Yesterday was a big day. Wasco is back in the water after ten months on the hard at Norsands Boatyard. It took about an hour to maneuver around the other boats and then gently lower her into the water, ultimately checking for leaks, testing the engines and props, before they cut us loose and sent us on our way. Maiden voyage was a short 2.2 mile motor up-river, through the Te Matua A Pohe drawbridge(?), to the Wharangei Town Basin Marina where we are tied up to the guest dock for two nights. Here we’ll finish some provisioning and other projects before heading out for a short shakedown cruise. We must come back as there’s a large crate of equipment (including Donald’s beloved dinghy) making its way through customs which we need to claim and load on board – heaven only knows where.
Perhaps the most significant event though was a small little ceremony we had before launching, to respectfully rename the boat from Koa to Wasco. We were all unexpectedly moved.
Time and space – time to be alone, space to move about – these may well become the great scarcities of tomorrow.
Edwin Way Teale
Best of luck y’all. Keep us posted when you can. ;P
Trust a bottle of champagne was involved? Would love to have shared the moment with you!
Alas no champagne, just a very small bonfire. Donald may provide some background into renaming ceremonies at some point when his other projects (assigned and monitored by Erika and Lau) are determined to be sufficiently far along.
Looking good! I don’t see her in the air, so I’m assuming a direct-to-water launch. I sent info to Jan and Rhys Hanna.
Getting to know your website. Hope you are as iimpressed of me as I am of your adventures!