Friday 25th March
I go to bed and midnight undecided on the paddle. I was so ready to go and then MN moved the wind, rage and swell on me. I wake again at 2.30am then awake at 5.00am, by 6am I am pacing in and out waiting on a weather update, surely it will have calmed but no msg! I send a couple out to the support team (Jase) but no reply. If it has got better I need to know as I want to be on the water by 7am but still no weather update! I message some others I know who may be up and can access the forecast we look at then the message from poor Jase arrives, he has sleep in. Well actually a mate from Australia is visiting so they have been up most of the night, so he had a reason to have slept in. By this stage I have all my paddling kit on, half a leg in T2 and just waiting on the word yep u can go, but that did not happen! Big swells and bigger winds up at Doubtful where I was heading, they suggest I not paddle until tomorrow. OH! Really! Okay! This is what my mind is thinking but all I can say to them is, "That is fine no stress," and turn off my messages.
I take a few deep breaths and go into a caged tiger mood, I tell myself to just to go! Then tell myself off for that thought. I decide to just go out on the water and paddle too enjoy the flat calm I have in the sounds and to enjoy my morning, go foraging over the other side, go say goodbye to Derk as he surely can handle the winds I can. I go and talk with him, and say my goodbyes, then head over to the waterfall to sit and watch that cascade down into the dark still waters beneath it. I then I paddle to the next bay, spend time knee deep and then waist deep grabbing pipis and cockles. It is actually therapeutic being in the water. I go and grab a few mussels, by this stage the tide had turned so could not see any Paua at all, today they were already covered by the incoming tide. Never mind I had gathered lots to eat for my lunch. I look up and see the yacht of Derks heading out to the edge of the sounds, it was not nice to be left behind. There was a wind blowing down the sounds towards me, maybe it was yuck out further up but I was and am still not convinced. I have to follow my guidelines and rules otherwise no point looking at forecasts at all.
Back to cook up lunch, check T2 and enjoy the sunshine, the day and try to do chores until it was time for an early night. Full moon tonight so can hit the water early, I will be out onto the coastline by sunup. I had spent about three hours gliding about on the water and it was nice to then head back to dry my paddle gear out, then I did a couple of enjoyable hours of fishing using the remainder of my pipis and mussels. I was really successful, but most of the cod I caught where truly lucky and just got tossed back, one I kept for dinner and my brekkie. Still not the best at the knife in fish head trick.
The sun has been totally glorious all day, a few sandflies but not insane like some days. I sit now and wait till a magical sunset. I have had a stunning Easter Friday, no traffic jams, no crazy last minute shopping last night, not jammed full of Easter eggs or Easter buns. Tranquil, peaceful and one other boat and a couple of earlier helicopters, that is Breaksea Sounds on Easter Friday.
My smiles today:
Foraging for lunch.
MN moving my weather goal posts!
Catching fish on a hand line, so easy in this part of NZ.
Sitting imagining Captain Cook and his crew seeing these sights so many years ago.
The sunshine.
My inner frustration this morning! Actually to be honest it is still with me as now there is not a breath of wind in my harbour! Ha that is why it is called a harbour!
My thoughts:
If only I had a crystal ball to see ahead. It would help just at the moment.
Signing out for today: Red and T2
