{"id":69639,"date":"2025-04-09T08:47:45","date_gmt":"2025-04-08T20:47:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/?p=69639"},"modified":"2025-04-09T08:47:52","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T20:47:52","slug":"seamount-expedition-day-17-21-back-to-port","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/seamount-expedition-day-17-21-back-to-port\/","title":{"rendered":"Seamount Expedition Day 17 – 21: Back to Port"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The weather\u2019s about to turn so after a couple of dives in the morning on Challenger and some good results, we head for Wellington. Our good luck continues as we end up in a bubble of calm seas, while all around us things are getting pretty choppy. The swell is pushing us back to shore for much of the 48 hour transit.\u00a0
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It\u2019s pretty strange to see land after two weeks of just an open blue expanse, but as we head into the Cook Strait we\u2019re welcomed back by pods of dolphins off the bow. While our captain doesn\u2019t feel great about being back on land, everyone else is looking forward to getting some fresh fruit and veggies back on board, and getting our step count back up with a long stretch of the legs.
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On arrival, there\u2019s a bit of a waiting game to see if the weather will give us a big enough window to get out to what will likely be our final site – on the East Coast of New Zealand\u2019s North Island. <\/p>\n\n

There are a whole bunch of sites out in this area we\u2019d like to visit, but with only a few days left with our vessel we\u2019ll have to prioritise. By Wednesday, the decision is made – we\u2019ll head out and do our best to survey a site on the East Coast before we wrap.<\/p>\n\n

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