REGULAR BLOGGING FOR 2012 COMMENCING SOON

We’ve had a great four months back in NZ catching up with family and friends, and will arrive back in Marmaris 31 March. Envoy has been regularly checked by our friend Ali, who reports that all is well. Our main jobs will be to fit new parts to the main Lugger engine dry exhaust system, and install new AGM batteries for the house bank and bow thruster bank. There’s dozens of other small jobs to do, but these are mostly routine re-commissioning items. We expect to launch Envoy 10 April, and leave Marmaris about 15th. After a “shakedown” cruise of a few days to Bozburun we’ll clear-out of Turkey, clear-in to Greece, and island hop across the Aegean, around the bottom of Greece to the Ionian and on to the Adriatic. We expect to visit Bulgaria and Montenegro, and then by mid-October arrive at Kremik marina, Croatia, to winter-over.



Photo shows me discussing our 2012 cruising plans with my father, Jack, who lives in Tasmania.

We are very much a nautical family as my Dad was in the Royal Navy, then spent many years with the Royal NZ Navy Volunteer Reserve, as well as instructing Sea Cadets.
My mother spent several years at sea with Shaw Savill Line, mostly aboard Northern Star and Ocean Monarch, and was their first female Petty Officer.
My brother is a qualified boat builder with considerable ocean sailing experience, including sailing his 11m yacht from Brisbane to Scotland, and spending many years living aboard.
My Dad's wife, Maureen, has an extensive connection with the sea too. Her parents met and married while active serving personnel, two of her uncles saw active service, and her aunt rose to rank of Chief Petty Officer. Maureen, too, made application to join the WRNS when just 18 years old, but after acquiring the relevant qualifications migrated to New Zealand instead. So it’s not surprising that she and Dad had quite a bit in common when they met all those years ago!
My stepfather, Eddie, spent over 30 years at sea in the Merchant Navy from the age of 14, and saw considerable action on convoys during WW2, including being present at
D-Day.
Carrying on the family tradition my son John has spent several years as crew and First Mate on super yachts, where he met his fiancée Alice, who was also working as crew.
Our next blog in early April will report on Envoy’s condition, and progress upon our return.