Lions v Lambs
(Barbarians=barbars=lambs!)
And Rob’s own Challenge
The weather forecast for the first Rugby Game on the 3rd June could not have been more saturated but fortunately the rain stopped around 11.00am in time for the fine Haka display by the local Hatea Maori tribe, so we did not have to wear the dubious cagoule you see in the picture. The Toll Stadium where it was to be held is quite new, has hosted two World Cups already and is made of sand, so it is well drained and the players kept remarkably clean.
We found our seats on the second row back and with no one sitting infront of us, we had a perfect view. The Sky TV drone flew at the other end of the pitch, displaying his port and starboard lights, and a Sky cameraman whizzed around on the smooth hard surface on his Segway. We subsequently have seen him on the TV at other matches too. Feels as if we know him.
At first I couldn’t understand why we were making no progress down the pitch towards our goal then realised the Lambs were as keen as a bunch of terriers on defence. It was a great exciting start but the Lions clearly needed to get their act together more.
The lady behind us cheered on the Lambs as if they were all her sons, but her warmth extended to us too and the atmosphere was friendly and keen. The chap next to me was the sole owner of Diesel Tech and looks after many of the vessels on the river, a useful contact I thought.
We even managed an all-round Mexican Wave.
Four days later, at Dickens Inn in town we watched the Lions beaten by the Blues at Eden Park Auckland 22-16 and three days later we were surprised by the bad tempered Christchurch side, the Crusaders who were soundly beaten by our Lions 12 – 3.
Tempers improved for a well-mannered match against the Dunedin Highlanders who achieved a border victory 23-22 over the Welsh Lions.
I felt sorry for the Maori All Blacks in their game v our Lions. At first they seemed to match equally the opposition but then our Lions just seemed to roar away and their defence all but collapsed. We gained another sound victory 32-10.
We’re off into town again this eve so watch this space.
I have enclosed a photo of how the Hospice shop dealt with the visitors and some night shots of our walk back to Zoonie after the first game just down the road from us, what a happy coincidence that was, and of course we wouldn’t have seen the match if we had left to sail north with everyone else.
Limestone Island, Matakohe
The red hulled Waipapa day trip boat is moored up near the canopy bridge and bore witness to Zoonie’s near disaster being situated just metres away. She takes folks down the river on a variety of trips and the one we chose was to Limestone Island (Matakohe) in the Whangarei River on a beautiful Sunday in the winter season with only a handful of other punters and in the company of our good friends Gail and Tony. It happened to be the day the white van drove into all those innocent people on London Bridge before the occupants committed unspeakable atrocities on their victims.
Whangarei Heads, the high and mighty crags to the right of the river entrance we passed on our arrival all those months ago, were in the deep purple distance on that day. We moored up close to the old concrete wharf where the 1860-1916 cement produced in the nearby quarry was loaded on to ships for export.
The early Maori settlers turned the fertile northern slopes into Kumara (sweet potato) fields which can still be seen by virtue of their topography and lack of trees. The Pakeha or European settlers arrived in the early 1830’s to process flax, build boats and produce cement and at one time there were 200 people living, working, marrying, making families and dying on the tiny 40 hectare island.
Today pretty little fantails flit around us as if showing off the heritage of their home. A few sheep graze and hop in and out of the door-less boarding house looking like appropriate residents standing at the open doors. The photo is of a marquetry fantail from a picture at the Kauri Museum. 
Volunteers assist the Friends of Matakohe Limestone Island Society to re-establish the ancient ecology of the island and North Island Kiwi, skinks and geckos now make the island their home.
We scrambled up smooth, well-worn paths behind shipwreck bay where the rusting skeletons of the Tiri and Victoria barges are strewn over the pebbles. Down past the Managers House, a perfect concrete shell of a once seminal home, to the Old Quarry Site. Back along the Ridgetrack we had fine views over the old kumara gardens and a neat little anchorage which we might use at a later date. Rangers are present on the island, keeping an eye on things.
We only had just over an hour to explore and thought of our next visit, hopefully with Gail and Tony and Zoonie sitting happily at anchor.
Zoonie’s lift out and refit.
Early on a pleasant Tuesday morning Brian of Whangarei Marina came up to Zoonie’s stern in his launch and tied it to Zoonie’s stern starboard quarter in readiness give us an alongside tow down to the Riverside Marina where she would be lifted out. The prop seal behind the engine had seized and had we started the engine river water would start seeping in and we did not want that.
Within an hour of our arrival Karl operated the hoist and Mo started spraying off the thick ‘furry’ coat of weed, barnacles and oysters (appropriate!?) The row of osmosis blisters that have been growing along the waterline over the past three years were revealed and as the antifoul on the waterline that we had had raised in Poole was cleaned off the paint flew off in places revealing the old water line. They hadn’t bothered to rub down the blue boot topping before applying the new Coppercoat.
Re-wiring Zoonie required all the floor boards on one side to be lifted so living aboard would have been a nuisance to Mark, the electrician, and impossible for us so we carried our small clothes bags on to Cetacea upon Gail and Tony’s kind invitation and spent a week sharing meals, films, drinks and company.
The day after ‘the lift’ our NZ Visitors Visas arrived and on the Thursday we booked our flights home on July 17th arriving UK on the 18th.
The cables are now laid and the new bow prop installed. The prop seal is done and do you by any chance remember the black water tank issue? Well it had to be removed as it sat over where the old and new bow props are located so Mo helped Rob with the charming job of spray washing it and Rob has now taken off all the pipes on the top and re-installed the tank ready to refix the pipes so they are tight. The loosest one did not have a washer or sealant under it. So along with the non-self-priming pump that burned out after the first use and no washers under the pipe fittings, it never was going to work was it. Also the bottom of the gauge and part of the breather system were just lying in the bottom of the tank.
We are so glad that we are on board while this work is being done and we can literally check everything as it is installed.
I had a nice canine interlude recently. Alex who has been working on the engine sometimes brings his thick brown coated husky called Bear to work with him. He is only 18 months old and is interested in everything, I discovered when I took him for a walk around the Hatea Loop. There are cardboard cut outs of all the rugby players in the Lions team situated on both sides of the walk and he could not understand why they did not move. We stood for a few minutes on the canopy bridge as he watched the ducks. He hugged the ground as other dogs came over to see him and loved the people who made a fuss of him, he is very cuddly looking. He is also very strong and I had to hold him by the collar when he was tempted to leap off on some errand.
On another of my walks with Bear the other day we peeped in through the window at the Town Basin Marina and saw an envelope in the ‘Z’ pigeon-hole post pox. Can only be for us I thought. Looking at the back I saw on the envelope, ‘For the 18th’ and realised it was a special card for Rob. I hid it in my bag and handed it over on the Sunday morning before the day got underway. Perfect timing for Father’s Day on Charly’s part.
I was just walking in the marina recently when I saw a catamaran making its way up river. I then noticed it was called Windance III. Well that belongs to Christina and Werner I thought. Gail joined me and we walked around to the Town Basin where they had moored up and went to meet them. We thought that when they left the marina a few weeks ago we might never see them again so this was a real treat. They are selling their boat and the buyer wanted a survey done and a lift out down river. So when that is all complete they will fly home to South Africa which is where we may see them again one day.
They joined us aboard Cetacea for a Mexican supper that evening and neatly secured all the friendship ties we thought might be left broken. So that was nice. We reminisced over the evening we spent at the ‘Fakaa Ladies Night’ in the Bounty Bar Vavau, Tonga where the three of us danced on a table so we could better see the show.
Escape Weekend to Andrea and Mark in Auckland
We have just returned from a weekend in Auckland with friends Andrea and Mark whom we met on a Swim with Spinner Dolphins trip in Niue. There was plenty of Rugby to be watched on their TV, NZ All Blacks v Samoans 78-0!! And the Welsh Lions again v The Tongans 23-6.
We could do with more of the rain we are enduring at present on Saturday evening to favour the Lions in their first test match against the NZ All Blacks. Tuesday night you may have watched their decisive victory over the Hampton Chiefs 34-6. As our defence strengthened the Chiefs fell about with frustration which showed as the game progressed.
Some negative NZ behaviour was reported when NZ supporters in their cars impeded the progress of the Lions coach to the stadium so they arrived only 60 minutes before kick-off.
But I suppose that is just human nature. To balance that it was nice to read on the plaque at the top of One Tree Hill in Auckland the reverence and respect that motivated Sir John Logan Campbell to erect his obelisk to the achievements and character of the Great Maori People.
Today such respect has been dissolved by the western greed for land, property and wealth. Andrea and Mark have for years watched areas of Auckland that were historically occupied by a wide diversity of cultures become the over-priced enclaves of the nouveau riche mainly descendants of European immigrants. Where large families lived, many of them Maori, the price of property has rocketed forcing their youngsters to leave Auckland to find more affordable homes. The parents then sell up to go and join them and their homes are bought by young professionals.
This is just one of the many aspects of NZ life that reflects the western characteristic of environmental exploitation and greed in comparison to the Maori concept of land guardianship and respect for nature.
There are no photos of what must be fabulous views from the top of One Tree Hill because on the day we were there it sat on a cushion of fog. The one tree was chopped down by an angry Maori a few years ago and has been replaced by a number of saplings.
From the sheep dotted haven of One Tree Mark drove us to the Tasman coast and Bethells Beach for a warm walk amongst happy dogs frolicking off their leads and the black dots of surfers in Tasman’s white lace roaring surf. We picnicked on salad, rolls and wine in warm sunshine. This is NZ in wintertime and it is very warm most of the time.
Andrea planned a two pronged attack on Sunday as well. First we caught a ferry to Waiheke Island. Known as the jewel of the Hauraki Gulf the island is a haven of select vineyards, olive groves and fine beaches and is now sufficiently built up to be referred to as another suburb of Auckland. Fortunately we didn’t see that bit. We climbed the short walk through pleasant woodland, restored by loyal volunteers after the ravages of de-forestation and over grazing, to the Cable Bay Cellar door. Andrea has wanted to eat at this exclusive and popular restaurant for a long while and by turning up just before midday we were shown to one of the best tables, with a fabulous view, without needing to pre-book.
The food was pretty special too. We shared a smorgasbord of deli meats, dips and cheeses and then three of us had roasted haloumi with mixed fresh herbs on a bed of almost raw beetroot and capers while Rob tucked in to grilled tail on prawns in a sour cream and cucumber sauce on a bed of salsa. One of the waiters busied himself raising the plastic screens when the sun came out and the picture shows him closing them again as the chill of shade permeated the restaurant.
Back to downtown Auckland (The City of Sails) we wandered through the Wynyard Quarter of the North Wharf where giant mooring bollards and modern yacht moorings are testament to the city’s ongoing maritime connections. In the photo all the classic restored yachts shown were built in NZ and they are all made of kauri.
That evening we played a board game that Andrea and Mark invented after their safari in Africa called ‘Game Drive’ the ultimate big 5 safari challenge. It was really funny and entertaining and they kindly gave us two of the games, one to have on board and the other to take home and see if we might drum up some business for them.
It was a lovely weekend exploring our new friendship with them that hopefully will endure the passing of time and we left with reluctance on Monday as they had gone to work and we had to get back for Alex to get on board and finish fitting the prop seal and engine wiring loom.
On the journey Rob missed an 80kmph sign and was pulled over by a traffic policeman. Despite what was obviously a genuine mistake, (he overtook a vehicle at 98kmph thinking the limit was still 100kmph) this over-zealous cop questioned Rob over his visitor status, UK licence, the fact Vicky’s WOF had expired and even breathalysed him.
After all that and our explanation that the required repairs to Vicky are underway he should have gathered we are law abiding visitors who slipped up, but no, $120 and two points on Rob’s NZ driving record later he has left us with a negative opinion of how traffic cops like to spend their time. Harsh and unnecessary I thought. Later, while going through the admission process at the hospital, Rob revealed he was having a dizzy spell when this happened.
A happy event back on board helped lift our flagging spirits. Alex is a keen free dive spear fisherman and shot a 20kg Kingfish a few metres down at the weekend. His friends, family, neighbours and we all benefitted from the catch. I put two fat smoked fillets in the fridge and they lasted us four days, bless him. The pale pink flesh is sweet and tasty.
Rob is Struck Down
For a few days Rob had been taking pain relief tablets because of a pain in his right leg. When he started feeling generally unwell it was time to get him checked out. This is the letter I sent to family and friends to bring them the news that Rob, while so far from home, was seriously ill.
Good morning all,
We hope you are well.
We want to let you know that Rob has contracted a type of streptococcus bacterial infection that can damage the heart muscles and as he was found to have a heart murmur during the thorough examination he had in Whangarei Hospital they have decided to keep him in for the moment and feed him intravenously with penicillin every four hours. The regime has to continue for two weeks but he may be able to return home to Zoonie in that time with a semi-permanent drip inserted.
He developed a pain in his right calf muscle that turns out to be cellulitis possibly from a graze just below his knee and the bacterial infection may have come from there. He is responding to pain treatment although he finds putting his foot to the ground is difficult and even his fingertips are hurting.
This means we will not be flying home as planned on the 17th of the month and we will cancel the flights and get Rob through this before me make any plans for journeys further than to our favourite bars.
I will write again soon and keep you up to date on his progress, be reassured he is being cared for by an amazing team of people.
Lots of love,
Barb xx