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Mike and Dee Pignéguy
 Mike and Dee Pignéguy have had a long association with the sea. They owned
and operated the historic Te Aroha in the Hauraki Gulf for 16 years. Te Aroha,
built in 1909, was the last of the Mosquito Fleet, the solid wooden ships that
serviced the river settlements and ports around the New Zealand coast.
Mike and Dee were well known for their eco-tourism cruises. Their Rare
and Endangered Species cruises transported guests to Little Barrier, Tiritiri
Matangi, Kawau and Motuora Islands and were designed for people with a special
love of birds and islands. Mike and Dee now own a Beneteau Cyclades
44.3, named Zuben.
Mike is a professional skipper involved in skippering superyachts, delivery
voyages, crew training, hazard identification at sea as well as being a marriage
celebrant - specialising in weddings afloat!
Working with Mike has been his wife Dee who, apart from her extensive boating
knowledge, is also an expert in coastal flora and fauna. With her enthusiasm for
the natural environment Dee has the ability to ‘bring alive’ a trip in the
dinghy around the rocks, or a coastal walk.
Dee, an ex-teacher, now spends much of her time in her excellent organic
garden, which is for both pleasure and self sufficiency. Dee has extended this interest by
teaching others with her organic gardening classes she runs from home. Dee
also gives talks to groups and organisations.
Mike and Dee are also keen writers with wide interests. They have contributed
many articles to Boating New Zealand, Trade-a-Boat, Professional Skipper,
Pacific Yachting, , Organic NZ, Forest & Bird and Memories.
In 2001 Dee published Saltwater in Her Hair
and in 2004 Mike and Dee published Boating Fun and the follow up
book for young adults Boating For All
was published in October 2007.
Dee and her daughter Tamarin, an acapuncturist, have published a nutrition book for young adults called
Feed Me Right - Nutrition Know-how and Body
Science.
 Dee's
mother was the famous midwife Joan Donley. Her book Joan Donley's
Compendium For A Healthy Pregnancy And A Normal Birth is available from
Dee. The cost including packaging and postage in New Zealand is $40.
Photos
Top: Te Aroha
Below: Mike and Dee launch their yacht Zuben
Bottom: Front cover of Joan's book
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