One of the last mornings here in Minerva Reef…
There’s a lot to organize, toss, clean, and check off. Coming into a country with a small vessel is not quite as straightforward as arriving by plane. And honestly, I’m glad countries are this thorough when it comes to letting people and their sailboats through their borders.
When entering New Zealand by air, you need to present an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority), as well as complete the required declaration. The declarations for a small vessel are a bit more involved, naturally, because they’re particularly concerned about pests and other biosecurity risks.
Luckily, my ant collection from when I was hauled out in Apataki has starved to death and is now extinct. My lizard, Liz, hasn’t been seen for some time either, so I’m hoping she has also moved on. She might have eaten all the ants and then found another boat.
New Zealand has very strict biosecurity policies in place. They’re concerned about both soft and hard growth on the boat hull below the waterline. This is one of the reasons I hauled out in Tonga and antifouled the bottom.
New Zealand wants current proof that the bottom of the boat is clean, so I’ve been filming underwater and sending the clips to Biosecurity. And I just received an email that they accepted my photos and I’m approved to enter into NZ without further investigation of the boat hull.
There’s also a long list of food restrictions. Certain foods simply cannot be brought into the country, so I’ve been tossing opened packages and will continue to get rid of fresh fruit and vegetables before arriving.
It’s a lot of preparation, but I understand why they take it seriously. New Zealand is remarkably protective of its environment, and when you arrive by boat, you’re bringing your entire little ecosystem with you.
In addition, I’ll need to get the boat through customs and receive an import customs number. This will come in very handy as I plan to refit Sarantium and spend a ton of money. And hopefully there will be a tax break as I am a “boat in transit”. I’ve also applied for a visa in case I need to stay longer. All of these applications have taken a significant amount of time, so staying here at Minerva Reef a little longer has been useful.
The forecast for departure looks good this Friday. In the meantime, I’ll continue wiping down the boat inside and out, exploring the reef, and sharing dinners with my cruising friend Silke aboard Ocean Maiden. Silke has been sailing solo since 2013.
