On_Board_559_Decembe.. - Mana Cruising Club

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aided the little supermarket and got everything on the list andmarched back to the Yacht Club where our washing was ready tobe taken aboard. After a soggy trip back to Avanti, with lots of saltwater sloshing into the dinghy our reward was a cup of tea madewith fresh cow’s milk and a chocolate biscuits. Well done lads, allmissions accomplished!The wind was blowing 35kts from the south out in the mainpart of Akaroa Harbour, with lots of broken white water. At ourmooring off the Akaroa Cruising Club the wind was 30kts andthere was reasonable shelter but the swell was starting to turnround Green Point and come along the shore towards us. Thewind then edged round to southwest and Avanti began to pitch inthe half-metre high seas as the 35kt wind blew home.Wednesday 6th April 2011: In the forward cabin where themotion was greatest sleep was patchy during the night. I didconsider decamping with my sleeping bag to the main saloonin the middle of the boat, where pitching motion would be less,but managed to claw my way back to sleep instead. The windwas gusting 40kts and a steady procession of waves marched at usfrom Green Point causing Avanti to pitch and corkscrew, nearlyburying her bow in green water. I was pleased that the mooringwas proving strong enough to absorb this pressure.Thursday 7th April: Today is wilder than yesterday. It wasn’t toobad aboard as long as we remained seated. It seemed prudentto stay aboard and declare a “make and mend”. But we had aproblem. We were well into the second of our two gas bottlesand I could see that if the empty bottle wasn’t filled soon therewould be no cooking on the stove and the gas cabin heater wouldleave us in the cold. Once more we prepared ourselves with heavyweather gear and lifejackets for another trip ashore. Again gettingthe dinghy launched, complete with the 2hp outboard presentedsome exciting moments. Then to load the empty gas bottle andthe little wheeled trolley nearly led to disaster. Seasoned smallboat sailors such as we are did not end in the drink this time butmade it to the wharf and up to the road without mishap. An ACCmember working on his boat noticed our preparations to trundlethe gas bottle to Akaroa to be filled. He kindly drove us intoAkaroa where the gas bottle was reluctantly. We did some moreshopping for victuals, plus a boyz ice cream each of course. Muchto our delight we found an Otago Daily Times, the first I had seenfor three months. Then our kind friend drove us back to the clubfor tea and chocolate biscuits on Avanti. Getting the full gas bottleback aboard was even more interesting than when it was empty.The water in Avanti’s tanks normally lasts for seven days at aconsumption of 53 litres per day. Although I carry 40 litresemergency supply in cans on deck I began to worry that our watersupply might not last for the remainder of the voyage. We had beenat sea for five days. The strong wind and the seas running underthe wharf made it imprudent to bring Avanti over to the wharfto water ship from the hose. It began to rain and when the deckswere washed clean of salt and anchor mud we set up the watercollection system which encouraged the rain, from the starboardforward quarter of the boat, to run into the tank. Then we alsoemptied the two cans into the tank. That didn’t seem enough sousing the now empty cans we did two hair-raising watering tripsashore getting another 80 litres aboard. I think we got more waterinto our gum-boots than in the cans. Then I was happy.On one of the days the pitching was so violent we decided it wasa good day to stay at home. It was too rough to be going anywhere ina small dinghy. Watching our incoming weather faxes and listening toevery forecast, I could see another window in the weather through whichwe could wriggle home to Port Chalmers. This time the importantfactor was that we had already purchased air tickets to Christchurchfor the three days required for the eye surgery on 13th, 14th and 15thApril. The strong southerly would be easing by Friday 8th April and wewould be able to sail early the next day and be home on Sunday 10thApril. This would give us 48 hours to get to Port Chalmers and be intime to deal with the boat and then fly to Christchurch.Saturday 9th April: The southerly was still blowing and had easedto 15kts. It would be blowing against us for a while but the forecastappeared to give us a good spell of weather with the southerly dyingand the northerly freshening, which would help us on our way. Allwe had to do then was get 148 nm to Port Chalmers in time to fly toChristchurch on 13th April.I wrote a thank-you note to the Commodore for the use of the mooringand access to the Club and enclosed a suitable donation, suggestingit be used for the “John Stevenson Cruising Room”. We slipped themooring at 1000 (10am) and headed down harbour towards the heads.As I had expected there were big seas at the entrance caused by theoutgoing tide meeting the incoming seas generated by the old southerlywind. However once clear of the heads and its associated tidal flow the14
seas reduced, a freshening northerly made its appearance and thesun came out. I was very pleased I was here, and not somewhereelse; it was all rather lovely.Nursing our injuries Alan and I stood watch and watch in fivehour stints. We read, prepared meals and watched the distantCanterbury coast slide by. The Autohelm steered the course asinstructed, the seabirds and dolphins paid visits and we had a jollynice time.Sunday 10th April: Through the night we sailed south. In themorning we sighted Shag Point, Matanaka and then the OtagoPeninsula’s hills of home. At 1230 Avanti entered Otago Harbourtwenty six hours after departing from Akaroa, and an hour laterwe berthed at our wharf at Careys Bay.My darling Margaret was there to greet us. As soon as the yachtwas secured we were whisked home and served a meal of spag bog.Yums! That’s what mariners like. Sadly our three month cruise wascompleted. We had sailed from Careys Bay on 3rd January 2011,cruised the Marlborough Sounds and through to Nelson, visitedTorrent Bay in the Abel Tasman National Park. Port Motueka andPort Mapua were very challenging to enter. On 22nd February,the Day of the second earthquake in Christchurch, we pickedup a mooring in Port Mapua against a 4.3kt tide which was adifficult exercise. Finally via the east coast we returned to CareysBay arriving on 10th April, covering a distance of 1500nm.I did get to Christchurch in time for the operation and my eye isprogressing satisfactorily.Continuing to sail Avanti, our steadfast companion for twentynine years, was a satisfying way for Margaret and I to spend thesethree months during the twilight years of our lives.See you next time.Bill McIndoeYacht Avanti(Editor’s Note: Bill and Margaret are in their 80’s and Bill is MCCPort Captain in Dunedin.)SCALLOP REGULATIONS IN MARLBOROUGH SOUNDSBach OwnersThere seems to be a misguided notion among some Marlborough Sounds residents and bach owners that they are somehow exempt fromaspects of the fisheries regulations relating to scallops. It appears an urban myth has been fostered for some years by those living in remoteareas of the Sounds where there is only access by sea, that they’re entitled to return to the mainland with shucked scallops provided theyare bagged and tagged with the time, date and place they were collected. Many understand they’re subject to a ‘special agreement’ with theMinistry of Fisheries providing them a loophole in the rules. This is wrong. There is no informal arrangement in place for the simple reasonMFish cannot establish rules for some people in some areas and not others. It sets a precedent that would make regulations open to challengeand therefore unenforceable.The rules clearly state that no person may possess seaward of the mean high-water mark any shellfish to which aminimum length restriction applies, in such a state that it cannot be measured. This means scallops must be landed in their shells.There is a sub clause in the regulations that prevents fishers shucking scallops at sea unless they are to be consumed on board. They canconsume their daily limit of scallops onboard their vessel, however any fish eaten must be deducted from their daily allowable limit. That is,you cannot eat 20 and then land another 50. Again the measurement rule is enforced by the rule that states No person may land from a fishingvessel any shellfish to which a minimum length restriction applies in such a state that it cannot be measured.Multiple Day Trips and Live AboardsThe same applies for vessels including those at sea for a number of days. There is no formal or informal arrangement that scallops canbe retained on board shucked and frozen/refrigerated provided they are bagged and tagged. On a multiple day trip you are permittedto accumulate catch from previous days and as always the onus is on the fisherman to provide evidence showing when they were caught.Traditionally plotter, log book, photographs have been sufficient. However, whatever you take must remain in their shell until landed unlesseating them as stated above. I realize this places restrictions on how long the scallops could reasonably be expected to be edible and thereforelimits your ability to take home several days catch which has been a practice in the past by many vessels.In reply to some of the questions I have been asked by the Mana Cruising Club and associated clubs of late:1. You can row to shore and shuck the scallops above the high water mark but any brought back to your vessel would have to be eaten.2. It is not sufficient evidence to keep the shells on the vessel as proof of size. The law is clear that the shellfish must remain in ameasurable state and landed in their shells.3. Once back on land – there is no requirement for the shellfish to remain whole. They may be transported by vehicle in a shucked state.4. A water taxi is subject to the same regulations as your own vessel.5. Technically the Interisland Ferry would also be subject to the same regulations but I think commonsense prevails there and I have no intentionat present of directing my staff to search vehicles boarding the Ferry for shucked scallops.Of course regulations can be changed by going through due process which means if enough people lobby and present a valid case for changethen there is a possibility modifications can be made. I know these answers aren’t what you were hoping for, but right now it’s a case of onerule for all. All scallops must be landed in their shell where they can be measured to meet the requirements of the law.Liz MurrayField Office SupervisorMFISH - Blenheim15
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On_Board_559_Decembe.. - Mana Cruising Club

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