A day trip, a night trip...

Thursday 25th June

Motored off 1300 hrs with the brisk southerly continuing to reliably blow with its icy fingers, I unfurled the Genoa and headed down the estuary.  An hour or three later I dropped anchor in Waiwhapuku(Army) bay for some late lunch.  Rowed Karuna ashore and explored the old Pa with the foundations of its WW2 battery remnants still largely intact. I rowed through the gap in the small island at the north end of the bay and then across the channel to the private beach complete with jetty and accoutrements.  

An infestation of on-board wasps failed to dissipate, so reluctantly I weighed anchor around 1630 hrs and motored south to Parorenui Bay, a charming cove with green grassy mown patches amongst the native bush.  No-one else around and a quiet peaceful night was had.

Parorenui Bay at low tide looking North

Friday 26th June

Rowed ashore and explored what looked like developed parkland complete with well-made sealed road and drainage.  Turns out that there are over 300 acres and 5kms of coastline that make up the Omarino development (http://www.omarino.co.nz/).  Delve a little deeper and the extent of this development becomes apparent.(see http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10701226 ) 

A walk around some of the serpentine road revealed spectacular views and magnificent building sites... it turns out I may be several million shy of the cheapest block!

 Some more perspectives...

North East

NorthWest

 I wandered up a grassy ridge track to discover this memorial seat with an intriguing plaque...

It turns out that one of the original partners in this development, John Wrightson, had died five years ago before his dream came to fruition... on the plaque are the words:

 "Any dream worth having is a dream worth fighting for"




I suspect that there might have been a few battles fought getting resource consent and planning permission for this baby!

Some of the blocks/sections are close to 20 acres with beach access and riparian rights...

On the Waipiro bay side are an architecturally designed caretakers residence to die for and numerous workshops and large maintenance sheds... wondering if they are hiring maintenance staff? 

Spectacular!

Spent the latter part of the afternoon finishing the original turbo oars with the red kangaroo hide, which turned out to be a little softer and trickier to stretch than the deerskin on the spooned oars.  Still, happy enough with the result.  Nice soft rowing action in the Gaco oarlocks, though the nearly 5m stroke width needs some ample manoeuvring room!  The spooned oars are really nice to row with too - and only need 4m space!

Re-heated the chicken curry from last night - I declare it improved with age...

Settled down for the night sheltered from a dying SW.  Wind was predicted to remain SW to W through the night.  Several yachts which had arrived late afternoon (early Friday finish the week?) anchored in the lee of the western end of the bay.  

Around 2 am I was still awake listening to the wind picking up and thinking, there's a little north in that westerly and I'm on what was now a lee-shore in less than 2m of water as we had swung around to face NW and the 8-10kts of breeze.  Unable to sleep I decided to up anchor and seek a more sheltered spot.  Unfortunately by now the moon had set as well and it was quite dark, too dark to safely find another anchorage (Pipi bay came to mind).

So, with several GPS systems firing I just kept on going thinking:  I know my marina berth is a safe place, it's a nice evening for a cruise and the motor needs a good run.  I'd planned to head back Sat morning anyway, just not quite this early!

Less than two hours later and I was off Russell navigating by GPS, leading lights and channel markers. I got a real fright a few minutes later while looking for #4 channel markers when a dark unlit starboard pole flashed by less 5m away.  I'd seen the red port light and the green starboard pole's light was not working!  Visions of collisions at around 6 kts flashed through the mind and I shuddered to think about it.  Of course I was fully alert now (or as much as one can be at 1400hrs) as I sought out the remaining markers amidst the clutter of shore lights.

Gratefully sliding into the dock 20mins later I tied up and tumbled into the sack... an eventful day!

Saturday 28th

Slept in... 'nough said.

Spent the day pottering around, finished fixing the latches on the cupboards to save the contents spreading throughout the cabin when the heel is happening...

 Strangely enough I was a little tired, even had a nanny nap in the afternoon.  Big night ahead as the Super15 Rugby semifinals were due to begin that night at 1945hrs.

Cooked up a big (3-nighter)pot of chili and then off to the Club where a handful of enthusiasts cheered on first the 'Canes and then the Highlanders who, bless their cotton socks, overcame the initially overconfident and then despairing Waratahs... all in all a good night.  Pity I won't still be here for the all NZ final next Saturday.

Sunday 28th

This morning I was reading a Messianic Psalm (110),as is my custom, and having my own Sunday reflections (...While thinking about it's relevance for next Sunday's sermon - there's nearly always next Sunday looming!)

V 3 has a magnificent phrase that resonated with me as I rowed smoothly (for an old fella!) across the estuary in the stillness and beauty of the morning:

...in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
    the dew of your youth will be yours.

I'm not sure how holy my old Merino clobber and ancient running jacket was, but I claimed the promise of the dew of youth to give me the strength for the day and the week ahead! 

Sometimes I feel more like the ancient of days than a dewy faced youth.  I was reminded yesterday when I spoke with my good friend Ian, whose Dad had just died aged well into his 90's, how much of ageing is attitude dependent.  I can remember my Dad musing somewhat non-plussed when in his early 80's - "Sometimes I don't feel any different than when I was a young man - where did the years go?"  

I look in the mirror and wonder too...

Now if I could just master getting out of the dinghy on to the dock with dignity...