Saturday 4th March

What a day!

We changed our minds and stayed here in Assasination Cove all day.

The morning started with a swim before breakfast.

After breakfast we decided we would replace the seal on the prop shaft. It had been leaking for a while. Changing a prop shaft seal while in the water is not something we would recommend.

Climbing in the engine bay over the motor to the prop shaft was the first of the challenges. Andrew was small enough to get to the prop shaft but then B (his apprentice) had to climb in to pass the tools and collect the screws that had to be removed. Luckily we had a spare seal mounted on the shaft when the last one was replaced. This meant we could do it without removing the prop shaft. This didn’t mean though that the water wouldn’t gush in while trying to change the seal. We now have a bilge full of water. But we did get it replaced.

Once replaced it was swim time. Then tan time. Then lunch time. After lunch we went exploring and B found another tree to climb and a swing to swing on. She also collected shells and made a Pirate face from them and made it as a new Facebook profile.

Back on Imagine was time for another swim and tanning session. Andrew and plumber apprentice B then changed the pipe in the bathroom sink (it had been blocking). That worked up a sweat which meant another swim before sundowners. B was obviously quite thirsty!
Dinner included the favourite Watties baked beans, we have a feeling it could get windy here tonight!
And for those of you missing Miss B’s weather reports, today has been mostly fine, sunny with beautiful blue sky and only starting to cloud over late this afternoon.

Friday 3rd March
B stepped outside into the cool breeze gave a small scream and ran back to bed. There was no morning swim before breakfast.
There was a swell coming into the bay this morning so after breakfast and a quick swim we headed off to find somewhere else to anchor. First of all it was fishing time. Andrew landed a nice size Snapper, then B landed two snapper. Unfortunately Sue’s fish were all under size (she was obviously on the wrong side of the boat).
We then checked out a few nice bays, but not up to our standards. We dinghied across to one of the islands (rock) just off one of the main islands. We took a couple of photos before returning to Imagine.
The trip back was not easy. The outboard stopped and would not start. So it was out with the oars. With three in the dinghy, we tried several combinations of rowing/paddling before Sue ended up doing all the hard work and rowing back to Imagine with Andrew and B giving directions as they lounged back on the dinghy.
We hauled anchor and headed to a bay we knew was well sheltered from the swell, so we could work on the outboard. B and Andrew stripped the outboard carburetor, cleaned it and was able to put it back together without having spare parts.
Outboard back on the dinghy AND IT STARTED! A quick adjustment of the idle screw and we were away.
After all the work it was time to cool off and go for another swim.
Fresh fish for dinner tonight, yum!

Thursday 2nd March
Another early morning swim followed by breakfast. Then we had to pump up the dinghy again before B and Andrew went ashore to circumnavigate the island.
On the way they looked for geocaches. There was only one that they found, the others had not been found since the begining of 2022, so we think they weren’t there anymore.
It was a big hike up and down several hills. In parts the track was washed out and other tracks had trees fallen across them (result of Cyclone Gabrielle going through). The trek required several swims on the way. B found trees to climb, of course!
Back on Imagine it was time for a snorkel then more swims between working on tans before sundowners.

Wednesday 1st March
B was up to photograph the sunrise, but no swimming this morning. The water didn’t look nice as the outgoing tide brought dirty water from the Kerikeri river. Now two of the pontoons on the dinghy have been punctured and going down slowly. We lifted the dinghy onto the deck and covered with soapy water, but could not find the holes.
We put the dinghy back in the water and set off to explore the small islands around us (Te Pahi Islands). Several hours later we got back to Imagine, hauled anchor and headed off to do some fishing. We could only land under sized snapper, so we raised the headsail and sailed to Waiwhapuku bay.
We all worked on our tan lines interrupted by several swims. Andrew and B took the dinghy across to Motukiekie island to walk on the last of the islands. They arrived back in time for another swim before sundowners.

Tuesday 28th February
After breakfast and our morning swim we headed to the northern part of the Bay of Islands. The first bay we tried had swell rolling in, but our second choice was better. There was another boat anchored in the Bay, “Windshift”. We had met Aaron and Susan back in Auckand at Motatapu last year and knew they were in the Bay of Islands somewhere.
We went in the dinghy to one of the little islands in the Bay. Andrew and B tried to climb the hill but couldn’t make it to the top without a lot of bush wacking and a machete so decided not today! Sue walked the shore around the island. Back on Imagine we swam then sunbathed.
Late afternoon Aaron and Susan came over for sundowners. They haven’t been living aboard long so they had plenty of questions about what we do.

Monday 27th February
Well, Miss B didn’t turn up to do the weather today. If she doesn’t turn up tomorrow she will be fired. Any up and coming weather presenters please send their CV to imagine@trypod.co.nz
Again we went for a morning swim before breakfast. We hauled anchor and headed out to do some fishing. Sue caught a good snapper and Andrew caught a kawhai. We checked out a new bay with the clearest water yet. From the deck we could see the anchor.
Andrew and B went ashore to explore. This leaves only two islands they haven’t yet set foot on. As they climbed the hill with the sun beating down, they reached the top and saw what was coming. They didn’t make it back down the hill before the rain got them. Of course by the time they got to shore, got in the dinghy and got back to Imagine the rain stopped.
Sue in the meantime had been basking in the sun, looked up and saw the rain coming so raced around bringing towels in and shutting hatches with a small grin on her face as from the dry cockpit she saw B and Andrew making their way back to the dinghy in the rain. What was Miss B’s weather report for today?!
There was a swell coming into the bay so we headed off to find better shelter. After another swim it was time for cards and a wine or two (maybe three?). B must be cheating as she is winning (at the moment). Sue found a recipe for kawhai, Andrew cooked the fish (and the rice) and B made the sauce from the recipe. Beautiful.

Sunday 26th February
Started with an early morning swim (bloody cold) before the sun came over the hills. B swam a leisurely 2 laps around Imagine whilst Andrew after 1 lap quickly dried off and jumped back into bed to warm up!
After breakfast and the dew had dried, so it was exercise time. That didn’t last long. We then removed the mainsail and sail cover. Andrew repaired the hole in the sail cover while B and Sue repaired a car on the mainsail. After which we all had a swim around Imagine before lunch (it had warmed up by then!).
We had a lazy afternoon broken by a couple of hours fishing. B landed a good sized Snapper before we all, one after another, hooked something big enough to break our lines and take our hooks.
A launch had come in while we were fishing and we thought it was anchored a bit close. The couple had gone ashore for a walk and when they came back Andrew called them over and said after observing them for a while, a couple of times we had come close to connecting, so they decided it was a wise idea to move further into the Bay.
Then ….. the rain came, although it’s just light rain so far but enough to get some more fresh water in the buckets.

Saturday 25th February
After a morning swim and breakfast Andrew took the dinghy and checked out the next bay. Only 3 boats, so we quickly hauled anchor and moved to the next bay. Now we are in paradise. Paradise Bay anyway.
Andrew and B headed off to hike the island but returned after three hours and only making it to one end of the island and back. They came across great trees to climb and lots of sheep and sheep poop. They checked out another bay to anchor in one day.
Back on Imagine Sue had made carrot cake muffins. This afternoon B sewed up her and Andrew’s sarongs that had small holes in them while Andrew got the sewing machine out to repair a large tear in Sue’s sarong. B then washed everyone’s sarong and t shirts.
After working on their tan Andrew and B went ashore where B climbed more trees and played on a rope swing. Sue has made hearty chicken and veggie soup for dinner.

Friday 24th February
This morning a family of ducks joined us swimming around Imagine before breakfast. We then motored around to Russell to do a bit of shopping and sight seeing.
We had lunch back on Imagine as we departed Russell and headed to Paradise Bay. Unfortunately a motor launch raced us in and took the only place deep enough for us to anchor so we headed to the next bay. We swam around the boat a few times and worked on our tans.
B is making dinner again tonight.

Thursday 23rd February
Early this morning B confessed to us that she had committed murder. The blood was still there, splattered all over the book (Bury your dead). The mutilated body still lying where she had slain the HUGE mosquito with her book.
Once again we took note of Miss B’s daily weather forecast before deciding what to do today.
As it was a little rolly this morning we chose to find a calmer anchorage. The first bay we went to had already got a boat in it so we headed around to the other side of the island. Andrew put some music on and B thought the cockpit was a disco, showing off her moves. We anchored, swam, then went ashore, walked the beach and searched for another geocache.
Upon returning to Imagine we had lunch, then B and Andrew went back ashore for a longer hike over the island to the beach on the other side. They returned after having a swim.
The wind had changed around so we once again hauled anchor and took shelter in Assassin’s Cove. Not long after anchoring we had a short rain shower proving Miss B’s weather forecast can be right sometimes!