We have spent three nights onboard already so its hump day and I feel slightly nervous that we will fit everything in as there is still so much to see. The good news is WH foot is looking much better and no Crayfish passed his lips. Its our grandsons birthday and it’s a reminder of how remote we are, as it’s the first time, from anywhere in the world, that I am unable to ring him and wish him a wonderful day. Its cold and you can’t see it in this pic but its snowing ever so slightly and of course it’s magical and I can feel it.
Beautiful day- Happy Birthday Toby
We start making our way to the spot where Captain Cook made his first landing in 1773 but more on that later. We get our history lesson and head towards a the 9 fathoms waterfall. We stand on the bow and Robb our skipper has decided that we should actually feel the waterfall rather than just see and hear it. It’s noisier than what you think and the combination of the noise and water is exhilarating as it tumbles down oozing through the bush and fanning out over the rocks.
We once again head towards the landing and are joined by a pod of dolphins. They dart from one side of the boat to the other and have a think about riding the bow but then just move away. They have young ones in tow and are feeding so Robb turns the boat away and we leave them be having been privileged that they spent some time with us. I wish I could of captured them and my joy of photography dissipates into frustration as I seem to click the shutter each time they submerge rather than emerge.
As we head down the sound everything feels like a privilege as I try and capture the mountains, the shadow, the lines, the foreground and background all at once in the blink of shutter. Its tricky and I remember to drop the lens and drink it in with my minds eye, etching it into my brain and trust that my recall keeps me well into my rocking chair.
Its snowing lightly and you can see it dusting the mountains like icing sugar edging its way down to the sea.
As we make our way up the passage we now have the privilege of being investigated by a Mollyhawk. It is inquisitive and obviously thinks that food should be forthcoming. It does graceful loops around the boat which I am unable to capture through my lens but then it lands just aft of the boat as if to say “go on then amateur capture me” and I do.
I put the camera down and watch he/she swoop and dive and invite some friends to join the show as they grace us with their presence. We arrive at the landing spot of the HMS Resolution in 1773 and tender in to where the tree they used as a gangway still exists. Strange.
I take a photo of our boat anchored in the bay and try and transport myself back to 1773. I can’t, but I can only think that it actually probably didn’t look that different than what it looks today which is perhaps the beauty of this place although of course there are a lot more zips.
The blue sky actually begins to join the dolphins and Mollyhawks and greet us with its presence. It is interesting to see Tamatea unfold in colour as the grey mist that has shrouded us retreats. We head to a bay of which I am already sad that I can’t remember its name and we practice fishing. Robb says we need the practice ready for the big event tomorrow. My line barely hits the bottom before I pull it up and have the mandatory Blue cod hooked. Unfortunately it is too small and it is thrown back. We put the lines up and down amongst us all and once we have enough for the cook to make cerviche for tonights entree we call it quits.
It’s nearly time for dinner as we make our way to our anchorage for the night and as we settle in with our pre-dinner drink and our tasty cerviche our skipper Robb tells us that we have once again entered into Lockdown level 4. Bugger.