Although I don’t fly until Sunday, this is probably my last entry from this side of the Equator for a while.  I am not due to return until mid-March.

        It takes about 30 hours from condo to boat, but crossing the Dateline going west, I lose Monday and arrive on Tuesday.  There is always a question about the weather upon my arrival in New Zealand, which can make it impossible to row out to the mooring, but the forecast looks good this time.

        I never know what I will find when I get back aboard, except that there is an absolute certainty of mold and spiders.  If THE HAWKE OF TUONELA had sunk on her mooring, someone would have emailed me, so I conclude she hasn’t.  However there is always the possibility that the stove or engine won’t start or electrical wiring will have corroded, though I did rewire most of the boat earlier this year.

        I may have problems posting updates to this website. 

        New Zealand is a second-world country--which is one of the things I like about it--and their Internet speeds, even for what passes as broadband, have been slow.  I read that more competition is being permitted and that service is improving.

        Check back at intervals.  I’ll write when I can.