March 12th; Tsunami Warning

Log

Date: March 12th

Weather: Sunny

Swell: small E

Wind: Light Variable winds

Distance:

Camp: Ohiwa beach near Ohope

Back Country Cuisine Food Review

www.backcountrycuisine.co.nz

Meal: Chicken A LA King, with Fresh Kawhai Chunks Sautéed in Paprika and salt

Impression: was a great variation on a meal we have already eaten. The chicken a La kings, subtle flavors and mushrooms, worked well with Dave’s freshly caught Kawhai which he prepared in a pan with a sprinkle of Paprika, salt and pepper. Delicious!

Stars: 10 out of 10

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Awoke early though didn’t get on the water till 10am, as Dave and I discussed wave action and the protocol of coming in safely and breaking out safely. How you want to look for the pattern, not be impatient, you don’t want to surf a loaded boat in at all and when breaking out, sometimes you can’t worry about getting water in your cockpit before your skirt goes on, you just got to get out back then pump yourself out.

We are thinking more seriously about surf protocol, as Dave is heavily under experienced with surf, and this will be his greatest challenge to face as far as skill and mental toughness. Man it is hard enough for me some days. The reality is Surf is scary and potentially very dangerous, though treated with respect easily manageable as well. Dave now will work hard at taking his time and landing in a more controlled manner and we should be fine.

Busting out this morning, Dave got through the small dumping surf (Dumping is when the waves rear up and break straight on the beach, quite nasty when big) with no worries, didn’t even get his blonde locks wet, I however had my cockpit filled with water and had to pump it out once behind the outer breakers!

The day was another beauty, paddling on flat water, hot sunny sky beating down, though one thing had us worried. On VHF radio marine forecast they were calling a Tsunami Warning! What has happened now I thought? Dave wanted to know what it could mean, so did I. there had definitely been a Quake again somewhere, but how bad this time?

Dave caught another Kawhai, this time a monster and 19 NM later we pulled up on a lovely beach to camp in yet more dunes. When I walked to a nearby Campground to get water, I found out that Japan had been hit by a Tsunami caused by a 8.9 Quake and thousands had been killed by the giant wave. I was dumbfounded, and thankfully it hadn’t got here, as we would never have known enough to get away from the water or to have paddled out far into the ocean, and it probably would have got us unless we were lucky enough to paddle at it and get over it before it broke ( I doubt it).

I turned on the cell phone and there was a flux of messages to us about the Tsunami warning from the night before, but we don’t have the phone one except for between 6pm and 8pm at night. I quickly learnt everyone know we were ok. Man what a crazy year it is for seismic activity, the world isn’t happy about something, I got a sneaking suspicion, but can’t pin it just yet!

Apart from the horrific news, the evening was stunning, Dark storm clouds surrounded us though the sun was able to duck under them and light the evening with an awesome light and a very contrasting mood, Stunning. Dave mentioned this day was his best all-round day, it all went well for him and he was feeling his Mojo, awesome.

We are definitely in the groove now. Every day we knock out our average of 20 NM at least and we are feeling strong and efficient while moving quickly down the coast, this is perfect as the coast is only going to throw more challenges at us from now on.

I find it interesting to reflect now that I had this strange feeling of impending large surf over the last few days, it never came, though somewhere else (Japan) had huge waves that could have effected us.

 

Our thoughts and Best wishes go out to those in Japan, and we hope a Nuclear Fallout does not occur. Man what scary and uncertain times we live in at the moment, Nuclear power was not a good idea!