Week 10



Volvo Ocean Race - Auckland

 It's been a quieter week in Auckland.  Not much rain this week so I was able to get out to enjoy the harbor.  I had lunch with Karena (friend from Auckland Baptist) one day and then went down to the harbor to check out Volvo Ocean Race.  This is a premier offshore sailboat race held every four years.  The Auckland stopover was March 8-18 and there were lots of festivities connected with it.  Six 70-foot boats are competing.  Each boat has 10 crew members and one media person and they race 24/7.  The boats sailed in from China to Auckland.  The next leg will be Auckland to Brazil, the most dangerous portion of the race as they will face treacherous conditions with icebergs.  Terry and I met up with the Mansfields, friends of the Emericks to watch the in-harbor race on Saturday.

On Saturday night we went to see University of Auckland's Shakespeare performance of Much Ado About Nothing (slightly modified to be set in World War I) done in outdoor theater.  I thought I was going to have a hard time following Shakespeare done with a NZ accent but it was well done and very enjoyable.


Auckland Baptist Tabernacle


On Sunday we went to church.  I was happy to meet up with Trish again, the first person we met in NZ.  Good message and encouraging conversations.  After church we walked down to the harbor to watch the departure of the Ocean Race boats as they head to Brazil, probably the most dangerous leg of the race.  Very windy day.  Terry and I enjoyed a nice dinner at a waterfront restaurant.