Farewell Opua
Over 51 days in Opua, New Zealand, an entire community helped transform Rosemary from a recently purchased sailboat into an offshore-ready expedition vessel. This is a reflection on the people, craftsmanship, uncertainty, and effort behind preparing for departure into the Pacific.
I came to Opua on March 24th, 2026 to close the sale of Rosemary. Fifty-one days later, I am leaving by sea aboard her.
It took an extraordinary amount of effort from an extraordinary number of people to make this departure possible.
I had hoped we could all get together before departure and celebrate what we accomplished together. But in the end, preparing the boat while trying to take advantage of an excellent weather window toward New Caledonia became all I could manage.
So this letter will have to do.
36 Degrees Broker
Tommo, none of this would have been possible without your hard work.
When I came in January to survey the boat, you did not simply sell me a boat. You introduced me to the people who could help me prepare her after the purchase. You sold me Opua as much as you sold me Rosemary. The two became inseparable.
I am grateful that even after closing, you continued to help me navigate problems and find paths forward instead of disappearing once the paperwork was signed.
Total Yacht Care
Mike, thank you for always being there when I needed help.
You kept the process moving by repositioning the boat when required and handling countless small and large jobs tied to the survey recommendations. So many things simply happened quietly in the background because you made them happen.
I still hope we eventually find time to go sailing together.
Opua Boatyard
I came away deeply impressed by your expertise. The precision with which you move boats around the yard is more refined than the way I park my car. Watching the haul-out, sanding, painting, and relaunch process unfold with such efficiency was genuinely fascinating.
I also tremendously enjoyed the companionship with your team during the two weeks we spent on the hard.
NZ Yacht Services
Paul, early on you told me: “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” I had never heard that expression before, but you proved it true every single day.
You have built an amazing team. Bruno, Ryan, Craig, and Jagger — each of you, in your own way, made this process enjoyable while teaching me an enormous amount along the way.
SeaPower
Bruce, I have been extremely impressed by the way you mentor your team. You let people work independently while somehow remaining aware of everything happening around you, always ready to step in when needed.
Sam, thank you for your persistence with our engine issues. Your determination mattered.
Dayna, I genuinely do not understand how you keep track of all the moving parts across so many projects, but somehow you always managed to make sure someone was there to help when it was needed.
Marine Electrics Opua
Dean, Leo, and the rest of the team — your work started late in the preparation process, but the speed and clarity with which you connected the dots in the electrical installation was remarkable.
In just a few days, it felt as though we had gone from a collection of disconnected systems to a coherent electronics stack.
Fisheye Fabrication
Garth, I only wish we had more time together to build something larger than the small but critical components you fabricated for us.
Opua BoatBuilders
Dana, we will think of you every time we place the custom protective pads you built for the engine room and the tender. I am still amazed by your ability to keep things secure using little more than foam, fabric, and careful craftsmanship.
North Sails
Roger, I would not say I wished we had needed new sails before departure — but if we had, I would have been happy to do them with you. We will still think of you every time we close the beautiful stack pack you made for us.
Cater Marine
Tess, Rich, and the rest of the team — we are leaving with a new anchor and countless smaller but essential components we never would have found without your help. Thank you for always finding solutions.
Boatox
Stu, working with you on the branding of the boat was genuinely fun. In just a few hours, you transformed her appearance. Your work has already sparked countless conversations on the docks.
Third Wheel Coffee
You brought me back to life every morning. You make the best coffee and pastries in the Bay of Islands. Some mornings, I seriously considered postponing departure simply to keep enjoying your company a little longer.
The Swiss Chalet
After spending nearly three months at your place, it was surprisingly emotional to leave and finally move aboard the boat. You always made me feel at home. And apologies again for repeatedly locking myself out.
There is something remarkable about places like Opua.
People arrive carrying uncertainty, ambitious plans, mechanical problems, fatigue, anxiety, and dreams that may or may not survive first contact with the sea.
And somehow, through thousands of conversations, repairs, favors, and shared coffees, boats leave the harbor transformed.
But more importantly, so do the people aboard them.
Together, we awakened Rosemary. Today, everything works. That preparation does not eliminate the uncertainty we will face at sea. It simply makes it possible to embrace it.
I know many of you will miss her. Rosemary seems to have developed something of a cult following in Opua.
She may miss you too.
I know I will.
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Jean Peccoud
Jean Peccoud