Fastest route to local community

Cruising World’s Lin Pardey relates how a spinnaker run into Opua and a winter series in Gibraltar proved local regattas are the fastest route into any sailing community.

My husband, Larry, had just lowered Taleisin’s anchor. As soon as it was set, I had hoisted our Q flag. With the bright yellow square flapping in the breeze, I turned to help Larry repack Taleisin’s colorful spinnaker, which lay in a messy pile along the side deck. This bright blue, green and white mass of nylon had flown day and night during the last 400 miles of our passage from Tonga to New Zealand, pulling us along at a sedate but steady 4½ knots. In fact, we’d been able to carry that spinnaker all the way up the river leading to the Opua customs anchorage area.

Now we were rushing to tidy up, as I had spotted the customs launch wending its way toward us. Just before the officials arrived alongside, a sleek-looking sailboat came to anchor close by. “That looks like a racing chute, what’s it doing on a cruising boat?”, the helmsman on the 35-foot sloop called over. – Full story