The day was planned and we sort of lay in a little today, for me I was just damn disappointed with another day of no paddling and trying to kid myself it was going to be okay, I was starting to doubt it! We got up, dressed and sort of packed for the Canyoning adventure then headed off towards Geraldine to meet the others at the designated pickup point. As we zipped along I checked the weather app, we had made the call last night that it was a no go on the paddling and doubted it was to change much over night so I had not bothered to look a 6am. When I looked at 830 it was calm, we could get a days paddling! With twenty minutes to go for arriving at Canyoning and we had to do a massive U turn and then we had a two hour drive to get back to Te Oka Bay! Thanks Mother Nature, you really did it to me this time. We drove and we arrived, having to reverse on the dirt roads for the massive grader that was smoothing the roads.

By 11.30am I was on the water, it was going to be a late finish and it was going to be hot and sunny out on the water. As I paddled and waved Nat good bye, I was waiting for the wind to pickup, annoy me and tell me I had got the forecast wrong, but it did not it. I had a tail wind, a small swell and we cruised along in the afternoon heat, today we could have landed anywhere we liked on this coastline, it was so calm. It was nothing like what we had seen on previous days and not like the stories from others on what this coastline was like for them. During this 50km leg I was always hopeful it would not sneak up and the wind would change! I only had a small area to surf across at the mouth of the Raikaia river and that was it.

Yes the dolphins came to say hi a couple of times and were also in really close to shore as I arrived and landed, even tempting Nat to nearly jump in and see if they would go swimming around her, but as fast as they appeared they disappeared again.

Today was about a massive change in our pre planned day, and it was worth the squeal of brakes and the abrupt change of plans. The paddle was not difficult, but it is, as some know, very long and straight and can get a little same same as you go along. It was nice to see fishermen and their friendly waves and even a group who cheered, thank you to them.

Nat and I did a couple of VHF checkins and I sent her a few Inreach locations and messages. We were heading south and that felt good, it made me press on 10 kms further to get past the Raikaia river mouth, to make up any time on a calm day now is a must.

We are off the water, I have suffered a headache all day today, probably from no coffee. The past six days off the water I have consumed way to much and am paying for it now with a damn caffeine withdrawal headache. By the time I got off the water I nearly swallowed an entire packet of pain killers to get rid of the damn pain. I am thinking my relationship with coffee must come to a sad ending!

Now fed and watered, I am off to the shower to wash off the salt and get ready for bed. It has been a good day and one that we did not expect. MN, you nearly foxed us and we nearly missed this weather window.

Smiling today:
I paddled!
I saw dolphins.
It was sunny and hot.
I had a tailwind and a small swell for this paddle.
I had an easy beach landing and that is abnormal for this coastline.
Seeing Cuzzie cruise into view at the end of my paddling day.

My thoughts:
When I hear somebody sigh and say, "Life is hard," I am now tempted to ask, "Compared to what?"

Goodnight
Lynn, Nat & Cuzzie, AKA redznzjourney

PS: Nat has driven for as many hours as I have paddled today, poor her. She was suffering from a headache as well (lack of coffee too).