Promises fulfilled, Pier to Pub, Perfect Day!

Some years ago now, I completed a long-held ambition to become a member of the Rotorua Marathon "Survivors Club"

To be eligible, you had to have completed 15 Rotorua Marathons, over however many years this took!  In my case I began with my first neophyte attempt in 1980 and ran my (definitely) last in 2001.  The first took 4h11min and resulted in swollen joints and a resolve to do better/go faster.  Twenty one years later, a little older and perhaps a little wiser, I snuck in the final trip around the lake just in time.  I'd been back in 2000 for an anticlimactic denouement as the organisers cancelled the race at the last minute with 4000 runners standing on the start line in torrential rain (12 inches fell that day) and the back of the course flooded with no access for emergency vehicles dictating the turn of events.  

Valve-replacement surgery soon after put paid to any thoughts of a come-back... but I was pretty much satisfied with my 'Survivor' status in more ways than one.

Coming to Australia in 1997 meant discovering new challenges and one of them was to participate in what is billed as the largest Ocean Swim in the world - the Lorne Pier to Pub.  After a few missed years for various reasons, this year I fulfilled another promise to myself when I completed my tenth swim (really eleven - the transponder bracelet didn't work one year!).  This time the reward was to become not a survivor, but rather a member of the Sharkbait Club!  Up early, my good mate Ian and I travelled the 2.5 hrs down to Lorne, getting there early to get a good parking spot.  The population of the small town swells by over 20,000 people and parking is at a premium.  After a delicious breakfast at one of the many cafes, we sat and relaxed before our start times of around 2 pm.  


It was a perfect day with the capped field of 5000 enjoying favourable conditions (I have been there when storms forced a postponement...).  I managed to swim the 1.2kms in 17:28 (My older and faster buddy managed 15:36 - 37th in his 60-69 'Super-Veteran category!), besting my previous best time and finishing in1997th place out of 5000 entrants.  Not bad for an old fella considering my pre-race training consisted of a few short swims off the boat, ,indoor exercises with rubber cords and a few kayak paddles (I just don't like Chlorinated  pools any more!!!)


This morning in Church I had the congregation reflect on a theme of promises and the perils of making resolutions.  It seems like we all run foul of the temptation to either long for the often ill- remembered glory of the past or think that we need to only live for the over-realised expectation of better days to come.  Swimming yesterday reminded me of the simple pleasures gained from living in the now - and being willing to "have a go!"

I like this quote from Henri Nouwen:

"The real enemies of our lives are the "oughts" and the "ifs." They pull us back into the unalterable past and forward into the unpredictable future. But real life takes place in the here and now. God is a God of the present. God is always in the moment, be that moment hard or easy, joyful or painful. When Jesus spoke about God, He always spoke about God as being when and where we are. 'When you see me, you see God. When you hear me you hear God.' God is not someone who was or will be, but the One who is, and who is for me in the present moment. That's why Jesus came to wipe away the burden of the past and the worries of the future. He wants us to discover God right where we are, here and now." - Henri Nouwen

Lazy Crazy Hazy days of summer in Waiti Bay

One of those brilliant Ipipiri days... sea breeze 10-15 kts, blue skies, high 20's... just magic!

Up early to a foggy morning quickly clearing to clear blue skies...karuhiruhi ladies in waiting

Cast off soon after 0900 and motored toward Tapeka... trimarans and parasailors shared the air.

A few of the local cruisers...

Loaded up - at least they all have pfd's!

Waiti bay on Moturua island was beckoning - we've tended just to sail without too much pre-planning and stop wherever appeals... a bit rock 'n roll with all the wakes form the mucho traffic on this extra day's public holiday (did I mention every man and his dog?)

Gorgeous colours on the waters edge

Back at the Marina... beautiful sunset to end a perfect day!

Paroa Bay, Waiwhapuku Bay & Omakiwi Cove

...Monday morning was spent reconfiguring the inside storage system to accommodate the impending arrival of the female crew-members with their 'gentle' insistence of some space in this seemingly overly male-orientated vessel "full of gadgets and stuff!"

Who am I to argue, I muttered under my breath while sweatingly re-organising all my important things into less- obvious places - I just hoped i would remember the new locations when I came to look for something...

Water tanks full, morning coffee imbibed, showered, shaved and shampooed - I couldn't have been more ready when the luxury El-Cheapo limo rolled gently into the carpark mid-afternoon (looking laden to the gunwales).  Naturally I made no comment when much of the cargo consisted of essential supplies like chocolate and nibbles!

All good, we quietly slipped mooring lines and coasted out into the estuary in search of sun, quiet bays and warm water... and mindful that this was just a day before New Years eve, possibly the most congested time of year for Ipipiri.

Paroa Bay

Heading toward the ubiquitous Opunga Cove under a delightful sailing breeze, we quixotically decided to veer south and steered into Paroa Bay for the night with a dying SW ensuring a quiet night.  All that was left was for the Skipper to cook dinner, make coffee and provide the hand-made Rocky Road for general consumption.

RJ enjoying Chocolate while taking her ease post-dining in the cockpit

Waiwhapuku Bay

The next morning, general consensus was that a east facing sandy bay was in order and that Roberton Island was possible (too windy) but Waiwhapuku Bay would be perfect - and thus it turned out to be (see pics)

Sisterly Belles above Waiwhapuku Bay

Gorgeous View!

 With a predicted change to NE already taking place mid-afternoon, we up anchored and head-sailed gently across to Omakiwi Cove, where a number of like-minded souls had gathered to see in the new year.  SWMBO declined to surface for a last photo op in 2013 citing "bad hair day" issues  but a retiring view can be glimpsed in the Great Cabin shot below... 

The above map shows some of the tracks - I must have been a little distracted and forgot to turn the data-logger on a couple of times... but you get the general idea!

New years day 2014 dawned clear (I was up to see the sunrise!)- but the "too bright too early" aphorism turned out to be accurate as we scuttled back to Opua under darkening skies and the heavy downpours intermittently occluded the beautiful scenery past Tapeka Point and home to the berth.

I did enjoy the hour or so of quiet this morning as I reflected back on 2013 while sitting drinking a nice cup of Ceylon black...  I thought of the moments of significance that had passed my way (Facebook helpfully gave me 2013 in review without me even  asking!)

Some of the moments had been more kataphatic - the beauty of the islands and the sheer joy of sailing again, the delightful exuberance and heart-warming wonder of grandchildren, the times of camaraderie with paddling buddies, good coffee and good friends.

Other experiences,  have been much more in the apophatic tradition - a welcome place for an introverted mystic! Such moments have included the privilege this morning of sitting in a quiet bay enjoying the pristine beauty of God's creative handiwork, of gentle walks and the companionship of Ash along the way, the weeks Silent Retreat at Sana Casa in Queenscliff, the loving support of my dearly beloved...

It's not hard to find some very good reasons to give thanks for the year past and anticipate the serendipitous grace and presence of God in the year to come.

Nanny and pa timed their arrival well as I headed toward the obligatory morning coffee at Diana's cafe and we imbibed as the girls enjoyed their welcome home hot showers.

Dinner at the OCC concluded a great three days of sailing as the sun set over Opua hill...

It's raining, tasks ticked off, hospitality reigns!

As Willy once so eloquently sang...On my own again, I just can't help being on my own again...

As SWMBO headed off with Medium-fella in tow yesterday I got down to making my job-list and got to work...

• Mounted and fitted Chart table/Laptop desk, which I had manufactured back in Melbourne, successfully after four short hours of fiddling with incredibly small nuts, washers and bolts that needed cutting to exact lengths... am pleased with the resulting firm platform for working on the laptop and having it visible from the cockpit if needed with navigational charts.

•  I finished about 9 pm and decided that my planned pork curry could wait and that Freeze dried lamb would have to suffice.... the rain which had been off and on most of the day continued to fall and became heavier as the evening wore on.  Around midnight the pace picked up and became torrential making sleep well-nigh impossible as the boat rocked and rolled in the storm - even harnessed to the dock.  I'm told by a reliable source (F.i.L) that 120mm was measured overnight - incredibly two months normal Melbourne rainfall fell in one night, and I awoke to a clear and fine morning with almost no residual evidence of the downpour.
• The work continued apace as fenders were re-fitted with carabiners, stainless fittings cleaned and polished, and Barrington's step was epoxied and coated with Tred-master.
  
• Next on the list was measuring - I'd been wanting to find out the sail area we were carrying and had worked out some cunning systems for getting luff, leach, foot and 'J' dimensions of sails, mast and boom.  So, armed with tape measure and lengths of rope I sweated my way through the 29 (Yes 29 ) degree afternoon in the hot sunshine.  Notwithstanding the requisite Marina Cafe late morning flat white, I sacrificed lunch and tiffins  to continue slaving away knowing that the imminent return of my first wife was rapidly approaching on the morrow...
• So, the inflatable was blessed with a new bridle, the cockpit locker reorganised, the new hand-made safety harness fitted with stainless 12 KN shackles...
• Sun was well over the yard-arm by now, so a visit to the OCC for a cold one was well warranted, and thus it was!
• Along the Opua wharf, the R.Tucker Thompson was berthing after a day sail, she's a gaff rigged tops’l schooner based in Opua and is operated as a non-for profit charitable trust, taking visitors for some genuine wooden boat experience
• Coming back along E pier I stopped to chat to some of the neighbours, including John, a school principal from the North Shore visiting with his Jim Young designed Challenger 29 yacht. We got chatting and I invited him along for a pork curry (which was all organised and cooked in half an hour!)  A very pleasant evening followed chatting and comparing notes on our respective life's journeys...
  
  
  

Otehei Bay revisited

Urupukapuka Island

Up bright and early after a quiet night - couldn't believe there were only seven other boats in Opunga cove.  Where were all the "Jaffas" (Just Another Flippin Aucklander!). We were expecting to find crowds of boaties, but it was all very quiet... maybe they saw the forecast of impending rain, or were just taking their time travelling north?

Launched the inflatable (carried on deck under cover) and mounted the outboard to give it a run.  Medium-fella jumped in and we went exploring around the point to a small island we had seen on the way in last night that looked interesting...  the small island is part of  Project Island song with DOC providing nesting boxes to bring  
back the birds to Ipipiri (Bay of Islands).


Back to the boat for morning stove-top coffee and then the instructions were given - "Find a nice sandy beach!"



So, a short journey north and we snuck through the shallow (1.4m under the keel) entrance into Otehei bay, a place with a long history and which played an important role in establishing Ipipiri as a boating and fishing paradise. I reckoned I was last there in 1976!

Urupukapuka was described by du Fresne, in 1772, as containing villages fortified by palisades. It was occupied by Ngare Raumati before and after European settlement and was taken over by Ngapuhi in the early 19th century. Several kaainga were located on the island at this time. Late in the 19th century the island was developed for grazing. In 1927 the author Zane Grey began to use it as a base for game fishing and it subsequently became a world-famous fishing resort. The Crown acquired the island in 1970

Notwithstanding its history, the lady of the boat required a "lilo-swim" - so we anchored in warm, shallow water (0.4m under the keel...), pumped up the lilo (jury-rigging the nozzle with gaffa tape), and swim we did! (see photo below!)

A leisurely lunch followed, and then as the tide ebbed we set sail back west t find shelter for the night. As it happened a beautiful N W breeze meant that the skipper whipped up both main and head sail in quick time and we were smoking along - even passing with ease a similar length yacht which was also towing a dinghy.

However, pride cometh before... as the bridle parted company on the formally mentioned towed inflatable and we ignomoniously spen the next fifteen minutes retrieving the lost dinghy! You can see the squiggles on the chart!!!

Motoring into Orakawa bay we found more than thirty craft already there, but still plenty of room.

A quiet night again and the much forecast rain still refused to fall!

 

Back on the water...

Sitting in the cockpit of Kalai quietly anchored in Opunga Cove on a still December evening, sipping on a fine Marlborough Pinot Noir and listening to a little Billy Joel on the stereo... it's a tough life!

Just over 48hrs ago we were frustratingly delayed for two hours before leaving Melbourne Auckland bound on a full A380. Then it was grab the El Cheapo rental Sunny and wind through the familiar streets of Mt Roskill as we headed north to Whangarei and then out to Ngunguru for a delayed Christmas eve dinner at Nanny and Pa's. Traffic was relatively light (unlike Friday 27th where there were 20km queues outside Warkworth on the main road northbound from Auckland!).  It was great to see Barry looking so well after his heart attack just a few months ago.

Christmas day was a sleep-in morning after the long day yesterday and then preparations began for dinner, with a couple of walks, opening some presents and the essential baking of pecan pies... Marie and Ron from over the road joined us later in the afternoon for drinks and we then had a great feast, including the pies!

Boxing day we re-packed and left around 10am to travel to Opua, stocked up at Countdown before arriving to cloudy skies around midday.  Kalai looked in good shape, albeit with a slimy looking bottom.  

Everything was soon packed away, though evidently I have to make more room/get rid of some of my "essentials" for other crew members to have access to storage space... (its on my to-do list as we speak...)

No reason to delay, even though medium-fella wanted to remain on dock and access wi-fi, we set off for a day-sail to Russell.  Engine started first kick and is so much smoother now with new prop and engine-mounts aligned properly.  

Well, the day kept getting better and with a fair breeze and headsail set, we decided to keep going and cruised on out to a favourite anchorage at Opunga cove with a dying westerly ensuring a calm night.

Great to be back on board!

Gains and Losses

St Paul famously once wrote in one of his letters... But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead...  (Phil 3)

Earlier this year during Lent I wrote about  what shapes our identity and gives us security and against which we are held accountable. 

...Such Lenten reconsiderations included this text (above) on the Fifth Sunday in Lent and to the reality that we count as “loss” all that we have striven to achieve, because of the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ.

I got to thinking about that.  About what I had been counting a loss, and what I thought I had achieved...

In fact, the sermon preparation and delivery surprised me in something of an epiphany experience! 

You see, earlier that week I had been saddened to read this article under the heading:

Is this the beginning of the end for Down syndrome?

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/the-chosen-ones-australias-shrinking-number-of-down-syndrome-kids/story-fnet08ui-1226598360762

It turns out that in Victoria Only 5.3 per cent of pregnancies where there is a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome are continued. The article goes on to say that:  

Down syndrome in the modern day is a study in changing social values and choice. It's about the fight by people with Down syndrome to be truly included – and valued – in a society that proclaims a respect for diversity ...in New Zealand, an organisation called Saving Downs has taken its government's prenatal screening program to the International Criminal Court, saying it is persecutory. It considers prenatal testing a form of eugenics, the bio-social philosophy associated with, but pre-existing, Nazism, that espouses breeding out "inferior" humans

Pa and Nanny in Ngunguru

Tonight I was down at the basketball stadium watching Jonno play in his 'regular' team in the local Social comp.  He shot two three pointers and contributed mightily in defence, playing nearly the whole forty mins.

I began to think about what we had experienced as a  family in choosing to raise Jonathan (never really any other option for us) and the various battles we had fought, and continue to fight, to have him accepted as part of a diverse society... and the gift he continues to be for us.

It made my gains and losses fall into perspective. 

Bay of Islands 2013

Medium fella, Big Fella and the new Little Fella (circa 2011)!

I started to re-evaluate some of the recent losses I had experienced in life and ministry and endeavour to look beyond and within those for the gain... a sobering, ledger-like experience!

• Some loss of capacity with the ageing process is, on a good day,  somewhat compensated by wisdom and insight!
• Loss of health with resulting cardiac surgery has given me the ability to identify with and counsel those facing serious surgery - though I'm still learning to accept limitations!
• Loss of the ability to run distance has provoked new directions for fitness and friendship through Doncaster masters athletics and the Victorian sea kayaking club
• losses experienced in moving countries has been compensated by the formation of new friendships and ministry opportunities
• Loss of both parents was difficult, especially when living in another country.  Gains have included the marriage of two children and the advent of grandchildren!

So... Losses and Gains.  What’s been your experience?  

Here’s some questions I used to take soundings on that Sunday:

·         When you reflect on your life, what are the gains and losses you have experienced?

·         Are some of these ambiguous, even convoluted – hard to categorise?

·         Have any of them switched – become silver lining experiences?