Up early I was dressed, feed & ready. We were on the beach before light and we could see only foam and what looked like a bigger than wanted swell on our departure beach, so we tucked ourselves back into Cuzzie to wait for it to get lighter. Eventually we managed to update the weather, bigger swells and a change in the wind direction made us both frown. Let's wait till sunrise and see if it looks that bad.

At sunrise it was down paddle and we had a lengthly discussion. I said thank you to MN for halting our pre sunrise departure into this huge swell. I was so certain that I would be paddling that I was at no time even thinking this morning would become a paddle down moment. We were both in agreement and so was a local, Brian Coghlan, who had joined us on the beach. Off came my gear up we hoisted T2 back onto Cuzzie. With the yummie peanut slab Whittaker chocolate bar given to us by Brian we headed off to confirm what it looked like at Tauranga Bay and the tip of Cape Foulwind. Hideous is my description. A huge swell for as far as I could see with a head wind coming around the cape. I was really pleased we had re-assessed today.

We headed then to look around Westport to check out a couple of landings and then I turned my back on the ocean, she can play up, blow and have huge waves without me, I am not playing her game. I am used to this waiting game.

We located local a couple of op shops so went hunting for a fix of bargain shopping. The supermarket to buy more food, I seem to have a bottomless pit when it comes to eating. Some of my favourites are potatoes and kumera, I am too scared to actually total up how many I have eaten so far on this journey. And the copious amounts of olive oil, coconut oil, Whittakers chocolate bars and honey that have powered me along. We also went and became tourists at Punakiki Rocks today, all fun stuff.

So watch the blogs, see what fun we get up to as there is so much to do and people to visit before MN decides to play nicely again.

My smiles today:
A choc bar from a total stranger on a cold dark beach, thanks Brian you made us both smile.
The great op shop bargains, jeans for under $10.
Being so ready to paddle this morning then the curve ball from MN.
Nats knitting! (starting with 47 she is now at only 56 stitches, she is improving)
Finding lots of kawakawa leaves!

My thoughts today.
Train your mind to see the positive in every situation ... Okay I am trying.

Red