Mangawhai Probus Club - Antarctica trip fulfills dream

 

Antarctica trip fulfills dream
Sally Smith dreamed of sailing to Antartica since she was 15, and has now realised that dream – one of the greatest experiences of her life. Sally has had lots of adventures sailing, having left England as a young person, but it took 18 years before they finally arrived in New Zealand.

The trip to Antartica was in a 72-foot yacht made in Holland – there were eight passengers aged between 22 and 79 and six crew. The skipper makes three trips each year so is experienced in sailing in that part of the world.

The adventure started with a flight to Argentina and setting sail from the southern-most tip. As Sally wasn’t sea sick she steered the boat a lot in the first few days. They were escorted by Peels dolphin out in Drakes Passage, visited Snow Island (which is all snow), had two days of snow, wind and rain, and came across icebergs.

Sally saw an incredible amount of wildlife as there is an abundance of krill in that part of the ocean – Crab eater seals, the arctic tern, colonies of penguin, leopard seals.

Humpback whales created a circle of bubbles to push the krill up so they could feed on them.

Sally took us along on her adventure, showing off the wonderful wildlife on screen. An inspired voyage.

Next year the skipper is taking his yacht to the Arctic and it is no surprise that Sally will be on that voyage as well.

Community a joy to live and work in
Mangawhai Museum manager Emma Gray was born and raised in Bayview, Glenfield in Auckland. After leaving school she joined the Royal NZ Navy as a medic, however a back injury cut her career short.

Shortly after she started waitressing and began school at AUT towards a Certificate in Health Studies. To further her career in the health industry she then moved to Palmerston North and attended Massey University.

However, this was not the career for her and in 2010 started studies towards a Bachelor of Business Studies at Massey’s Albany campus, graduating in April 2014 with a double major in Management and Marketing.

Emma moved to Kaiwaka with her fiance Reece who helped build her parents house. He was offered a job as an electrician she employed as cafe manager at Bennets in Mangawhai Village. They purchased their first home in Kaiwaka.

Emma stumbled upon an advertisement for the role of manager at the Mangawhai Museum, starting the new job on 5 January 2015. She considers working in an environment where the community has come together to create such a masterpiece is a joy.

But the story doesn’t end here. Recently Emma and Reece went into business with another couple from Kaiwaka and purchased the Three Furlongs Hotel. They took over on 17 June and after six weeks of redecorating opened the doors of the renamed Three Furlongs Bar and Grill.

Emma says she has a job she loves and works in communities she has a great deal of respect for and enjoys being part of – fascinated by the motivation of many people and groups in the area and the overall friendliness.

Next meeting
Next meeting is the Operatunity concert (I’m In Love With Vienna), Thurday September 17, 1pm at the Anglican Church, Molesworth Drive, Mangawhai Village. Purchase your tickets at Mangawhai Books & Gifts at The Heads or Bammas at The Village.

Mangawhai Probus meet every third Thursday in the month at the Senior Citizens Hall, Fagan Place, Managwhai at 2pm. If you require more info or transport please contact Ron and Gaylene Lawrence 431 5617 or Beve Smith 431 5777. All visitors are welcome.