Dave Mollard’s Change is Constant: Lessons from a sailing trip from Auckland to Nelson

It was tough, but I'm sure in a few weeks I will start figuring out how I can do a sea voyage again. Photo / Dave Mollard

OPINION:

I just spent seven nights on a leaky boat sailing from Auckland to Nelson. Actually, the boat didn’t leak, I just wanted to remind you all of how good Split Enz were.

The 38-foot yacht was a recent purchase of my wife’s cousin, and he needed help getting it from the big smoke to Nelson. The yacht, like me, has a classic design, and is built for stability rather than speed. When the wind dropped we turned on the motor, which pushed us along at about 9km/h.

What did I learn during these eight days?

1) The sea is crazy. I have sailed across the Tasman twice previously, and it was a mess of raw power. This time, the Tasman Sea was mild and meek. However, we hit a storm on the first night out of Auckland that nearly did us in. The so-called calm Hauraki Gulf sent some of us to the side rails to feed the fish.

2) Our land is beautiful. Every time we saw land in the distance, we were awed by the majesty of our mountains and beaches.

3) The sea is lonely. From Waikato, we left sight of the shore and did not see it again until we saw the hills behind Farewell Spit. For about 36 hours, the only human presence we saw was the Wellington to Sydney flight spewing jet streams off its wings. We were not alone - orca, dolphins and albatrosses kept us company, showing off their superiority of movement compared to us slow bipeds.

3) Thirty-eight feet (11.6m) is not very big. There were four of us on board and we had plenty of room; it’s more about the way the waves treat a small boat like a dog treats a driftwood stick.

4) Seven knots is slow. Seeing North Cape hours before we got to it was quite disheartening.

5) I rely on the internet way too much. We went five days without any internet coverage. We started to fantasise we were the last people left on Earth. It was an enforced break from the keyboard warriors.

6) Our ancestors were tough. Departing Hawaiiki, Cornwall or Rotterdam on a sailing ship crowded with humans, rats and fleas but no two-minute noodles was a months-long nightmare. Luckily, when they landed in Aotearoa, they found the most blessed land on this planet.

The sea is lonely. From Waikato we left sight of the shore and did not see it again until we saw the hills behind Farewell Spit. Photo / Dave Mollard

The journey was kind of like a multi-day tramp. At the time, it is tough and you look forward to completing it, but I’m sure in a few weeks I will start figuring out how I can do it again.

Dave Mollard is a Palmerston North community worker and social commentator.