Back in the Saddle

Having come to the successful conclusion of my 10 month brain trauma recovery, and given the big "thumbs-up", I am posting my plans here for the forthcoming passage to bring Whakaari to New Zealand.

I fly out 1st November to Koh Samui, Thailand, allowing two very full weeks to prepare for my departure. The marine growth encountered when Carol and I when returning to secure Whakaari (so many months back) after only 2-3 months in Koh Samui was alarmingly thick. and Carol spent a good two days with the surface dive system cleaning the hull in challenging conditions
So I expecting more time on boat prep!

The 15th will come round fast, by then Damian(one of my new crew for this trip) will be aboard, and we will make way south heading first to Palau Batam to clear into Indonesia.
Visas in place for two months with extensions permitted, its time to explore, dive, hike and soak up Indonesia, working east toward Timor Leste where we pick up Romain, another new crew member for the rest of the passage home.

By Jan/Feb its a push further east across the top of Australia out to the Pacific, hoping for time and good conditions staying close to the Australian east coast to enjoy Great Barrier Reef, Hamilton Island, and the WhitSundays.
My aim is to be ready for crossing the ditch , probably from near Coffs Harbour, NSW in March with a stopover at Lord Howe. Clearance into New Zealand, a first for Whakaari, in the Bay of Islands, at Opua. The total passage distance will have been some 5,500nm.

Long range forecasts are predicting a very turbulent season (hopefully not). But I'm much happier to be anticipating the South Pacific passage to New Zealand than the typhoon season I experienced in Japan.