The Bay of Islands

---

Saturday 1st March
Up in time to get out to the Post Shop again, and once again it's raining. Peter says that the dive boats aren't out today as it's too rough, and when I get picked up by the Magic Bus apparently all the boat trips today have been cancelled at Paihia too - there's a gale blowing in! We're not sure what that means for my overnight boat cruise (Rock the Boat) tonight - they haven't called it yet! Not too far to Paihia, where I have to wait to find out about my trip. In the meantime I dump everything in Klara's room and accompany Klara and Becky for lunch... And to find my cloth badge(s). Finally find out that the trip is on so grab a picnic lunch and pull my stuff together. Back to the Bay Adventurer (clean/contemporary but overcrowded) where I was told I could leave my stuff in reception, Klara lent me her sleeping bag, and I received my voucher from a member of staff for whom everything was obviously a bit too much of an effort!

Headed for the wharf, plenty of people waiting, and by 510 we're on the boat - a converted car/passenger ferry. Apparently the boat itself doesn't usually come in - the long-boat does transfers, but the weather's so poor... We're all safely on board, welcomed, settled into our rooms (6 to a bunkroom) - friendly crowd as per usual. The evening is a bit of a whirl of chatting, shooting (at a plastic duck), fishing, playing pool, BBQ (no fish caught, so sausages/steak), before we get ready for the night kayaking. I'm much better at kayaking this time - and as we get away from the lights of the ship we can see the phospherescence (sp?) glowing on the oar-blades, and then start to see the glowing fish darting around in the water too - and one jumps its way onto my feet (bit of a shock!). Head back to the boat where we dive in to swim around, swirling the phospherescence. Tired by this point, and before too long the generators are killed so there's no lights. Tired, so sleep pretty well!

Sunday 2nd
We still have most of the day ahead of us - unfortunately it's still raining, unlike the forecast had said, but the wind has dropped so a lot calmer. Plenty to keep us occupied, including more fishing (plenty to catch today), a dice puzzle (polar bears around the holes/fish under the holes), a chance to snorkel (visibility too poor really) and another kayak option (left it today). Final big job is to walk up to the top of one of the islands for a view across some of the Bay of Islands. Weather was good enough for a pretty good view of this, so that was good. Back on the boat eat own packed lunch, then try some Sushimi (yes, raw/fresh fish) - and actually liked it. Therefore dared to try fresh sea urchin, but urgh - can't describe it except NASTY! Back into the wharf (long-boat this time) by 330ish, so time to wander back and get freshened up, before I headed out to buy tomorrow's packed lunch and have a pizza for dinner. All the churches are 10am, so missed those again. Back at the hostel Klara and Becky are back from Cape Reinga so we chill out with 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert', until they lock-up the kitchen/TV room before it's finished. Only 3 people in my room so a good night's sleep.

Up to Cape Reinga tomorrow, then Auckland on Tuesday, Santiago de Chile on Wednesday!

---