DAY 156...Deas Cove to Bligh Sound

Wednesday 30th March

Up early, fed, T2 packed and on the water by 6am.  The James McKerrow guys were also just heading out of the cove, going the opposite way to me up the sound, I was heading to open ocean.  I whizzed along on the outgoing tide, that soon ended as I got out of Thompson Sound, from then the next five hours was a tail swell going against the current.  It burnt up a lot of my early morning energy and even though I felt as though I was speeding along I was actually taking ten to fifteen minutes per kilometer, rather a tough morning.

It was not even any easier further out off the coast, I tried that, big mistake.  I had to work really hard to get back in to the coastline again.  After Caswell Sound in did ease a little.  Further up by Looking Glass Bay I stopped and chatted to a crayfish boat and they said they thought the current would help me soon.  Sure enough, they were right.

The further through the day the nicer this paddle became, I was aiming for Catseye Bay, but as I got there I thought, lets push on to Blight Sound, I have time.  I made it to Blight just at the end of the tide turning and then my decision became where to land?  Or more like, where can I land?  With a little help from the support team, messaging them to look at Google maps, I eventually found a really nice spot.  For a while I did think I would be sleeping on rocks tonight but a moss base under my tent is fab.

Tired, a big nor-easterly is forecast for tomorrow so I will be going no where except exploring.  Stags roaring tonight, the bush sounds calm and river water murmurs and ripples over the big boulders.  Time for me to sleep.

My smiles today:
Seeing the Crowe family on the water in the catamaran.
Chatting to the cray fishermen.
The weather today, amazing.
The end of today and sunset, magic.
My dinner tonight, popcorn!  So easy.
Soft moss tent floor.

My thoughts today:
Satisfied to feel happy from the inside out.

Red

Sunset at Bligh Sound

Happy Red at campsite in Bligh Sound

DAY 155...Deas Cove Third Day

Tuesday 29th March

These days I normally go to bed clutching my pounamu carving and saying a thank you to whoever cares to listen.  Last night I was thankful that the rolling on the Tairua Bar had not been fatal as the guys on board I know well (no names here).  A rogue wave had turned their boat over!  They were fine but it had made me stop and think of the 'What If' and "Who and Why' in the dark of last night.  Later on I at last curled up and lay and listened to the thunder, lightening, the wind in the trees, the intense rain fall on the roof of the hut, the moreporks and the weka's calls.  Very special times ad I drifted in and out of my sleep.

During the early hours of this morning I sat in my sleeping bag and stared out through the windows at the night time view, the clouds and the bush.  It was nice to just sit, think, dream and be at peace away from stress.  I like to be solo.  Back to bed I go until the weather report arrived, then I waited for sunrise and low tide before I climbed out of my cocoon and headed down the path to the cove to gather some mussels at this mornings low tide.  With dinner sorted and stored away form the weka I check my plans so they are imprinted in my mind.  There is a positive weather window tomorrow and as I paddle I will mentally check off each bay, sound and rock point I need to pass.

Hot coffee drunk (thanks Myra B team), messages sent, a bit of banter back and forth, I watched as the rain continues to fall heavily from the sky, hoping tomorrow the sky and my paddle will be dry, well at least at the start.  It is easier on my brain that way, but I do have the ultimate saying if wet, "Are you made of sugar?",  that normally makes me smile.  Once all of this is done it is time to do a bit of lunch cooking, making extra so I have a pre-made sweet hit for tomorrows breakfast and also extra for along the way, no excuses when you have time.  I prep and plan.  Sweet fritter cakes made, eaten and stashed. Fab feeling.

The rain has stopped for the moment and there is a couple of boats moored back in the cove.  Deas cove has woken from the rain.  My afternoon was spent packing the back hold of T2, meeting then chatting with the Crowe family who live on the launch Honey and joining them later for dessert.  I also met the guys on the James McKerrow who had me over for dinner.  Amazing, gorgeous, genuine people, still the most unexpected part of my journey.  It ended up being a late night and I crawled into bed dressed in my kayak gear, ready for the early morning start.  I find it easier and warmer this way to be pre dressed and half ready to go.

My smiles today:
Venison, fresh tuna sashimi and seafood chowder.
Sago coconut pudding.
Incredible people daily.
The team on James McKerrow.
The Crowe family on Honey.

My thoughts today:
Becoming so happy.
Believing and feeling alive.
Daring to live my dream, it feels empowering.

Goodnight from Red, T2, the friendly wekas and moreporks.

The Crowe family from Honey.  Samuel, Ella, Tim and Jude.

DAY 154...Deas Cove Second Day

Monday 28th March

I am needing my fix of human chat, the wekas and fantails are hiding from the intense rain at the moment.  This section of the trip is all mental, it has taught me a lot so far about patience and having enormous faith in the weather forecast, but on a day like today when I look at the calm tranquil bay I do wonder.  I have to remind myself of days previously in the North Island when my motto "Gap It!" may have been an option, but not at this stage of my journey.  I will read the NZ Fish magazine in the DOC hut, go to the beach, go bush walking and collect damp firewood.  I actually do not want to go paddling today and get wet and cold, maybe later.  At present I need to focus on my doubts and my mind, as it is still not settled and content this morning.  Best I go play with my sandfly friends!

I think the most irritating comment has to be, "Take a cement pill!"  This one rolls of the tongue easily and a little too often.  I wandered from the DOC hut down the path to Deas to grab some cockles and pipis, then along to grab some mussels off the rocks.  As I walked across the rocks, all of a sudden I stepped up too quickly onto a slime covered rock and up in the air I went, along with my cockles and pipis.  With a very loud "thump" I landed butt first on the rocks.  Blimmin' heck!  What a moment.  Lucky I still bounce, I got up and retrieved my bag of shellfish and made a mental note to be careful!  Imagine if I had to call for help due to a broken bone, now that would be a grim moment.  

Mussels collected, I walked and clambered as far as I could at low tide.  I put my bag of seafood next to T2 then headed through the bush, toi tois and marshland towards Necks Cove.  I saw lots of deer tracks and hoof prints but nothing during the day to see, as I said before, I am far too noisy and they have plenty of time to hide.  At Neck cove I wander along, past streams and gorgeous bush, it is pleasant in btween rain clouds.  I look out towards the open ocean, the entrance to Thompson Sounds I can see even from my location, it is a dark line of swells, white wave tops breaking, it makes me feel better mood wise.  I remind myself I want to enjoy my paddling not wish once on the water that I could get off and that it was nasty horrible heart stopping, am I going to die moment.  I turn once more to gaze at the ocean as it is about to pour with rain and there in this secluded solo location is this massive ocean liner, passing by Neck Sound down to Thompson Sound.  It is huge and seems weird to me that all those people on board are experiencing Fiordland from this type of platform, I cannot get this kind of traveling into my head space but I reminded myself that I am probably the crazier one.

Back I race to Deas Cove entrance, me so little and them so huge!  My stomach is missing food as I skipped breakfast today so I go to grab my shellfish next to T2 and I have a moment of questioning my sanity when I can not find the bag.  It really was gone!  The weka family had dragged the bag and contents up into the bush and I had to follow the trail of cockles, pipis and mussels.  Crazy birds.  I collected my shellfish, said goodbye to T2 and the sandflies and headed back to the DOC hut to put out my solar panel to change and to cook some lunch.

I have mentioned previously all the food I have been gifted, I did not want to waste any!  So when a bag of apples and nectarines were gifted to me I went holy crap how am I going to carry them as well?  I cooked them up and have been using them to sweeten my fritters.  Today they have been finished and they had a bit of a cider taste to them.  Sweet cinnamon fried pancakes with stewed fermented apple, I will call that lunch.  Probably not that glamorous in looks but very yummy to me.  I scrape the bottom of my pan clean, it is pretty amazing what you can create, thanks to my hospitality days and liking cooking, something from nothing.  

As I sit at the hut table in the sunshine I am contemplating a small paddle in the calm just to keep mobile.  It is high tide soon so I will not have to drag T2 too far to the water.  Off I go.  After I went firewood hunting and then, before the rain settled I sat on the steps of the hut in the sunshine, no sandflies for a little while.

Then, crazy me, I still had too much energy.  The path from the beach to the hut has 17 steep steps, a track and then 7 more steps up to the deck.  So I did sprints !  Twenty up and down.  As I got going I removed layers of clothes, my crocs being my running shoes.  Up and down the track and steps I went, it felt good to get a sweat up and my lungs do a work out.  Yes my old gym buddies will just smile at this 30mins of insanity but it helped, as I finished the rain intensified and cooled me down.

Back in the hut, away from the rain I have lit the fire, settled at the table to study my maps, look at my pre planning and enjoy another night not huddled in my tent.  It has been seven nights not in a tent and that in itself surely helps the moral.  Dinner, messages to everyone and then I curl up in my sleeping bag as heavy rain falls outside.

My smiles today:
My hike across swamp and bush to Neck Cove.
The DOC hut, an amazing facility, it rocks.
The huge cruise liner on Thompson Beach.
The most needed and loved item each day, sandfly repellant.
The caged tiger insanity.
My stair and bush path sprints, LOL.
The wekas stealing my bag of shellfish!

My thoughts today:
The motto for life really is having faith in it all.

Huge cruise liner in Neck Sound

DAY 153...Deas Cove to Thompson Sound

Sunday 27th March

I woke a lot in the early hours of this morning, I felt like the TV chef Nigella Lawson as I had to get up and eat chocolate, I was starving!  I sat looking out the DOC hut window by my bed at how much light was outside, I listened and actually wrapped my arms around my knees and hugged myself or maybe pinched myself to remind myself of where I was in this amazing county, Deas Cove, Thompson Sound. The hut was warm and dry, the mattress was thick, no bruised hip bones tonight.  After about an hour I lay back down to sleep a little more.

There have been many things about me so far than I have not shared yet.  I have some very weird food intolerances, so I avoid many foods, such as all grains, all nuts, no flour, no rice, no dairy!  When I eat these I get the most horrendous indigestion and I find my self in serious discomfort for the next one to two hours afterwards.  I avoid and have avoided all these things for the last two years.  On this trip I have been offered all sorts of food, and something in me decided that the second I refused food I would be in trouble, food is food and just 'harden up girlie.'  Suffer the discomfort, it will still give you much needed energy!  I felt like if I refused food then I would deserve it if I starved.

So every time I was offered food I said yes!  I have eaten bread and butter, rice, pasta, milk and cheese.  Yes, I have suffered but at least I have food, and the universe kept sending me more, from every launch that passed it seemed.  I have been in some bad discomfort but I have had energy and I thank every single person for their generosity.  It is incredible and I owe you.

I have just unpacked my food parcel (!) and Nat has done me proud.  1kg of my most favourite coconut oil, honey (my best energy food), dark Whittakers chocolate (it is the best and only one to eat), kumeras, potatoes, onions and amongst other things a new diary to fill, woohoo.  As I have each day, I remembered all the people who have given me my random supplies, thanking them for finding the time, caring enough to stop and chat and finding my journey as incredible and as exciting as I do.  In a very strange way you have all helped me on my off water days with your daily contact, your chatter and this strange 'boatie comradery'.  It is a very special heart warming society to be a part of.

I actually spend time on the water and in my tent, reliving these moments and I can see everyones smiling happy faces.  To the gorgeous lady aboard Black Pearl (I will not name you) for asking where my fridge was in T2 to store my fresh greens, you were so worried I would get scurvy from lack of greens, how I smile about this.  In fact at the moment I am worried about how I am going to fit in all the extra food Nat sent down!

Anyway, back to my Easter Sunday at Deas Cove.  Low tide was at 8.30am so before 8 I headed down to grab a huge bag of cockles the size of ping pong balls and the sandflies welcomed me with their usual hugs.  I foraged in the sand, red buff over my face, hoodie over the top and completely sprayed in repellant so they just buzz around me in a cloud.  One or two manage to find a naked piece of skin to bite, but not too many, thank goodness.

Back up at the hut I go out and grab a few pieces of driftwood, wash and rinse my kayak clothes and light the fires so my gear can dry, outside now the wind and rain are blowing.  Necks Cove on the other side of this hill is looking nasty, white caps and a wind funnelling into the cove.  Deas is protected today just like the locals told me it would be, I have climbed up and over through the beautiful bush to Necks Cove and back along to Deas Cove.  The views, the bush, the area is extraordinary and beautiful, even on a wet blustery day.

Dinner tonight is pretty damn delish.  Cockles stirred into a herb and tomato puree broth with potatoes, kumera, onions and peas.  I had to treat myself from my goodie bag I collected yesterday.  I sit by the warm fire and listen to the wind and rain outside, DOC hut all to myself.  I wait for another calm weather window.

My smiles today:
Warm and dry in a huge DOC hut.
Numerous fantails following me on my bush walk today.
Three to four Wekas just wandering about like, "Who are you?"
Cockle gathering there are so sweet and yum.
My hot sweet coffee this morning.

My thoughts today:
What an Easter to never forget, spent in Fiordland.  A special day and I feel so lucky.

Goodnight from Red and T2

Necks Cove

DAY 152...At Last!

Saturday 26th March.

4am awake!  5am up and ready to step into T2 by 5.30, I actually paddle over to Black Pearl firstly to leave them my final few Easter eggs and a thank you note.  Then in the moonlight I paddle out of Beach Harbour toward the entrance of Breaksea Sounds, it was a strange feeling once I went from the flat calm of the sounds back out onto the rolling swell of the open ocean.  As I headed north so was a Crayboat, so I VHF them as it was still dark to say my tiny light they may see was me in a kayak and could they please also let Meri in Bluff know I was all good that hey had sighted me.  It was nice to chat to them and they said there was no wind just the swell to deal with.

I actually like paddling during the pre sunrise, I seem to be able to zen out for this period and the km ticked over well.  Coal Point Bay I soon passed and then the entrance to Dagg Sounds.  The swell was manageable and by the time I got to the entrance of Doubtful sounds I had a tail wind and good swell running, which helped me get in as there was a current running out of the entrance.  Down towards the Gut I headed and there were so many ferries and large craft about racing along, it was way busier than Breaksea.  Through the Gut I speed and hit the 62km mark at Blanket Bay, where my food parcel had been left for me ten days ago.  I paddled around for a while, actually hoping it was not the first place I found as I was not keen on having to clamber out of T2, balance on the large tractor tyres and then clamber from the tyres onto the wharf itself.  Of course that is where my parcel was, so with great skill and a holy crap this could end badly thought, I crawled out of T2 gingerly, got out and onto the wharf and found my food drop tucked around the back as the guys from Chasin' Beaver had explained.  It was heavy and there was no way I could put this stuff into the front storage hold from the wharf so I balanced the parcel on the tyres while I gingerly clambered back into T2 without falling out, then heaved the parcel into my lap & stored all of this between my legs and pulled my spray skirt back over everything.  I felt like a submarine or a heavy container ship!  I was thankful nothing went wrong with my exit and re entry of T2 from the wharf.

Then it was my final push down to Deas Cove.  I turned into Thompson Sounds and I had a head wind on and off for the final 15km.  I tucked in as close as possible to the majestic cliffs to keep out of the wind and paddled hard.   At last we made it, stopping to eat something sweet for energy and also take picture of the water falls, the scenery and check GPS location.  Just before I get to Deas Cove, I ask a local charter what was better out of Deas or Necks Cove, he said use the hut at Deas no one in it and it is sheltered from tomorrow's bad winds.   Off I paddled, he was in the same cove tonight so sent a couple of people onto shore to help me lift T2 well above the high tide mark.  From there I emptied and carried my gear up to the hut, lit the potbelly fire in the hut, got warm, fed and ready for bed.  Big day, big seas some of the time, and now another few big days off the water again to rest!

Yes I am happy with my paddle of 77km, yippee I am in and past Doubtful Sounds.  Moving north.  Exploring tomorrow before the rain arrives and looking at my new food delivery and wondering how and where this is going to fit.  I counted 30 small potatoes jammed into T2 as of yesterday!

My smiles today:
Delivering Easter eggs to Black Pearl pre dawn.
The schools of little fish jumping all along the open ocean today.
Doubtful Sounds, at last I made it.
The DOC hut and fire, I am a happy camper.
Exploring a new location .
Being greeted so warmly by Deas Coves sandflies as I arrived!  I so love my repellant.
My sleeping bag.

My thoughts today: 
Paddle stroke by paddle stroke I am actually heading north.

From me Goodnight, T2 is in the trees, safe. 

Waterfall cascading in Thompson Sound

DAY 151...Mother Nature Wins

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

DAY 150...Dinner aboard the Black Pearl

Thursday 24th March

Another night and day in the same spot, I am now feeling like a permanent fixture!  Not a caged tiger feeling but more of a why this long?  I question MN, I do not have the crystal ball so I just have to wait this weather pattern out.  I am being looked after and I just need to thank someone, something, maybe I will thank the universe for this. 

Once the wind and rain drops later today I will load the rest of my stuff into T2 ready for an early departure.  It will also be my 3000km paddle mile stone section.  I will be saying a sad fair well to Breaksea Sounds but now it is urgent to move north, I am so behind my schedule and getting far too comfortable!  Seven days and still waiting!  It seems a bit of pattern, two days of paddling and seven days not.

The day has been spent packing stuff into my kayak and actually enjoying the sun coming out this afternoon, how amazing the warmth of the sunshine is and no sandflies, really unsure why but there are none.  Crazy little bugs they are.  I spent time chatting to Derk and enjoying hearing his stories of yachting, the open ocean and just enjoying new stories and company.  I was ready to move on and we both agreed tomorrow was to be the day.  I had a plan and a schedule for the next couple of days, I went to shore to stretch my legs and to paddle T2 about.  The wind was still a little strong and cooler now, as I was out on the back deck earlier Black Pearl cruised past, we waved and said hi.  It is a beautiful super yacht, they had been in and around Dusky Sounds last week and had managed to help the guys on Chasin Beaver, with wifi, batteries etc and sending my pics back.

As I got back their tender headed my way, we sat and chatted for a while until they needed to go and collect some others from the shore.  Then I got the most amazing invite back to the Black Pearl for dinner.  Thank you for this totally unexpected and and extremely generous invite, it was a brilliant evening to talk to people with such interesting backgrounds, you made me feel extremely special and so welcome.  Big hugs to you all.  What a totally amazing team you have onboard, Paul your captain, thanks for the water taxi rides.  As I headed over to join them for dinner Jase messaged me with a not so great weather forecast, bigger swells than I wanted further up the coast and bigger winds!  Really?  Honestly!  Maybe I just need to swallow some concrete pills and just paddle, maybe this forecast is wrong, so of course let's look at other sites.  Ahhhhh what a mistake, now I am confused, two are saying it is not that nice for me and T2 out there on the coastline and one site is saying it is going to be fine!  Trust your website Red, trust it!  What is another day?  Saturday looks amazing so go on Saturday.  In the meantime go Paua hunting, go fishing!

I am waiting on a 6am update, if the weather has dropped then I will paddle.  If not I have to stay. Jeez.  Tonight as I sit in the dark , it is one of the colder nights we have had and I fill my hottie, the sky is clear with a full moon and lots of stars, there is a cold wind and the launch is rocking, but the weather may blow through faster than first thought so let's see.  My day has been incredible, we had cockles from the beach and also mussels on Black Pearl tonight with a lovely Mexican dinner, coconut chewy biscuits for dessert, washed down with plenty of hot herbal tea.

Thanks guys, may see you for one more day, but if not it was fantastic.  We will meet again.

My smiles today:
Sunshine, blue skies and no sandflies,.
So ready to be paddling north.
My chatting with incredible, interesting people today.
Derk you and your own fantastic stories of your trans Tasman yachting tails.
Black Pearl, you made me feel very special.

My thoughts today:
 Everybody I meet has an experience which involves a loved one with depression.  We connect, understand each other's pain and the emotional roller coaster ride we have lived in.  It is what makes me keep paddling for all of these others.

Good night from Red & T2. 

DAY 149...The Waiting Continues

Wednesday 23rd March

During the night I wake on and off, it is a weird feeling to hear the rain but not on the roof of the tent, I get up & down a fair few times to check on T2 and just stare into the darkness outside. There is a mast light back in the harbour and I presume it is Derk back from checking out the seas past the Breaksea Sounds, it must have been as bad as the forecast had said.  For those who have not been or visited this area, it can be calm and tranquil in one of the sounds, totally protected from the winds yet when you set out on to the coastline then wham you are hit by the fierce winds and swells, they can be the polar opposites so you have to have faith in those sending you the weather forecasts. 

I got up early and sat up on the front deck watching the sunrise, the change of colours of the clouds and sky to a bright pink.  The mist falling down the massive, steep, green, tree covered mountains and the birds starting to sing early in the morning.  It was again another caged tiger moment, but seeing the little yacht of my Canadian friend back in our harbour made me realise it must have been rough out there for him to have returned, so ignored my crazy thoughts of what if and maybe. 

Coffee made (thanks Myra B team) I sat and messaged the team.  As it was calm T2 & I headed around the bay's to see the DOC team and say hi, let them know I was okay and update them about my VHF.  It was a lovely calm paddle on this dark green ocean, T2 rather weighted down at the back all pre-loaded for the trip north, the front hold still rather empty until the final pack up of my more essential items which I am still using.   The DOC team were heading out to check on any sightings of a seaweed they are trying to eradicate, so as they got into their gear we chatted about general stuff, they actually gave me a copy of today's newspaper to read!  I grabbed some note paper from them as well to write my blogs on to, as my new notepad is in my goodie supply pack at Blanket Bay.

I said my farewells and then I paddled T2 around a few islands into little nooks and channels just to look around as I had plenty of time.  Nowhere to go today and no need to fish yet as I have still got kingfish to eat.  I hoped to see the dolphins again further into the sounds, but alas they stayed away.  The clouds were getting lower and the mist was rolling in, so as my tummy started to rumble I paddled back to grab lunch.  I had fresh eggs, what a treat after so many days without them, it was a pretty yummy lunch.  The good basics are always best, I made a fried omelette thingy with potato and tomato with fresh lettuce salad.  Honestly I have missed my greens and salads.

This afternoon I had another attempt to look inside my VHF, still no better.  As I was told before I set out, "Expect everything to possibly break!"  I have read the paper, tried to do the crossword, did not even attempt the Sudoku and watched the rain start to fall heavily out of the sky.  I have rechecked and wiped down some of my dry bags, watched the black oyster catchers on the beach squabble over shellfish they have found at low tide, listened to the waterfalls gushing into the streams and falling directly into the ocean, listened to the native parrots and other birds as well.  The dark water slips past me as the tide goes out and then I hear the sound of dolphins surfacing for air.  Finally at 7pm they glide past me on the launch heading slowly through Beach Harbour, similar to yesterday but later, so I did see them again today, another gold memorable moment. 

To everyone, I am dry, I am warm, and yes I am okay.  I am staring at the rain, even it falling into the dark water is beautiful and serene, I could stare at it for hours.  Very much like a mind meditation, but, I am ready now please MN let me paddle again north just a little, it would be great to celebrate my Easter by a couple of sunny days and a couple of really nice big paddling days north.  Otherwise I may become a resident in this stunning sound.

My smiles today: 
The rain falling into this dark deep ocean is beautiful.
The dolphins returned as I wished they would.
My inner happiness.  Very Special.
Talking to the DOC team, they are doing a great job trying to keep the sounds pest free.
My dry paddling and camping gear, T2 moored waiting to push north.
Finally...Lol, a mirror!  Yikes is that what I look like?!

My thoughts today: 
Each day on this journey I say thank you to everybody who has helped me.  Helped me to get started, helped along the way and been supportive every paddle stroke I take on this journey.  You are such an important reason I am able to live this incredible time.  Without you all it would be impossible.  I am forever going to be grateful. 

Red

Sunrise

DAY 148...Food, food and a Waterfall

Tuesday 22nd March.

Last night I was tired, it was raining so I heated up water on the fire for my hot water bottle and wrote my blog.  I watched my fire smoke drift off down the harbour looking like mist on the calm tranquil water.  I crawled into bed and was pleasantly happy when I heard the rain on my tent.  It rained all night, at 4am I woke, but just rolled over.  I have this weird habit of when it has rained all night, I always put my hand out into the corner of the tent to make sure there are no puddles of water.  It is a habit I can not break, even though I know my tent is seriously quite leak proof, I still do it after intense rain.  It was dry as, so I roll over and wait for 6am.  

Today with so much rain, mist and cloud cover I struggled to send out my satellite messages, in the end I had to get out of my sleeping bag and wander up and down the edge of the water to send and receive, which is not that fun when it is raining and dark!   There was no change in the weather, still a strong NW wind and swell to paddle further north.  Back I crawl into my sleeping bag and wait till sunrise.  I get up and light a rather pathetic fire but enough to heat water for a hot drink and cook a small brekkie.  Not to many sandflies this morning and no rain so I stayed pottering outside.  

Soon the launch Myra B is heading towards me, I meet the team, Paul, Felicity, Alistair (thank you for the loan VHF), Jen, Arthur, Henry and Jeremy a few days earlier.  I was still trying to fix my VHF so I asked if they had a screwdriver I could borrow.  Yes was the reply so a quick change into my paddle clothing and onto the water I went.  T2 moored up at the back and I jumped on board.  The men on the boat set to work, I drink coffee, chat and eat chocolate.  We did get to the inner workings of the VHF, but none of us were brave enough to go further.  The motherboard parts looked scary, so they said here, take our spare hand held VHF.  Omg, how amazing, thank you.  I am couriering it back to them as soon as I reach Jackson Bay.  They all are amazing people and we could have spent hours chatting, but I was mindful they were heading home with a large deer strapped to the side of their launch to get back and have butchered.  As I left they asked, "Did I want supplies of anything?"  I have decided that I best never turn down the offer of food as maybe one day I will run out!  "Maybe," was my reply, "T2 will sink because I have too many supplies."  "What do you want?"  Coffee, oil, Easter eggs and crayfish!  With my bag of goodies off I set, I got their details, waved goodbye and paddled for shore.

As I paddled I see a small white inflatable heading to shore by the stream, they must be going hunting, I think.  I see them drag the inflatable up into the bush and trees but next thing I see them walking across the stream towards me with a black sack.  We exchange hi's, it turns out they were heading home and did I want this food they had left over?  "Well, why not?" I say, "I am here for three more days and still have not made it to my food parcel pickup yet!"  We got chatting, they were waiting on a helicopter to land just by the stream.  As we chatted Mark mentioned, "If it gets a bit much and too wet then just use my launch till you go!  Saves you getting wet and cramped for a few more days." 

The helicopter arrives, I chat to the pilot about the upcoming weather and he also confirms Friday is looking good.  Off they fly, I stand in amazement and just think OMG what an amazing few hours it has been!  Now, what to do?  Do I wait for the rain to come and pack down in the wet before I head to sit on the launch or do it now when it's dry?  I paddled over to check the launch out, Gulf Star.  I was still feeling guilty, but then I decided thank you Mark Johnson and Dave Anderson, offer accepted.  I packed up and am sitting on the back deck of a launch with T2 moored at the back.  On the way backwards & forward I see the resident dolphins swim through, they play briefly with me then continue on their mission.  A familiar yacht glides back into this harbour, we wave and I paddle over.  Derk is from Canada and we share stories, I swap some sand fly repellant for kingfish steaks!  Nice deal I think.  We say our goodbyes, he is going to try and head north this afternoon, I wish him luck.

After all of that it was 4.30pm so I went for a paddle to checkout a mussel and paua location and a huge waterfall across the sounds.  The falls were magnificent so I take my salty body and jump under it and in the pools below for a refreshing swim, I am addicted to waterfalls.  Sand flies washed away with the gushing water, me rinsed of salt and grime for another day I go back to T2 and find the paua and mussels.  I have so much food so I just look and remember for when I visit this place again, I am coming back for sure.  With that I glide back towards my bed for tonight, I clamber aboard and have kingfish steak, potatoes & lettuce for dinner, yumbo.

Dark now I feel like a squatter on this launch, headlamp on and torch for my lights, the couch seats look comfy and inviting.  Thank you to everybody I have met today, you all have been so incredibly generous.  We will meet again, I will never be able to say thank you enough but here I go...THANK YOU from this most grateful redhead. 

My smiles today:
Too every single person I have met today, you have truly made me smile.
The dolphins came to visit on such an amazing day.  Gold moments always.
My bed tonight, I wonder if I will sleep okay.
The incredible sight of Breaksea Sounds this evening as the cloud cover lifted for awhile.
Me and my journey, how each day brings a smile to me from the inside.

My thoughts today:
Happiness is found from within oneself, it is not what you have or what you look like it is an inner feeling.  Yep I am happy.

Red

Washing Waterfall

View from the 'shower'

DAY 147...Potatoes, VHF woes, Cod and a Hawk

Monday 21st March.

I went to sleep at midnight then woke every hour until 5am.  I had been very spoilt and due to bad weather last night Tutoko was still at Beach Harbour I had been offered a bed to sleep in for the night.  Unfortunately it meant that for the first time on this trip, I really truly worried about T2 and if my tent was okay or flooded.  As it got closer to 6am the team started to stir and coffee was brewed.  Breakfast was eaten up and I was ready to depart, the guys gave me the most amazing departure blessing it truly brought tears to my eyes.  Then off I stepped onto the little tender and speed off to the beach, knee deep into the water I jump in and pushed them back towards the mothership.  As I waved good bye I felt the warmth of their generosity, kindness & blessings sooth my soul.  This experience will stay with me forever.  To Dave and Dianne from Fiordland Expeditions, thanks for picking up this kayaking hitchhiker, it is totally appreciated.

I unzipped my tent and it is as dry as a bone.  T2 was securely still on top of the steep bank of rocks and tied to a massive tree stump.  I stood under the beech trees out of as much of the rain and mist as possible and I waved the Tutoko goodbye.

I returned to my tent to try and sort out my VHF.  I had been having issues, I could talk into it and be heard but I couldn't hear anyone talking to me or others at all!  After a while it started to work and I went phew, plan b is to get another sent to Blanket Bay and I will collect it from there.  I was tired and it was raining now, so I curled up and slept for about two hours, waking when I heard the other yacht and launch motor past and depart this harbour.  It was calm!  Not much rain and I was still here!  The caged tiger started to pace!  Do I move to the bay we had talked about?  I messaged the team to suggest I maybe paddle, poor them.  I came to my senses and just got into my gear and paddled around to Sunday Cove to see if my VHF was still working after it crackled into life earlier this morning.  Nope, it had stopped again.  I chatted to Ian, who had just returned from a cray fishing day, about the upcoming coastline, the weather and VHFs.  I then headed over to the DOC dive Team on the 'UNI' barge to see if they had any ideas about my VHF, when it crackled into life again?!  It is working, great.  

It then started to rain so I headed to leave and then was given food from Ian and his team, thank you.  Potatoes and lots of yummy stuff, I am in heaven.  All I need now is to catch a cod for dinner and I am sorted.  Would you believe it, I caught three!  Only kept one for dinner, I just enjoyed dragging in the others.  Back I paddled to a very low tide where I got T2 safely back to her above high tide position.  I decided to light a fire, I cooked my crispy fried potatoes, filleted my cod and fried this up with some herbs.  There was no rain, no sandflies, mist, a calm Breaksea Sound, a couple of launches and me.  It was simply magical, there are new waterfalls cascading down the steep mountains and hills after all of the rain we have had and pictures do not show how spectacular it is, these sights have to be seen to appreciated how grand a scale the sounds actually are. 

A couple of helicopters flew over, one was carrying a hunters deer.  Soon it was dark so into my tent I crawled, spent time talking to the team and messaging about organising a new VHF, mine has stopped working again!  Weather report in and it is shit till at least Thursday.  The caged tiger is ok now, she is fine to wait as everything happens for a reason.  I am catching fish, I have plenty of food, I am meeting amazing new people in this remote location and when it is time I will paddle. Until then I am going to truly absorb this wondrous place I am in.

My smiles today: 
The blessing on the boat.  Thank you guys, inspirational.
My really bad skills at stabbing a cod.
My bag of potatoes, Ian you are a rock star.
My fire lighting skills after three days of rain, success
The hawk that came and watched while I cut up the cod and then got given the head to eat.  Serene and elegant.

My thoughts today:
How incredible and totally magnificent this part if NZ is, I will never forget.  Make the choice to make it a day worth living.

Good night from Red, T2 & my Macpac tent.

The Hawk posing after eating his cod head.

PS: Due to popular demand we will be posting multiple blogs per day to catch up to the current date.  Make sure you keep track of where you have read up to so you don't get lost, or subscribe below to get updates straight to your inbox daily.
N

DAY 146...Aboard the Tutoko

Sunday 20th March

Rain, rain and rain.  The thundering winds came back at midnight but as I was out of the wind tunnel now so everything stayed put.  I was nice and dry and warm as fresh toast so I lay in bed until 8am and finally got up in between rain showers.  I headed to the stream furtherest away from me to attempt to wash my hair and have a quick refreshing wash down.  I have found it is best to attempt this when it is raining as there are no sandflies.  When I was still on the beach I saw a small dingy out on the water heading towards my end of the lagoon.  I stood, watched and waited, not sure if I wanted to meet them while I was mid wash!  They were heading my way and came to say hi. Meri from bluff had told them to that I was in their area.  He then uttered the magic words, "Would you like a hot shower?"  "YES!"  Was my enthusiastic reply so with shampoo, conditioner and razor already in my pocket I jumped in the dingy and went over to the launch to meet everyone.

Showered and dried with a fluffy white towel, fed and watered with hot coffee and a big meal, matched only by the big smile on my face.  I chatted with everyone and they were great company.  I was aboard the Tutoko, a Fiordland Exhibiditions charter boat.  To Dianne, Dave and everyone else, thank you for picking up this 'Kayaking Hitch-Hiker'.  At about 1.30pm they were heading back to Doubtful Sounds so I jumped ship and waved goodbye, big hugs and fond farewells.  

I spent the next few hours rearranging my tent, airing and wiping the floor of dead sandflies, sand and leaves, and generally marveling at how clean I was for a change!  I reset everything and sat down to a meal of chocolate bars and chippies, courtesy of the guys aboard Tutoko.  I was nice and content with a warm, full feeling.  I wandered outside to check on T2 and Tutoko arrived back.  They had turned around at Breaksea due to bad weather and I was back on board for the evening, how blessed am I?  We had so much fun, and I even had some shooting practise from the boat.  

Thank you all for my day today, it will be with me forever.  So much inspiration was to be found with this bunch of guys.  It was an incredible day and I will stop by to say hi as I paddle up the North Island.

My smiles today:
What can I say about today?  I am TRULY BLESSED.  My smiles are for Tutoko and all aboard.

My thoughts today:
There are some amazing cool people in these 'Sounds'.

Red

Waving goodbye to the Tutoko

DAY 145...Beach Harbour

Saturday 19th March

This morning started at 2am, not to paddle but to be woken by the noise of my fly sheet trying to fly like a kite!  I had not tied off to a tree or down to the ground so in the rain I crawled out of my tent, head torch on, and attempted to rearrange the fly tent and hunt for the pegs to secure it.  Back into the tent I crawled and sat and listened, it was eerily calm and tranquil until like a freight train you would hear the wind spiral off the mountains, through the trees and then hit the tent.  For the next two hours I suffered through my mediocre attachment of the flysheet then at 4am I got up again.  I pushed each peg as far in the ground as I could and placed rocks on any flapping surfaces.  I returned to my sleeping bag but still could not sleep, so I just lay and tried to smile at being dry and not on the water.  I thought, imagine if I was in my hammock tent tonight, I would have been blown right out!  By day light I got up and watched the whirlwinds on the water spiral towards us and around on the water, it was pretty incredible.  T2 was high and dry on the bank, far away from the high tide line, thank goodness, as I had thought about tying her to a tree and leaving her afloat!  At ten am there are still big gusts but they seem to have calmed a little and the birds are now singing, so, good news I guess.  To keep myself happy I am having hot sweet popcorn for breakfast , I love the fact that it is so quick and easy but still delicious.  It will be a lot of tent time today, resting until the storm passes, I am okay with this.  

As I write my blog in the evening, I can say that my earlier thoughts of the storm abating were wrong.  The entire day we were bashed and beaten by the wind, intense rain, crazy wind gusts, poor me and my tent.  In a brief respite from the wether I unpegged my tent and quickly dragged it, still erect, behind some bigger trees for a little more protection.  I think it helped, it helped my mind and nerves at any rate!  It is still raining and there are a few thundering gusts but it is a lot better at the moment.  An early dinner of mussels and pipi fritters with fresh tomatoes care of the CB guys, a sweet hot tea and I am ready to sleep, I am not sure what tonight will bring.

Today I was inside my tent 90% of the day, I was only outside to check tie downs and look at the crazy weather.  The report is for more of the same tomorrow, two launches and one yacht are with me in this harbour so I am thinking I will be safe from the wind tonight.  

My smiles today:
Mother Nature and her immense force.
My 20+ year old Macpac tent surviving.
My sleeping bag, dry and warm.
The peaceful sounds of no wind.

My thoughts today:
I am in such a special place, the battle to get here has been tough somedays, just like our lives we all live in.  Keep battling and keep dreaming BIG.

Red

Can you see the weather coming through the valley?

DAY 144...Cascade Cove to Beach Harbour

Friday 18th March

As I went to sleep last night I could hear the Morepork and the guys on Chasin' Beaver having a great time, it was nice to hear some voices, kind of comforting.  I woke early and lay in my warm cocoon until I could not stay still any longer.  I started packing my gear down and getting ready for another days paddle, we had agreed to wait a while late today so I did not get too much current.  I packed everything into T2 and headed over to say goodbye to the CB team.  They were cooking up breakfast, which they offered me as well, so I chatted and sat on board eating bacon, eggs, beans and toast washed down with a large mug of coffee, yumbo.

We talked and laughed and it was an enjoyable hour spent, then it was time for me to push off towards Long Island, Porpoise Point and Acheron Passage.  As I left Cascade Cove the yachting couple from Pickersgul Harbour motored past saying the the weather out there is bad for the next few days.  I so wanted to stay at Cascade Cove but my paddle was all in and around the sheltered sounds, hopefully only a 30km day and it would be fine.

It was another enjoyable, gob-smackingly beautiful paddle day, there was mist, rain, sunshine and it was totally magical.  There is nowhere like this in the North Island, and as I paddled I thought every bad day, every tough paddle stroke was worth it, to see these sounds from T2 and feel the majestic feeling from the mountain and terrain.  Seals, shags, seagulls all drifted past me.

I stayed tucked next to the magnificent cliffs most of the time and just looked up, it was like paddling on a clam lake.  As I paddled into Acheron Passage, I again had to pinch myself, oh how cool, this passage leading from one sound to another, how the heck did Captain Cook feel when he discovered these places, what a magic time.  I stopped halfway down the passage to eat some lunch, more crayfish (thanks to the CB team).  It was so quiet, peaceful, totally overcoming in fact, so grand, just me in tiny T2 just sitting.

Off I set for my final destination Sunday Cove or Beach Harbour.  I was not sure as I reached Sunday Cove, there was not a location for a little kayak to pull in or camp easily so I pushed on to Beach Harbour.  Beaches here but again I did not want to pull in and stop paddling so I glided further down the sounds for a little while.  With my tracker on I got a couple messages saying,  "You may have gone too far!  You have missed the beach!" Thanks guys for watching, I turned and headed back and it was getting close to 5pm and I had things to set up, like my tent!  Then it started to rain, so by the time I had the tent up and flysheet over I was dripping wet.  I threw my gear into the tent, closely followed by me to dry off.  Messages sent to say I was okay then dinner to cook.  Crayfish and blue cod, how divine.  When can you say you have eaten too much crayfish?  Never!

Another delightful beautiful day in the sounds.  Thanks NZ for having such amazing coasts, you continue to surprise and delight me.  I sit in my warm, dry tent eating crayfish, messaging people and just thinking holly heck you are one very lucky person, what a dream.

My smiles today:
Breakie with the CB team.
Two crayfish eaten today, you jealous?
Calm glass like ocean :)
Acheron Passage, you made me smile
Rain on my tent
Food parcel getting closer

My thoughts today:
To my support team who have total belief and faith in me I am truly grateful to you all.

Goodnight from Beach Harbour, from Red and T2

PS:  Today (15 April) Red paddled into Jackson Bay.  This has been her first contact with the crew in 43 days!  She is off having a hot shower and is looking forward to sleeping in Cuzzie tonight, away from the wind and sandflies.  She will be paddling again tomorrow and I will endeavour to get some blogs and pictures up while she is on the water, thanks for your patience.  N.

Support Team Checking In

It's been awhile since I chimed in with a blog, but the weather is keeping Red out of reach for longer than we expected.  Currently (14 April) she is sitting at the northern end of Barn Bay, about 32km from Jackson Bay where Cuzzie and I will see her for the first time in over a month.  Tomorrow or Saturday are looking promising for her to make the last push to meet us. 

The past month has been quite different for me, I have had no caged tiger to take out for walks so I have had to fill my days elsewise.  After spending some time in Queenstown I popped out to Wanaka where I bumped into Mike and Jan Scanlan.  Their friend Ruth kindly made room at the dinner table for me and an enjoyable evening was had sipping wine and playing Backgammon.  Thanks for the chance to catch up and all the lovely fresh produce from the garden.  

Sunset at Ruths

It was then back to Queenstown to organise a food parcel to be taken out to Red.  I then flew back to Auckland for work and a chance to visit friends and relatives.  I also went down to Napier to attend a fundraiser put on by the Hawke's Bay French Association.  They raised $1140 for the Mental Health Foundation in our name.  Huge thanks to Franki and the rest of the community.  On the fifth I flew back to Queenstown to be reunited with Cuzzie and hopefully soon Red.  The weather has not been on our side so I have ended up with ten days to wind around the lower South Island and take in her sights.

Lake Hayes.  Not a bad view to wake up to.

I spent a few nights camping at Lake Hayes, it was a great base for Queenstown when I was expecting any day to head out to the West Coast to meet Red.  There is a beautiful walking/cycle track around the lake that I would recommend if you are in the area.  Not too strenuous and lots of picture opportunities.  A stopover near Cromwell produced this shot...

Free range apples!

And filled the larder for a few days.  Then on to Twizel for a coffee and a sit on the red tractor, before continuing to Lake Tekapo for a look around.

This was just before I startled a rabbit.

Then for a night in the foothills of Mt Cook.  A good spot to curl up in my sleeping bag and finish my book, The Chimes, by kiwi author Anna Smaill.  I cannot stop raving about this book!  Loved it.  Cuzzie didn't like the negative temperatures and was slower than me to get going in the cold morning.  When we did it was worth it, picked an absolutly stunning day to climb the track to Muller Hut.

Gruelling at times, but worth every step.  (There were 1878 stairs to climb before halfway!)

I am now back in Wanaka, the fridge is stocked with lots of yummy fresh food, and tomorrow I will head for Haast and hopefully on to Jackson Bay to meed Red.  We are in contact every day and I try to pass on as many of your messages as I can.  She has her good days and her bad days, and as always is making friends with the locals as she goes along.  Let's all hope the wind is calm tomorrow, or I will have to find more stories for you.

N

DAY 143...Landing Bay to Cascade Cove

Thursday 17th March

I went to bed early last night, my mood and emotions had been tormented by the ocean and the wind. I had the yuck head on me, the forecast was not great for leaving but it would get better as I passed West Cape.  I had stared at the exit of Landing Bay and I did not like it, ah well.  "So" and "settle petal" came to mind, as a certain person always messages me when I am having a grump moment.  I cannot help but smile, damn you!  Eyes closed, hoodie up and sleeping bag pulled tightly over my head to block out the sea noise and he world.

At about midnight I woke, it was weird, no noise.  The ocean was quiet, the wind had gone.  Really?  I woke up at 2am and again at 4am and bugger it, I was up. I packed down everything, got dressed and and waited for my weather update, it was all good!  Everything was way better than last night indicted, the swells were a little high, but I could cope with that.  No whistling wind, yippee.

Breakfast by head torch, I then packed T2.  She had spare space today, better packing.  As it got light we departed, it was a little cool but paddling soon got me warm.  Way out the back, safe from any breaking waves we weaved and then turned north for the West Cape and further on to Dusky Sounds.  As the sun rose behind me the sky lit up shades of pink, grey and blue with numerous Albatrosses sweeping past me and over the swells.  The day was okay, actually it was a truly amazing sunrise and it was really nice on the water.  No whistling winds.  The only things that were a little slow was the ticking of the kms, the tide was against us for much of today so I just had to paddle and be content with a wonderful day.  No speed records today.

Rugged cliffs, rugged coastline and magic clear blue sky.  There was not one cloud today that appeared.  West Cape came and went, so we were aimed at the tip of Dusky Sounds.  Picture postcard incredible, jaw droopingly beautiful, it was magic, even if the current was still heading out against me.  I stopped often heading into Dusky sounds, to answer messages and hope the tide would turn, and to just look aorund, wow what a welcome.

I did not want to stop paddling today it is the first time for a while I can say I did not want my paddle to end.  Firstly I aimed at Pikering Harbour by Crayfish Island.  There was one yacht moored in this little spot, renowned to be a Captain Cook haunt.  I chatted with the couple but there was no real beach access for me and T2.  I headed to Cascades Cove and I am so glad I did, it is like a lake and I just paddled then sat and looked around.  Mussels everywhere on the rocks but where to camp?  I looked a bit more then found the mooring with the freshwater.  I paddled in and out of each cranny of the bay, and in the end I deiced sunshine, pebbles, rocks with mussels.

I quickly unloaded T2, set u p my tent and threw everything inside.  I cooked up some fresh mussels and ran back to T2 with my hand line, we were off fishing.  We were successful and dinner tonight is complemented with Blue Cod, what a feast.  There were huge schools of Kingfish but they did not want my lure today.  I am glad in a way as I am not sure what I would have done with such a huge fish!  It was fun having them swim behind and under T2 like a school of dolphin.

Fire lit, fish scaled and sort of filleted with my dive knife and I was ready to cook dinner.  I noticed a red boat heading down into Cascade Cove.  I waved to them and heard them say, "Red?  Let's go see."  What a small world, these are the guys who took my food drop to Blanket Bay for me.  It was great to chat, they threw me oranges, tomatoes and a crayfish!  I am so happy, I have to totally thank them, thank you guys on the Chasin Beaver.

Tonight is a very special night, there is no noise except the Morepork in the treetops and the guys laughing in their moored boat.  It is calm, tranquil and magical.  T2 and I are so very happy, and there are lots of firsts in my smiles

My smiles today:
Blue Cod
Crayfish, fresh oranges and tomatoes, cheers guys.
Dusky Sounds you are truly amazing, better than the post card pictures.
The insane sandflies, crazy.
The sky this morning, beautiful.

My thoughts today:
The downs of yesterday are transformed to todays new highs, amazing.

Red

DAY 142...Landing Bay Fourth Day

Wednesday 16th March

Nothing had changed, I knew it wouldn't.  The wind was not as relentless last night and I slept well, only waking a couple of times to roll over and enjoy the warmth of my sleeping bag.  My hot water bottle rocks, yes I have a good sleeping bag but I hate being cold, it makes my grumpy, hence why I like fires and hot drinks, they warm my soul.  The sea is still thunderous outside so I know it is a day off the water and with no wind direction change from yesterday I also know there is no exploration of the inlet paddling either, ah well.

Today I get up and to get a routine going I light my fire, further up in another calmer clearing I found last night away from the gusting wind and the ocean, I did think about moving my tent to this spot, but only if I am stuck for another 7 days or so.  The fire was easy to start, so chores time.  I walked along to the stream to have a refreshing wash, grabbed water and returned to boil it and have breakfast.  This all takes time so I waste most of the morning doing this stuff.   Low tide arrives today and I make myself go for a two hour rock explore to the opposite end of the beach, nil.  I got real thirsty so I headed back and sat leaning up on T2 in the sun and wind while I drank my water.  The ocean was as the day started, covered in whitecaps, insanely windy and not giving up.  I actually turned my back on the ocean today and came and sat in the forest next to my fire.  No point being tormented, enjoy the beautiful bush setting, the warm sunlight and the fire.  I carried up some massive driftwood pieces (my gym training done) and loaded the fire, it was fab warm and a comfort.  What has also been great about he last two days is the insane cold wind meant no sandflies!  This has impressed me just a little.  During the day a few messages came through and it is always nice to hear from people about what they have been doing and their thoughts and feelings.  Thanks everyone, I do really appreciate it.  

Today I sit and study my maps of the coast line and possible bays to pull into, as I have been told I may have two small windows tomorrow to get to Dusky sounds, lets see.  For now that is really is my day, time soon to cook diner, heat water and message all about the weather.  The bush is amazing, so tranquil , so peaceful and so untouched.  it is a privilege to be able to sit and enjoy it, it is a special place that only a few have seen.  The birdlife is back and singing their songs, and also a couple of sandflies have returned, not so nice.

My smiles today:
My cold freshwater swim.
Looking at my all terrain pair of Crocs, they made me laugh, so ugly but so useful.
The NZ bush and beech trees and a world many will never see, a special place
Me carrying huge tree stumps and logs to keep fit and fuel my fire.
Drinking hot water flavoured with jelly crystals, it is actually yum.
The sun, my fire and my beautiful glade I sit in right now.

My thoughts today:
As a helicopter flies over this bay, I think is that an omen?  Or my food drop!  Neither, just a lucky tramper going bush :)

Red

DAY 141...Landing Bay Third Day

Tuesday 15th March

Southwesterly winds straight into my bay, the tent is pitched sideways to the wind and rain, but it is still unpleasant.  I stayed tucked up in my tent until 11am, then the rain stopped and I got out.  There was no way to light a safe fire, in this wind sparks would go everywhere, and my flysheet would already know what that is like, a few brown holes.

Today breakfast was a hot, sugary sweet popcorn with lashings of coconut oil and a hot, sweet ginger tea.  I sit for a while and have to encourage myself to head out in the cold strong winds, but I put on heaps of layers, grabbed my foraging knife and headed off into the intense blustering wind.  Out on the rocks and low tide rock hopping, looking, hoping and still nothing.  I spent two hours today on the low and incoming tide and this is not my lucky beach, never mind.  As the high tide rolled in again I looked and made a mental note that I would not be finshing tonight if the winds were still the same as it is gross and yuck on the beach today, bone chilling if not in the sunshine and even then the wind wins the day, cold.

Back at the tent I check my recharging unit, it has been working its magic and the rechargeables are fully charged.  I check in with the support crew and get a lovely message, saying my fellow kayakers from earlier in the trip, John and Kristie, have left me their spare food at Kisbee lodge, about 25km back from where I have come.  Thanks to you both, I do envy the chopper ride you both had :)  Safe paddling, see you both one day soon.  Probably a very smart idea as the weather is still being very unkind at the moment.  Will it change?  I am not sure.  Kisbee Bay, now here is my dilemma, 25kms back to look for food, or 140kms to my nest food drop?  Lets see what the weather does, and maybe a fishing boat might be ale to help me out, I do not wish to paddle backwards.

A long windy day, what to do?  I was cold so I lit a fire well away from the wind, then I filled my hot water bottle with water and cooked dinner.  I put the hot water bottle in my sleeping and once my food was cooked I also got into my now warm sleeping bag, bliss.  The best piece of equipment, my $2 hot water bottle.  It is still blowing a gale, now directly into the back of my tent.  I had tent moving time this afternoon as I felt any minute now the tent was going to be blown sideways, so I unpegged it and dragged it.  Chaos for a little while but I am much happier now, and far more secure.

A happy day, well, there has been moments and there have been some times when I wished I had packed my book, my knitting needles and a deck of cards, but I wandered, kept positive and even talked to the bird life.  It feels weird wandering though this dense NZ bush, lots of deer have been around but none in my sights, I only have my video camera so they are safe.  Bed time, more yuckie winds tomorrow, but my time soon.

My smiles today:
The birds, so friendly.
My hot water bottle.
My moving my tent while still upright.
My sweet popcorn for brunch.
My day 2 nil success on foraging.

My thoughts today:
Today you have the choice to smile ranter than frown, be grateful, accept.  Today you have the choice to laugh or cry, both will make you feel better.

Goodnight from Red and T2

DAY 140...Landing Bay Second Day

Monday 14th March

No paddling today, oh painfully slow it is at the moment.  At 2am this morning I woke and I had to go and check on T2, the on going bad dream of mine.  Wind gusts all night, I awoke hungry at 4am and grabbed some chocolate to eat.  Back to sleep until 6am and then I messaged my team and asked, "The weather is shit, correct?"  Correct, was their unanimous reply.  Going nowhere again today, there were white cpas on the inlet all day, there were a couple of fishing boats moored in my bay trying to shelter from the wind, they only left at 6pm and the rain, mist and mighty wind dropped.

It was too rough and windy on the water to take T2 out, the ocean had the last laugh.  My day of food foraging was a big fat nil today, no Paua, and then this afternoon no fish from the rocks.  I clambered and climbed the rocks and got completely drenched by the waves at high tide to go fishing.   Actually I think my Dad was watching from above and I could hear him say, "I taught you better skills than that to get across rocks with out waves getting you."  LOL, yes he did teach me well, but my timing was a little out today.  My bush walks today were beautiful and filled with bird song.  Plenty of signs of deer but no chance of seeing one as I am far to noisy, I did try and look  but no luck.

Another day is over and I am tucked up in my sleeping bag, listening to the rain on my tent, it is a nice sound.  Today has been a slow day for me and again my patience is being tested, I want to scream with rage!  But what is the point?  It is what is it and I will move forward again soon.  I did find an amazing bubbling rock stream today, and after getting soaked by the ocean I returned to this stream and had a wonderful refreshing swim, luckily enough it was too windy for the sandflies and I managed to dry and redress with no bites, what a success.  Bedtime, it is warmer, far warmer than Stewart Island.  tomorrow, let's see, fish for dinner?  Maybe.

My smiles:
The fantails, very pretty and cheeky.
The waves drenching me!
The freshwater stream, so refreshing.
My mood today, not all smiles, but some.

My thoughts today:
Today make the choice to make it a day worth living and don't forget tomorrow is another day.

Red

DAY 139...Welcome Bay to Landing Bay

Sunday 13th March

As I went to bed last night I messaged the team about the weather and said should I paddle or do I go fishing in this bay.  Go fishing was the decision.  At 4am and 5am I sort of stirred but it wasn't until 7.20am that I got up and checked my messages.  It looked calm out there, perhaps I could get out on the water and get another 17km further before the wind picked up. The swells looked small...

In a rush, I had a three hour window if I was lucky, I packed and jammed everything into T2 and one hour later was on the water.  I held my breath, but it was as calm at 9.30 as it was at 7am.  Off we glided, out of Welcome Bay towards Chalky Island, in between and out the other side.  There were a couple of gusts but MN was not bothered by me today.  I could see Landing Bay up ahead and pushed on.  It became a bit of a battle at the very end as the wind gusts funnelled over the massive mountains but the 17km were nailed, and I was into the next bay.

Sandfly cream on, I messaged the support team to say I was there then landed on the beach to a welcoming party of hundreds of sandflies.  My headscarf, jacket and baggy woollen leggings are great because they can't seem to bite through them, such bliss.

I reset my camp, put out the solar panel and looked around.  Landing Bay is strewn with piles of seaweed, heaps of driftwood, empty Paua and other shells and is a totally different to beach to what I left.  I am hoping for great foraging, there are lots of fantails and a couple of black robins.  I have seen numerous deer footprints and I wish I knew more bird sounds as sitting in my tent sounds like the arrival sounds when you land and walk though the Auckland Airport Terminal, so many different bird songs, incredible.

Today was short and sweet, but I did move north, today has been a day of decamping and resetting up.  Today was generally a rather random day, when it is such a short paddle I forget I have even been on the water.  The views into Chalky Inlet are like postcards, the mountains huge and jaw droopingly beautiful.  There are fishing boats about and a strange eerie clam now, very deceptive as the clouds race overtop of me and the hills behind me.  Trust the weather forecast Red and enjoy a causal explore into a couple of the sounds while you wait for the wind to suit the next section.

As I sit in my tent with my little torch and write my blog I again have to pinch myself, what an incredible journey this is, and again today the landscapes took my breath away.  Thank you, my dream is pretty real and awesome.

My smiles today:
The pace I packed T2 this morning.
The humour I have about the sandflies.
The cute fantails and robins, special.
My team, you are all incredible.
To Nat for jamming in so many potatoes!

My thoughts today:
Attract what you expect, reflect what you desire, become what you respect, mirror what you admire.

Red

DAY 138...Green Islets to Welcome Bay

Saturday 12th March

"SUPERSTITIONS"

At 4am my alarm went off, firstly I could not work out why I could hear wind chimes in my half asleep mode.  "You idiot, it is your alarm!" I turned on my light and slowly went about my inside tent pack down, got my kayak gear on and all my dry bags packed into one pile by the door.  We all have systems and once this is done I put my headlamp on and head outside my tent.  Firstly I pack down a very wet flysheet, then grab my carry bag and load everything into it.  Last but not least I fold, roll and stuff my tent as tightly as possible into a very damaged and sad looking dry bag. Then I Iook around at the still very dark morning.  There is still a small pile of firewood, I move it onto yesterdays embers and hope I will get lucky.  I pull T2 onto the beach near the water, the tide is still going out so I do not stress that she will start the trip without me.  Then I methodically carry all my gear down and slowly pack all my gear into her storage cockpits.  Everything has a place and now I have eaten seven days worth of Nat's never ending potato stash (I luved them actually) she is a little lighter.  

I head back to my campsite to check for what I have missed in the early morning haze and find a tent peg.  Back down to T2 I put my lifejacket and spray skirt on and wait for my final weather update.  The news is good, my calm weather window has increased and I should get a bit further than I initially hoped.  It is not yet dawn and it is too dark yet for me to navigate Green Islets rocks and swells, so I look to check that everything is in its correct place.  I look over to my campsite and like magic my campfire springs to life, so for twenty minutes I stand by the fire and feel the warmth.  I stop and say thank you, this had been seven days, each different, my emotions changing as quickly as the weather.

By 630am it is getting light and I am ready to go.  I throw sand on the fire, jump in to T2 and push off.  I am treated to the most amazing sunrise showing though the hole in the rock, black, orange, red pink.  INCREDIBLE!  It deserves a more descriptive word but caps will have to do.  It is as though Green Islets are saying their final farewell, I will never forget this departure, this stunning sunrise, this place.

Calm and tranquil we glide out.  I am anxious, I have a dry mouth and I am praying for a smooth paddle to Puysegur and beyond.  MN looked after me today, it was beautiful, the way I wanted it to be.  Simple and easy we slipped along, up and down two meter swells, out past rocky heads.  I saw a fishing boast far off in the distance and soon the first 20kms were done and the lighthouse was in sight.  I stopped and ate a Sante Bar and had my first drink since leaving the beach.  I was on track for Welcome Bay but thought I would check in with the support crew to see if I could push on further.  They said the wind at Preservation Inlet was picking up and to paddle quickly as the wind was picking up and there was not much time left.

If I was not superstitious before then I am totally now. No sooner than I had been cleared to paddle on this calm, windless ocean and tucked my InReach safely away MN sent big wind gusts, turned the ocean to white caps and raised the swell, all within five minutes.  Holy Crap!  Okay, okay, I am listening to you, thank you for letting me paddle, I will only go as far as Welcome Bay, like I promised.

Until I landed on the beach MN slapped me with every massive gust of wind she could, how dare I want to go any further than 30km!  I climb up into the beech forrest and locate my tent site, then the set up begins, tent, gear, fire, food.  Then I take time to mentally unwind, I am chuffed to have been allowed such a smooth passage around Puysegur Point, I feel blessed.  Mentally this section has played on my mind, MN has shown me over the last seven days her many dimensions of strength while I was sitting at Green islets.

Happy, warm and tired, I have hot food, hot coffee and a nice bed, high and dry.  There are only a few sandflies and I am mostly hidden from the huge gusts.  Dare I say it, but at last I have been allowed to slip past Puysegur and nail this section.  I am looking forward to Fiordland.

My smiles today:
Blessed with the most special sunrise.
Blessed with a smooth and tranquil Puysegur passage
MN and her strength.
Beech trees and my campsite.
My support crew and their weather reports.
The sound of a tranquil beach.
The many sandflies that have just found me!

My thoughts today:
Be disciplined, set yourself great goals.  If you learn patience and respect, are determined and willing to sacrifice, I reckon we can all achieve.  Sacrifice, how much do you really want that goal?

Red