Slept, Relaxed, Shopped, Rowed

Monday 22nd

Ahh the Red-eye into Auckland...  I'd 'forgotten' the toll it takes on the body!

The flight out of Melbourne left early(!) and was smooth all the way to a damp, cool Auckland pre-dawn welcome.

Luggage collected and customs cleared by 0540 I was on the shuttle with both the other passengers and alighting in the city by a tick after 6 am.  I ended up buying some 'wheels' on the way over to transport my awkwardly long 1200mm 12 kg bag containing my new oars and a couple of gadgets (well, wouldn't be the same without a gadget or two!).

Dozed off and on on the 4 hr bus trip north, including the obligatory cup-of-tea break at Kaiwaka.  Chatted to our new bus driver, a pleasant Maori bloke from up north here who had also lived in Perth and Mooloolaba.  I must admit I don't remember much of the rest of the drive until Kawakawa - and then it's 10 mins to the top of Opua Hill.

The wheels worked well going down the 1km hill into Opua.  Kalai looked in good shape, with very little winter mould evident and everything ship-shape.  Engine started first kick and sounds good.  Batteries were fully charged, so smaller solar panel adequate even in the winter.

Picked up the E-box electrical connection which had been checked from the Marina office so I could run the heater... which was a good idea as a cold strong southerly was predicted to stay with us all week.  No rain but the odd light shower.

Unpacked my gear, made up the forward bed and was relaxing into the night when the power went off... 7 C with no heater and the prospect of a cold night was fortuitously avoided when power was restored 15 mins later.  Still, an early night was on the cards - so it was to be.

Tuesday 23rd

Slept in and showered, shaved and shampooed my way back to feeling a little more human.

Barry and Ruby rolled up in time for morning coffee at the Delightful Dianne's Cafe - with scones and muffins to boot!

Off to Paihia to stock up on supplies including LPG.  The Countdown food store has just re-opened last week (timing is everything!) and I reckon I saved $20-30 from what it would have cost at the locally convenient but expensive General Store.  Still, enough food for the rest of my stay was acquired in one hit.  If this cold blast continues I may be able to turn the fridge off and just stack stuff in the cockpit (which this morning was a balmy 4 deg)

Spent part of the afternoon working with Bill at the Marine Insurance shop looking at what was needed to file a claim for our unexpected engine repairs.  Have written a statement tonight and the local engine repairers is also writing a letter of support, so you never know...

Fitted the new 'spooned' oars late afternoon and went for a spin around the Marina - they work almost as good as they look! Very pleased.

Watched the sun set all rugged up in the cockpit with a glass and some cheese and crackers before the southerly sent me indoors.  The two Maori blokes with their mates who were in wetsuits chipping off oysters (illegally) from the docks had my sympathy but not my envy.  It seems no matter how often the Marina tries to deter them, the locals still seem intent on harvesting their 'catch' despite the likely very high levels of toxins from several hundred anti-fouled vessels, let alone the signage that forbids such activity...