. Unfortunately, only for a short time, as our New Zealand visa is slowly expiring and we have to leave the country for now. We’re using the time to visit relatives and friends in Germany again. Not exactly the best timing, but we booked the flights before the Iran conflict. Luckily, we’re not flying via Dubai, but that’s the only advantage. Anyway, we hope everything goes well. But first, there are some preparations to be made. We want to haul the boat out of the water, which isn’t exactly proving to be easy. I enquire at Norsand Marina since our old Katinka is already there. In the office, I stand in front of the board used for scheduling. All I keep hearing is “very difficult". We can’t find an appointment today. The promised call in the afternoon never comes either. The weather has deteriorated so much that it’s now raining nonstop. Wind gusts of over 40 knots are whistling past our ears, forcing us to stay on the boat for the time being. A low-pressure system with a pressure of 981 hPa is situated to the west and is slowly moving southeast. It will take two days to do so.

Low west of New Zealand

I hope I can still work something out with Norsand; otherwise, I’ll have to find another option at short notice. The weather is also holding us back on the outdoor work we want to finish before we leave. The mast sliders have arrived in the meantime and are at the Okara Marina office. However, given the weather, no one at Town Basin Marina feels like heading out to hand me the package. This is only a problem insofar as I can’t verify whether everything I ordered is actually included. But we’ll manage these two days as well. Another issue is that the solar output has dropped below 100 watts/m² and is no longer sufficient to charge the batteries. To connect to the marina’s power grid, you need an inspection and approval of the electrical system on board. Only with an inspection certificate can the plug be inserted into the outlet. We didn’t have time to get this inspection done before our departure. So the generator has to be turned on again. The reality of Germany’s energy transition keeps catching up with us, even here in New Zealand. When the sun isn’t shining, even battery storage systems eventually reach their limits. The solar panels generate a meagre 160 watts, while our power consumption mercilessly drains the battery storage at 256 watts. The generator wasn’t very thrilled when I asked it to get to work. It hesitated a bit when starting up but then decided to start after all. After two hours, the batteries are fully charged again, which will last until the next day. However, we’ll have to repeat the process, since a thick layer of clouds will only let diffuse sunlight through the next day as well. In any case, we’re looking forward to the sun again—and not just because of the lack of power generation. Until then, we wish everyone fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.