This one's a bit painful to recall. Because we're not there anymore. Oh our perfect last full day in New Zealand! We fought thru rain and snow and much more rain and clouds for you!
But you did show up. A few times. And we're ever-so-grateful.
The day began like every other day the prior 3 weeks, waking up with the sun. Actually a little after because we'd stayed up till the wee hours of the morning watching Lord of the Rings on the camp's TV.
Well, I watched it, Greg spent the time explaining every back story to a 7-year-old that asked question after question. His parents finally found him in time for us to enjoy the last 10 minutes in silence. He was a funny kid...
But we got up and went thru our morning ritual of letting air out of the sleeping pads and stuffing our house into a sack. What a way to live!
Then a hike around the bay...and finally a drive down to the docks. There we met Mike and his 65-foot yacht, Gungha II. Mike was a super chill captain and host. Welcoming and full of information, but let you do your thing. You could lounge around on the deck or help hoist the sails and steer the ship. We saw dolphins and penguins (and i still swear i saw a shark...) and spent the afternoon anchored next to an island where we could snorkel and kayak and hike and swim.
The day was relaxing yet super adventurous and just paradise.
^^ last night in the tent. woke up to a perfect morning.
^^ hiking thru the mangroves...
^^ ok, no snakes here. but you can find spiders...
^^ these trash cans have a better view than you do...
^^ look who's captain now!
^^ the real captain explaining how the ropes work...and where not to stand
^^ dolphins!
^^ i might have been loving my life
^^ anchored and spent the afternoon on this island. i guess it was ok...
^^ running barefoot across the perfect island...with a big wet spot splashed across my hide from the kayak
^^ this is precious
^^ the grass hugged you when you sat in it. straight-up molded a recliner to your body, hugged. and then with the sun smiling down! we didn't move for a while.
^^ "tell me if you see a shark, ok?"
^^ steve has sailed all over the world with his family. too fun!
^^ snorkeling!
^^ look real close at that black lump. it's a penguin!!
The technicals: we sailed until late afternoon before packing up and driving 228 kilometers back down the 1 to Auckland. But not before dropping off one of our new sailing buddies in Kawakawa. Guess what? She'd run 16.2 kilometers to the docks that morning! Didn't have any other way to get there and wanted to go sailing. Ha! I'm not the only one who pulls stunts like that...
Have a great day :-)
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