S/V Mandolin - New Zealand Update

[Todd writes] December 7th one year ago Ellen and I arrived in New Zealand, the land of the long white cloud.

A lot has happened during this year. We spend our first Christmas in the southern hemisphere on a hot summer day. Yes, it was summer and we were so confused. Christmas in New Zealand means it’s time to go to the beach and have a BBQ with your mates. After spending almost a month in the beautiful Bay of Islands we sailed south to the city of Whangarei where we would spend the next three months getting into New Zealand life and replacing the standing rigging on Mandolin. We soon realized that we liked New Zealand and wanted to stay longer than the one year visitors permit would allow. To accomplish this we would need to get residency here. So the paper chase started. To be included in the application which need to be submitted before my 30th birthday on March 5th we gathered college transcripts, birth certificates, finger prints, a statement of good character from the United States, job descriptions, letters of reference, photos and a medical screening. We scrambled to amass all the correct paperwork and submitted it with a day to spare.

The transition from cruising life to "normal" life came quite sudden. Soon we had a mobile phone, then a car along with the required insurance, registration and all the other attachments.

Next we planned a road trip around North Island to decide where we wanted to settle. The intention was to stay in backpacker lodges, similar to youth hostels. We travelled south to Auckland and stayed with our friends Jim and Patti aboard "Lucid Dream". During that time we met other friends who asked us to stay with them in Whitianga and yet another friend who gave us the keys to their holiday home just outside of Tauranga. So our trip progressed spending time in Whitianga, then almost a week in Tauranga. We met a lady at the Anglican Church who has a sister living in Rotorua and set us up with a place to stay at our next planned stop. We met a friend of my manager at Intel who lived in Auckland who had us over for a BBQ and allowed us to stay the night. Kiwi hospitality was showing through everywhere we went. We never did get to stay in a backpackers lodge, but we aren’t complaining. Perhaps next trip we will stay in a backpackers.

After deciding that Tauranga was a good compromise of a city large enough to find a job in, but not so large as feel uncomfortable we decided to move. My parents came out for several weeks and we travelled around North and South Island together in a camper van (RV). Now it is time to move Mandolin, so we sailed out to Great Barrier Island just before the remnants of Cyclone Soscie passed over us. During all of this we were able to spend time with Doug, Jennifer and baby Majken aboard Freya who we sailed with in Mexico. It was also Easter while we were at Great Barrier Is. Ellen baked her traditional Easter lamb cake, which we shared with Doug and Jennifer as well as new friends from local yachts. Easter cake at anchor with a cockpit full of friends was great.

The weather was difficult for the next week. So we slowly moved south anchorage-by-anchorage waiting for the wind to change direction and slow down. Eventually we made it into Tauranga where I start looking for employment. Yes, we have been without income for over a year and our bank account is somewhat depleted. Yet we have had experiences that more than make up for the lack of funds.

[Ellen writes] So, what have Todd and Ellen been up to this past year, you may be wondering? We’ve decided that New Zealand is a big black communications hole. Whenever one of our friends arrived in NZ while we were still in the tropics, we almost never heard from them again. Once we arrived ourselves, we realized that NZ is a big green beautiful place in which it is easy to lose oneself. Losing oneself is NZ is a double-edged sword. It is easy to lose oneself travelling around NZ enjoying the gorgeous countryside and friendly people, but it is equally easy to lose oneself in daily living as we have settled back into a land-based, settled community.

We are currently living in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty on the east coast of North Island, which 2 1/2 hours drive south of Auckland. Todd is working for International Stevedoring Operations as their Information Technology (IT) Manager. Stevedores load ships; ISO primarily loads logs onto ships for export. They have invested in computers and database software to make their operations more efficient. Having seen a huge return on their technology investment, they realized their needs were outgrowing their current systems. Having decided to bring their software development in-house, they were thrilled to find Todd only a dinghy ride away living at the local marina.

Todd has set up a software development team literally from scratch. Not only did he have to hire a team of developers, he’s had to purchase desks, computers, software, and lunchroom necessities while still overseeing daily operations:

"What, someone took the aerial and coax cable so the local area network for loading the ship doesn’t work? Huh, well, I guess my wife and I will drive one down to you."

Thus we found ourselves embarking on a four-hour drive to Napier at ten o’clock on a Sunday night. Todd also threw in a few computers that he wanted to install in Napier and Gisborne and so make the most of his time. And me? I was the back-up driver and general support person. Ships not loading efficiently or not loading at all due to equipment breakdown is "stop the presses" news because it costs $10,000 - $30,000US a day if the ship is just sitting in port without being loaded.

I have a new job too, but I didn’t have to send out any applications or resumes. It merely involved having lots of fun with my husband and now my tummy’s getting big! That’s right, I’m pregnant! 5 1/2 months pregnant, to be exact. I felt rather ill for about seven weeks during the first trimester. Now I feel great and have lots more energy, but I’m still taking a nap most afternoons.

I became pregnant just at the time I could have received a work permit through Todd’s work permit, but Todd and I are quite happy for me to take on the job description of "homemaker and mother". I’m so glad to not be working outside the home during pregnancy and I think I’ll have plenty to do after I’ve given birth! What could be more important than raising a child? The baby is due mid-July – a down under, winter baby. The baby has been kicking a lot lately and Todd and I are just thrilled by the wonder of new life in my womb.

Todd and I have found a terrific church community at Holy Trinity Anglican Church here in Tauranga. We simply looked for the closest church to our marina and found Holy Trinity. It’s a vibrant community with people of all ages and many backgrounds. We have a great music ministry team, which leads the congregation in rocking the building foundations on a Sunday morning and evening.

Going back to church for Todd and I began during our voyage across the South Pacific. We went to hear the singing of the islands. The first service we went to was in Fatu Hiva, Marquesas Islands at a lovely Catholic Church. I was amazed to see the church filled and everybody singing joyously in LOUD voices, which was quite a bit different from my childhood experience of church. We went to church every chance we got while in the South Pacific. There’s nothing quite like sitting in a church listening to worship fit to lift the roof while looking out the window, across a sunlit playing field, at your yacht anchored under palm tree in a turquoise lagoon. Such was our experience in Aitutaki, Cook Islands. My faith in God and Jesus was renewed through such experiences as well as contemplating my life and the idea of beginning a family. When we arrived in NZ over a year ago, we were happy to finally go to services in English.

Today is Easter Monday. I continued my family Easter tradition of baking lamb cakes to share with friends (it’s a cake baked in a mould shaped like a lamb – not made out of lamb), we attended Good Friday and Easter Sunday services, and I cooked a special Easter dinner of venison stroganoff with wilted spinach salad. We are house and dog sitting in the country this weekend. So today we are able to hang out, eat left over stroganoff and cake, watch the dog play with the neighbour dog, listen to the bees pollinate the flowers and contemplate the awesome gift of life and relationship with God that Jesus offers us all through his death and resurrection. Think about it – he rose from the dead and is still alive today. We find that amazing.

Last weekend we took a much needed holiday to the south of the North Island. Todd’s been working a lot of overtime hours and weekends, so a few days off and a long holiday weekend was in order. Our first night, we drove to Lake Taupo in the geographical centre of the North Island. There we stayed at the Spa Motel in a room complete with kitchen, lounge (both standard motel fare in NZ), and private spa tub. Twist one tap for hot mineral water, the other tap for cold fresh water and soon you have a clean, hot mineral bath for two. Just what the doctor ordered.

The next day we were off for the Southeast of North Island. We were just north of Cape Palliser, which is the southernmost cape of North Island. There we embarked on the Tora Coastal Walk. Tramping (hiking/backpacking) is a national past time in NZ. Government run trails have huts strategically located for trampers to spend the night. The Tora Walk is a walk on private land, run by three of the landowners. For the price of admission you receive a guaranteed bunk each night in a farm outbuilding/cottage complete with full cooking facilities (gas BBQ included) and bathrooms with hot and cold water. Each day we hiked to our next night’s accommodation with only a daypack on our back while the rest of our gear was transported for us. I’ve been hankering after a couple of nights in a bed and breakfast, but this was heaps better. For what we would pay for a standard motel room ($80NZ/night – approx. $35US), we got to stay on farms, walk private countryside in an area not otherwise accessible to the public and chat with our hosts each night about the their lives and the local area. As well, we were away from the city, cars, cell phones and time schedules for a few days and we didn’t have to carry a heavy pack. Well worth the drive.

On the way back, we spent a night in Turangi, just south of Lake Taupo. For $85NZ we had a large motel room (bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, lounge – this is NORMAL accommodation) at the Creel Lodge Motel. It’s spacious, beautifully gardened grounds backed right onto the river where Todd and I took a morning walk. We then drove ten minutes to Tokaanu to soak our weary muscles in more mineral pools, walked through a mineral springs and mud pool area and ate a late morning snack overlooking ducks swimming in a fresh water stream. Then it was back on the road for the last few hours drive home to Tauranga.

We have my Mom to thank for our lovely holiday. She gave us money for Christmas to "do something you wouldn’t normally do". Thanks Mom!

A bunch of other stuff happened in between what the two of us have written, but we’ll let you take a breather for now. Hope this finds everyone well. A joyous Easter to you all.

Todd and Ellen Mandeville
S/V Mandolin

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