Overnight on Wednesday the wind veered to the NW and increased, bouncing Rusalka against the wharf, so at 4:30 am Alex woke the crew and announced that it was time to move.
They left the wharf, navigated amongst the many buoys in Bluff Harbour and anchored in the middle of the bay. It blew for the rest of the morning, gusting up to 42kts, before shifting SW in the afternoon. Then it was time to return to the wharf (in 20kt and pouring rain), and allow a very wet last crew member, Geoff, to join Rusalka. After everyone dried out it was time for a last dinner ashore.
Friday morning and it’s inspection day! To ensure that no unwanted rodents are hiding on board, vessels going to the NZ subantarctic islands are inspected by a rodent detection dog. In this case it was a doggo named Mawson, who was transported aboard in style:
Mawson arrives to inspect Evohe, which will also be heading south today.
Mawson boards Rusalka
Mawson on Rusalka
After Mawson’s thorough inspection of Evohe and Rusalka, Alex and Lucy had a chance to tour Evohe and talk to her skipper, who gave them some great info/tips on anchorages in the Aucklands. Evohe is 25m steel expedition yacht, which is currently being chartered to bring researchers to the subantarctic islands. This trip they will have 5 crew and 12 passengers. According to Alex, it has 2 bathtubs!
In the afternoon, Joseph from DOC came to Rusalka to brief the crew and inspect their shore-going gear, again to make sure no nasties are brought to the islands.
After the DOC inspection and briefing, Rusalka left Bluff for Port Adventure (an appropriate name!), about 30nm south along the east coast of Stewart Island. They over-nighted there and today are making their way further down the island to Port Pegasus , where they will remain at anchor until the weather allows them to hop down to the Auckland Islands.
Rusalka entering Port Adventure
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