My Favourite Day - Tall Ship Sailing

The 22nd was simply spent travelling up to the Bay of Islands but the 23rd stars as my favourite day of the Holiday as we had a day sailing on a tall ship, the R Tucker-Thompson.

Anyone who knows me will know that I enjoy sailing and sailing a tall ship has been an ambition for a long time, and to do so in the sun sounded the ultimate experience! The R Tucker-Thompson is a replica so is actually a steel ship with timber cladding but it is authentic enough for the whole tall ships experience. The company who run it uses all the profits to run trips for underprivileged children over the winter months. They get to spend a week on it in a group of 12 which I imagine can get a bit cosy as there is only one toilet cum shower! However our group was significantly larger, probably about 30, and 5 crew. We were told that we could do as much or as little as we wished, including climbing the mast and going out on the bow sprit. Dave was the second up the mast, but the first to the top and as we had a good stiff sailing breezes and we were beating at the time, he had quite a tough job.

Later he likened it to being on a paint stirrer! Knowing what a good climber he is and seeing how he had to hold on I decided to give that a miss and instead headed for the bow sprit. That was the most amazing experience and I loved it. The first time was definitely the best as we were beating into the wind and catching spray every now and again. There was probably a 10 foot rise and fall as we went down and up the waves and once I settled into the rhythm of the waves I could have stayed there all day. However poor Dave had been shaken and stirred rather too much by this stage and the complimentary jam and cream scones were soon back, so he headed back to the deck.

We sailed out to an island and were landed there whilst the crew prepared lunch. There were opportunities for swimming or walking, so Dave and I climbed the hill for some stunning views.

After a very nice lunch we headed back with some more excellent sailing and bow sprit riding for me. For once I was not trying to make the crew sail harder and trim the sails better which is what tends to happen whenever I sail. (I blame Sam for that!). Dave admitted that the sailing was much better than he expected too so we both had an excellent day and I would not hesitate to go again.