Thursday 9th March
Mike slept in this morning and missed the morning swim. He swam on his own a little later. After breakfast we were off to catch a snapper for lunch.
Lunch consisted of salad and vegetable soup.
We then headed to Army bay where Andrew, Mike and B went ashore to explore more tracks. By the time they got back the wind had got up and the anchorage was quite choppy. We decided to go back to Assasination cove for protection.
We had just anchored when the rods came out and lots of small fish were caught. Mike won the prize of catching a fish almost smaller then the bait he used. He also introduced B to the practice of kiss and release. Eventually B brought another pan size Snapper on board. Poor Mike only landed small ones. One of which shit all over his T shirt and shorts as well as the deck and the dinghy. He didn’t seem impressed but we all had a good laugh.
Andrew made his famous Spaghetti Bolognese, saving the snapper for lunch tomorrow.

Wednesday 8th March
Sunrise this morning revealed fog across the bay. Mike has been quick to join in the routine with a swim before breakfast. Then we went across to Russell for a look around, another geocache and more groceries. After lunch on Imagine we motored around to Roberton Island. We anchored and went ashore and climbed the hill to the lookout. By the time we got back to Imagine the bay had emptied a little so we moved Imagine closer to shore. It was then time for a swim.
Sue swam around the boat while B, Andrew and Mike swam to shore and back. The rest of the afternoon was working on tan lines. Mike has a lot (very lot) of catching up to do. A boat anchored nearby moved to the other side of the Bay. We think it was the glare off Mike that they couldn’t stand.
B made dinner again with the help of sous chef Mike.

Tuesday 7th March
We had a swim after breakfast then headed off to Paihia. Sue did some laundry at the laundromat while Andrew and B went off finding geocaches. Andrew took the laundry back to Imagine. While returning to shore the outboard stopped. He had to row ashore. We had lunch at the fish and chip shop before doing a little bit of shopping. We didn’t get much as we knew we had to row back.
With Imagine drawing 2.5m of water, she was anchored out on the edge of the channel 1km from shore. Not only did the outboard not go but the dinghy had deflated. We piled into the dinghy laughing our heads off , B almost peeing her pants. We all had a go at rowing. Three of us changing positions in a small dinghy was hilarious. The wind and tide were against us, so it took a while to row back to Imagine. At one point we were stood still despite rowing madly.
Once onboard Imagine Andrew and B flushed out the carburetor. It had picked up another bit of dirt.
B is making dinner again tonight. A wonderful pasta dish. After dinner it was back to shore. Mike was on his way to join us as new crew. B and Andrew headed off in the dinghy. 50m from Imagine the bung popped out and water gushed in. That was quickly fixed and we continued on.
Mike arrived by taxi and we met him at the pier. So the three of us hopped in the dinghy. That’s when we realised the bracket for the navlights was missing. So Mike held one in each hand as we returned to Imagine with no other dramas.

Monday 6th March
Another windy morning. The water was a little choppy, so the morning swim was cancelled. After breakfast Andrew and B went ashore to do more exploring. They found a couple of trees to climb. One of which was growing out the side of a cliff. There were great views from the top of the hills.
Back on Imagine B did some more cleaning while Andrew and Sue dismantled the old sump pump, found the problem and fixed it with packing washers. Now the pump is back in place and working we can wash our hands and brush our teeth.
B and Sue were working on their tan lines, when a boat pulled alongside calling “ahoy”. Andrew came rushing from below to see what it was. The people on the boat called out “We are from the census department, delivering the forms.” Two seconds later one of them called out “We aren’t looking”, we can’t see anything” as their boat came right alongside and one of them passed the forms to Andrew in a fish landing net. That must have made their afternoon.
Not long after that we decided to move closer to Paihia, as we are going there tomorrow.

Sunday 5th March
This morning the wind was up but we were not. No swim this morning. The breeze was too fresh and B wouldn’t get out of bed.
After breakfast we decided to make the most of a windy day. The first time we have been able to have a decent sail since we got here. Off we went with Sue at the helm at first, then B. Andrew was the slave today running around adjusting sails, making coffee, doing everything (about time he gave us other slaves a rest!).
On the way we came across a pod of large Dolphins. By lunch time we had sailed around the islands and went into Deep Water Cove for a look. The swell was getting into bay, so we didn’t stay long. Just long enough to take a few photos of the beautiful cove.
We motored and sailed on the way back as we needed to run the motor to make water. We ended up anchoring in Otaio bay. We are sheltered from the swell but the wind is coming in and making it a little choppy. The waves haven’t stopped us from taking several swims.
We took up the carpet in the back cabin to find the floor wet. We traced the water track to a leaky pipe connection and fixed it. Next was the shower sump pump which wasn’t pumping but making lots of noise. We need a new pump. Tomorrow we will try to fit a temporary pump until we can get a new one but for now we need to relax and take some breaths.

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.