Thursday 13 October 2016
Up before the crack of dawn. I sit in the dim light of Cuzzie, then check the weather and try to get out of my huge camper-van bed. There’s no one else to worry about waking so, gradually, I get out on the tracks to go running. A beautiful morning. There’s a swell but it doesn't look too bad. That would annoy me at the start of my run but then, when I see the surfers out on some rather big waves, I pinch myself and say “Do you want to land up the coast on these?” (Ahh, no.). Once again, I give myself a stern talking to. “If you want to gap it, then do it!! If so, just throw away your weather forecast and go! But, if you’re not prepared to do it, then shut the F up about it! Just accept it and focus on other more important things!!” Yes, like the pavement running and the small inclines, sometimes I need to focus and concentrate on what I am trying to do.
Back to Cuzzie and happy to feel the cool wind in my face. Happy also to feel the warmth of the sunshine. New Plymouth was destined to have another stunning day. I chatted with a young German couple in a small 4x4 who have been freedom camping in the same locations as me lately. Eventually, we all decide to get on with our day and have a group dinner tonight in Cuzzie. But, for the moment, I am off to take pictures of possible landing places and to mark them on my Navionics maps on my phone; it helps me to know that I’m in the correct location when doing my checkpoints and it also helps me to measure distances when some beaches and bays are not so well marked.
As I drove up the coast yet again, stopping to look at river mouths and stream access points, I‘m pretty pleased with my weather forecasting app. The dumping and rolling 2.4+ swells looked bloody awful today, not at all what I want on the next paddle day. Lunch, then numerous beach wandering took up most of my day. At the last beach, I had a nice chat with a lady walking a beautiful Rottweiler. I love them with a passion and in another life, actually used to own one. He was friendly and very well-behaved! This one was enjoying some beach time with his owner. Then it was back to focusing on my afternoon training session, back to the pools for another session.
Dinner on the BBQ and it’s a beautiful evening. What a lovely day it has been and I’m very blessed and lucky to be able to just take my time. Although I did actually think about work today. About what and who and where I will start to look, but I decided not to focus on these issues anymore because something will happen for sure when it’s the right time for it to do so.
My smiles today:
Stunning warm sunshine again.
Surfers catching waves.
My run and my swim. I smile at the end.
Steak for dinner with other nomads.
Hearing visitors say how beautiful they find New Zealand.
My thoughts today:
Today will never come again. Be a blessing, be a friend, encourage someone, take time to care. Your words should heal not wound.
Goodnight from Red and Cuzzie.
Ma Te Wa.
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