Arwen's meanderings

Hi everyone and welcome to my dinghy cruising blog about my John Welsford designed 'navigator' named Arwen. Built over three years, Arwen was launched in August 2007. She is a standing lug yawl 14' 6" in length. This blog records our dinghy cruising voyages together around the coastal waters of SW England.
Arwen has an associated YouTube channel so visit www.YouTube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy to find our most recent cruises and click subscribe.
On this blog you will find posts about dinghy cruising locations, accounts of our voyages, maintenance tips and 'How to's' ranging from rigging standing lug sails and building galley boxes to using 'anchor buddies' and creating 'pilotage notes'. I hope you find something that inspires you to get out on the water in your boat. Drop us a comment and happy sailing.
Steve and Arwen

Tuesday 21 January 2014

crossing the Cook Straits


Sailing a pathfinder across the Cook Strait

I’ve just learned that one brave soul has sailed a pathfinder across the strait between north and south island in New Zealand.  Grant Therese achieved this feat yesterday and it took, by my calculations, 9 hours. He was well kitted out with GPS, ERIPs, safety harness etc.  I think the Cook Strait suffers strong winds, fast currents and changeable weather. Friends comment on his excellent preparation and planning in advance.
I don’t think this is a small undertaking by any means. In fact I sense it is a rather impressive achievement. 
I’m missing sailing and am quite looking forward to doing some voyaging. It won’t be on the scale above but my intention this year is to try and sail down to Falmouth via Fowey and spend a few days around the Fal or alternatively sail eastwards around to Torquay via Salcombe, Dartmouth and Brixham.
Well done to grant. Quite some achievement in a small open boat.
Steve

2 comments:

Marius said...

Hi Steve,

Coud you post a link to this interesting sounding story please?

Thanks
Marius

steve said...

Hi Marius
Good to her from you
Belated happy new year
I can't post link because it is to forum site. If you join the John welsford builders yahoo group, then subject to moderator approval, you can red developing thread there. I will post a brief edited version here. I did a few minutes research about cook straits earlier on . Some interesting stuff

Steve