Today there was no paddling. Sunshine a plenty, big, big swell and an easterly, not something I was going to attempt. To satisfy my over keen nature I went and looked at the coast and the beach where I was to launch from, it was nasty. Big, dumping swell that would surely swallow me up and dump me back on the beach totally broken.

We instead turned to the list of jobs on the wall and ticked off lots of these, restocking of my kayak food, (chocolate brownie, coconut orange & mint truffle balls, drizzled in honey) repacked and sorted my gear, dried it all out and did some food shopping. I lost a bet with the support team so have had to cook dinner tonight, it is a classic, roast chicken with my famous roast veges and broccoli. Yum yum yum is all I can say.

The campsite we are staying in at Wairoa is fantastic, the bathrooms and kitchen are so clean and tidy, the locals friendly and helpful, absolute weather gurus, handymen and just a great mix. Reg and I have spent hours chatting in the kitchen to them. We have had a great day in the sunshine and laughed a lot about trying to locate each other and the general day to day life we live. We looked at the next leg and fingers crossed it is a big push on Saturday morning to Napier. The locals have said don't go out in an easterly or a southerly, it is too bad, and don't go out when there are big swells. We will wait patiently, this is not an area that will be kind to me if I get it wrong.

Wairoa town is very pretty with the river, yet the coast line is rugged, such polar opposites in a way. Slow river and then you get over the high black stone drifts and there is the brutal ocean greeting you. I hope it will be calm soon.

Looking forward to the next paddle, even though it is a big section, as it will be nice to be on the water once we get going. The time off is giving me time to do a 'girl grylls' style home surgery on my two hand blisters. I call it "meths threading". You soak a needle and thread in meths and then place the needle and thread through the blister and leave it to drain, the meths keeps the thread clean and sterile, and then drains the painful blister. My hands looked a little bleak yesterday, but are 100% better today since being tended too this way.

Cussie is cleaned and de-sanded, the gear is clean and dry, we are fed watered and onto eating chocolate truffles. Sorry to the crew for force feeding them but I seem to be always hungry these days, and am making up for missed meals from yesterday. New neighbours have arrived, it is fun sitting in the campervan watching the different shapes and sizes of camervans. It seems to be that there are 100 on the road everyday, and many are familiar faces. We all seem to be heading on the same roads and to the same paces but typically I am taking a little longer than them to get down the coast. This camper van world is incredible and the journey of mine is opening my eyes to many others lives and the freedom they have.

Cussie the campervan has had a few modifications and changes, so to the other support crew due back soon (aka Nat), blame Reg, it is all his fault, nothing to do with me, I am just the poor crazy paddler. :)

We have scanned the weather, swell and wind reports but alas, it is another day off the water tomorrow. But Saturday, maybe, just maybe, Napier here I come. This is an old haunt of mine and am looking forward to this. I know this area a little, it is remote, but I am looking forward to a couple of beach moments.

Chat soon, I hope you keep following my journey. We are having fun most of the time, especially when the sun comes out. Summer holidays are great and we are not being bothered by that mad Christmas craze while we are here. This is the life, well today at least, we have the kayak books out and are sitting in the sun reading (thanks Mike/ Gerry and others for the reading material) and we are dreaming.

Red.