2/28 Arrive in Auckland; SkyTower dinner; Sailing

We were back at the Rydges Hotel chain for a 3rd time right in downtown Auckland. After settling in, we did a few blocks stroll down to Queen St., the lowest main street that used to be a riverbed. Saw several homeless people (haven’t seen this anywhere before) and mostly Maori men. Later I saw something on TV about the 150 homeless in Auckland and a program to try to eliminate their situation within 5 months. They didn’t describe WHY these men are homeless but I think it has to do with they don’t want to follow the rules of a shelter or housing the state would provide.






The hill back up was pretty steep but I made it. We met the rest of the group outside the Skytower where you could go up for the view, or JUMP from it on like a zipline. One guy had just landed but we didn’t see him descend!! No one took that option to try!!



We had a lovely dinner in the hotel, until out in the lobby VERY LOUD drums began, for Chinese New Year which seems to be celebrated for 1/2 the month of February!!! Josh and Trish left because it was so noisy and the restaurant manager couldn’t do anything about it. as we were leaving, other Chinese acrobats were performing so it probably went on all evening, with crowds gather. I think the drumming had been the Lion Dance earlier but I didn’t see it.


The next day we were bused to the harbor for our sailing experience in the harbor. Auckland is the sailing capital of the world. And you would agree when you saw the number of harbors filled with all sizes of sailboats, as well as the temporary buildings that were set up around the harbor for the weekend as the Volvo Round the World Race was stopping here!!! Concert stages were set up, and on Saturday people were everywhere. This is a 9 month race with, I’m assuming, required stops and they were in town. It was very festive!




We went out in two 33 foot sailing boats - ours was the Courageous, the other the Defiance. Unfortunately, there was not much wind so we only had a few moments when they put the sails up and actually shut off the motor. We had a 45 minute swing around the harbor, each of us getting a turn at the wheel. I had just turned to Bob and Mary, when I saw the big steering wheel, and relayed the story of when Bud and I took a Coast Guard course on the Chesapeake Bay - planning in the distant future to own a boat and sail around the world in it in retirement! We chose this beautiful 36 foot sloop to go out on for the day with the owners. When it was my turn at the helm, the boat kind of caught the wind and keeled to the side a bit (don’t know if that’s the right term but it leaned quite a bit to one side!) As it got straightened out, Bud came up from down below. He looked at me at the helm and said, “I should have known!” apparently he was in the head, it keeled, and he came crashing out with his shorts around his ankles!! A couple of women were sitting at the table down below as he crashed out!!! :)


So when they said who wants the helm, they all yelled for me!! Anyhow, no wind, no incident!! All was smooth sailing, or rather motoring! It was lovely; would have been nice to have the real sense of sailing but nice to be out on the gorgeous harbor!



We had a free afternoon so our Cape 8, as well as a few others from the group, hopped the ferry for the 10 minute ride across the harbor to Devenport, a little suburb with great views looking back to the city. By this time tons of sailing boats were rigged and headed out for a day sail. We walked around, it was hot. Got a few pictures of some picturesque Victorian style houses, bought a used book for the trip home (Judy, Shannon, Michelle - you could bring one or two to trade me! I’ve passed on a couple that I finished to others. Still can’t make that transition to ebooks!! like the feel of it in my hand!!). I got separated from my friends but wandered down to the pier, bought a gelato and headed back on the ferry. They came about an hour later. I rested in the room until our Farewell Dinner that night.