Saturday 2nd April
I wake, lie there and listen. It is so quiet and for moment I am not sure where I am or what I am sleeping on. Honey. It again is millpond calm where we are and I begin to wonder, begin to hope. Today my replacement Inreach will arrive and I can maybe luck in on a person heading past Bligh earlier than Wednesday. It seems so far away, seven days since my last paddle, what a familiar pattern.
My missions today, get things recharged, get some food for Honey and the Crowe family and send a message to Nat. The resident seal of this calm harbour goes for his early morning swim, past this catamaran, what a great life. Warm coffee in hand and time to start my Saturday. For a moment I wish I had T2 with me to go rolling practising in, it is so calm.
The Crowe family went over to the wharf with me, them to fill up the diesel containers for their next leg up the coast, and me to get supplies and food for us all. To cut a very long story short Real Journeys came to my rescue and are top of my list of people to thank today. Instead of having to head into Te Anau for food, Real Journeys gifted me from their Milford supply store whatever I could jam into two large tubs. This has enabled me to feel as though I have said a huge thank you to all aboard Honey for their continued hospitality. Immense thanks to Real Journeys for being so continually generous to me and my charity paddle mission.
Back we fly across the harbour, unload everything and have a huge bowl of hot soup for lunch to help warm us up as we dry off from the misty, rainy ride. Not long after we had finished Real Journeys came over with my parcel and I was reconnected with my team. I sent messages and went about trying to sync the unit up ready for departure. We were all set to head to the main land to do some more washing and go for a walk along the river to marvel at the Alien film sets when a little camo dingy raced toward Honey. A young guy, Marnix, had been out hunting for seven days and had seen our flag so had come over to say hi and chat about sailing. He had venison, crayfish and was a joy to chat to, so we invited him back for dinner.
Tonight was a joyful full house. The Crowe family, myself and Marnix, stories told, great food and an amazing time had sitting on the deck of Honey, all wrapped up warm and all now great friends connected by our common love of living life and our dreams. Now it feels urgent, now I am really needing to head back to Bligh Sound ASAP. I am really trying to rack my brain, think of contacts, for a ride back to T2 and my tent. Late to bed, lots of thoughts. Lots again to say thanks about.
My smiles today:
Real Journeys continued help.
A warmer wind blowing.
Being part of an amazing fulfilled day in Milford.
Marnix, a very great person to meet with incredible traveling stories.
Being surrounded by the majestic and magical Milford Sound.
My rising frustrations at a computer issue!
My thoughts today:
Happiness has nothing to do with the accumulation of unshared wealth. It lies in the simplest of moments, for me walking down to the sea or having impromptu barbecues.
Red
Ella in training to join Red further along the coast