Same old shit, different hemisphere

Holy cow, no specs AND a man

Straight from the tin

I'm eating tuna (lemon and ginger flavour) straight from the tin. Gross. It's a cute mini size can with a ring-pull top and now that I'm over the sensation of eating cat food, it tastes rebellious and rather nice. Cuppa soup coming up. Yes, seriously. A subtropical front is blowing through at 100 miles an hour and while temperatures may be in the low 20s, it feels cold. Soup called for.

Today in the Bay: Jeff, our printer, has been stabbed in the thigh by a marlin; flights to London in July cost over $2700; only English people park their boats in bumpy places during storms (idiots); I am experiencing the return of the dreadlocks; tomorrow morning it is Mia's birthday party (she turns 3) with about 11 children and I am looking forward to it.

Wonders never cease, apparently.

Oh, and it'll take more than a bit of wind and rain for them to cancel racing tonight...hell yes, sailing will be ON. Damn damn damn.

Boat bottoms

Should be dated Jan 11th 2009. Undine, Valdora and the Jar in Matauwhi (matarfi) Bay. Tall Ships. We won the biggest bottle of rum in the world. Spot prize, nothing to do with our sailing.

Whangaroa Race, AGAIN.

I am chronologically challenged. And I'm also in shock. This is the second Whangaroa race I have particpated in. This is the second time I have travelled up the coast in Sarrie with an all female crew with the inimitable Antje skippering. That's a milestone, a yearstone, a gemstone or just a piece of pumice gradually wearing away quietly whispering "there's no place like home, there's no place like home..." ?





It was hot and there was no wind. As we were in the cruising divisions, we were entitled to motor for two hours during the 35m (or 45m?) trip. Good thing otherwise it would've taken a week to get to the Nine Pin - normally a big crashing mess of water, birds and rock....mainly rock.

The Frog-Eyed Sprites

Here we are, the Frog-Eyed Sprites venturing along the treacherous back roads of the Far North.

Sunday driving?
Pah!

This is rally racing at its best, complete with salt liquorice and Molly the Dog.




This is a fmaous spot called Mt Bledisloe; it's a hill that mostly you drive up and only have to walk the last 100 metres until you get to a funky ceramic compass, about three foot across. It tells you how far to all sorts of useful places (London, Suva, Ruapekapeka, Kaitaia...errrr). Lord Bledisloe owned all the land round here once upon a Governor-Generalship but gave all 1000 acres back to the people of New Zealand in 1932. This 'trust' land became known as the birthplace of the nation and was the site of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi...and there my knowledge ends. Google Waitangi.

So, after a jaunt up a hill, some posing with Sprite cans on our arms and a few pieces of salt liquorice we hit Lily Pond Farm. This place is under-10s heaven: guinea pigs roaming free among a llama, a donkey, an emu (did you know they have DRUMS in their tummies?!), a couple of scrawny lambs and goats and a blind highland cow called Jock. I was so beside myself with excitement that I forgot to take any pictures. Still, it was hot and dusty at the farm, so instead of hitting the main road we turned right past Captain Bucko's place and down to the swimming hole. Later I learned that this is one of the most polluted swimming spots in the country but at that stifling moment I couldn't have cared less. It was COOL and WET.

Molly made an exhibition of herself chasing sticks while Marg, Jonny and I swam in our underwear. Jonny was wearing shiny green boxers brought for the dog (who rightly turned up her nose at the ignomy of such attire...jonny didn't seem so perturbed though). Sophie was wearing white knickers so declined to take part. I won't damage you with pictures of us in wet underwear, but this is the spot:



And then, instead of having just a hot dog, we had a hot, tired dog.



We then drove for hours, ate cheese and rice crackers, took the back road to Kawakawa, answered lots of silly questions and finally...sat down for an official sponsor beer.


We didn't win even though that's the only reason we took part. Apparently the bonus questions at the back were part of the rally and not just there to disctract the back seat drivers...

Photos that could've been: Sophie in a bunny suit; Marg apple bobbing; Jonny kayaking to glorious victory earning us our barbecue vouchers and ten extra points.