Saturday 1 October 2016

The team sleeps in and I get up and head out to do a pile of washing that is well overdue. As I sit in the warm laundry and drying room, I think about yesterday’s paddle and talk to other early birds who are up and about. Now that I’ve washed and dried everything, the rest of the team have got up at last. It’s a tiring life being part of the support team!

What do I want to do today? Well, after we satisfy our hunger do you know what? I want to go back to visit the Cape Egmont lighthouse, just to be able to stand there and say “Yep, I paddled past you yesterday!" We take Jase for a tiki-tour to places we’ve discovered and have grown to be our favourites around New Plymouth. We let him climb Paritutu solo, my excuse being that I only had jandals on, not the best of footwear for slipping and sliding down the rocks! Believe it or not, Jase was up and down that rock in 12 minutes flat, and that included time to take photos at the top, too!

We beach walked, sat and ate a late lunch in Cuzzie. I started studying maps of the coast but decided I can do that in more depth tomorrow. Thanks to Brian, I have coastal charts as well. Cheers, they will be invaluable! We then left a very happy Anna to read and snooze while we headed off to meet some friends for a couple of hours. It’s a day of pinching myself on where I have actually managed to paddle to but also a reality check on where I still have to get to. There are more tough days ahead but, before that, it seems as if we’ll have a few more days off the water yet again.

My smiles today:
Lighthouses. I love them.
Catching up with friends. This trip has reconnected me with many of them.
Campsite views. Just beautiful!
Cafe brunch. Thanks, Jase
Being a tour guide for a change.

My thoughts today:
Today I woke up.
I’m healthy.
I’m alive.
Thank you.

Goodnight from Red, Jase and Anna.

Ma Te Wa.

PLEASE TXT REDZ TO 2446 TO DONATE $3 TO MHFNZ.