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!

Wednesday 22nd February
We started the day with the weather forecast from miss B. Once we knew it was going to be sunny all day we set off in the dinghy to explore more bays. We went looking for a Geocache but didn’t find it. As there were dark clouds getting closer (not included in the French/Australian reporter’s weather forecast this morning!) we thought we should head back to Imagine.
After lunch Andrew dived the hull again to do some more barnacle removal. B did some watercolour painting. The sun came out for a while so Sue and Andrew went for another swim around the boat and B swam to shore for a walk along the beach and a short snooze. As there are quite a few twigs, leaves, logs etc floating around we didn’t stay too long in the water. Afterwards we played a few games of cards.
We had to re-anchor this afternoon after a launch that had anchored too close, pulled up our anchor. Then it was more cards before dinner.

Tuesday 21st February
Another lazy morning. The sun rose without us.
After breakfast we all bundled into the dinghy with the fishing rods and off we went. This side of the channel, that side of the channel, out in the other channel, all we could catch were under size. So we headed back to Imagine.
After lunch we swam ashore and climbed the hill to find B’s first Geocache In the tree. We walked the beach and checked out a rock pool. Sue found a small lizard on the beach. It ran up to Sue and took shelter in the shade of her shadow. Sue pulled a log over to provide it with shade. Unfortunately after Sue had moved down the beach a little, a seagull swooped down and took the lizard.
After all that exercise it was back to imagine to relax, work on tan lines and snooze time. Andrew cooked his world famous Bolognese and got the thumbs up from the French food critic. After dinner B and Sue tried fishing again and B caught a snapper for lunch tomorrow.

Monday 20th February
Another morning when it’s been too cold to swim before breakfast. Also the Bay wasn’t the cleanest as the river from Kerikeri empties into the Bay.
After breakfast we didn’t bother swimming, just did a tiki tour of the little bays around. B at the helm took us close to the black rocks for photos. We then headed for the bay that we had dropped anchor in on our first day in the Bay of Islands.
As soon as we anchored, it was in the water for all of us. After lunch B and Andrew swam ashore to take photos of a great tree and then a hike.
Walking the tracks in the sun and looking at the beautiful water in the bays was too much. Andrew and B found a track leading to a bay with nobody in and went for a swim. After cooling off they thought it was time to return to Imagine. Sue saw them coming back and swam half way to shore to meet them.
Back on Imagine was coffee time, relax time, wine and nibbles time and now dinner time. We have had two boats come in that have anchored near but we have the prime spot.