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Published: November 10th 2018
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10th November
It rained all night. Another lesson learnt; push the fold up table further under the van at night. I slid it out this morning in preparation for breakfast so it was full of water as it was upside down and is has a lip running all around it.
Bacon butties for breakfast; always a good start to the day. After I tidied up I was not sure where to head to, then I overheard a couple talking about a local farmer's market which I seen advertised. I have something approaching a plan for the day, farmers market then Tawharanui Regional Park for lunch and a walk.
Ending up parking about half a mile out of town for the farmer’s market, it is very popular. Bought some supplies for lunch and beyond. On the way back to the van I stopped off at the butchers and bought 4 home made sausages, I could tell it was the sale of the day. I have decided on this trip to buy little and often from local suppliers rather than from supermarkets when I in big towns. It works out a bit more expensive but I may as well do my bit for local producers while I am here.
I get to Anchor Point and sort a picnic of sorts, cheese and bread from the farmers market, tomatoes, cucumber, banana and water. Included other essentials, book, towel, rain coat.
I find a shaded spot under a tree with a sloping back perfect, have lunch and a nap. Decided to walk along the beach instead of the trails; mainly because the maps does not give an indication of distance.
Kick my shoes and head for a paddle and set my sites on a rocky outcrop in the distance. Off I go paddling as the waves break. As I get to the outcrop I notice 4 people swimming, then I notice the dolphins. The dolphins were less than 100 metres from shore and swimming between the people swimming and doing back flips and full leaps from the water then heading back to the people. The dolphins were putting on a show. I counted 4 in total.
One of the swimmers came to shore and he said he had been swimming and suddenly the dolphins were there swimming alongside him.
They then swam close to shore and I was about knee deep at this stage; I was so lucky to be watching the antics of wild dolphins about 50 metres from me at this stage. I tried to get pictures, but I preferred to enjoy the moment rather than worry about pictures; so you will have to take my word for it.
I spent about 20 minutes watching the dolphins and by this stage a few people had waded in chest deep and the dolphins were swimming between then. They were definitely out to play.
I head back thinking that the crowd of people would put the dolphins off, by every time I looked back, they were still there.
Headed back to camp via a detour when I got fed up listening to satnav; saw a road and took it. I came across a small village shop and coffee and cake. It seems no matter how small the shop they serve fresh ground coffee.
I write my Hay Fever blog and chatted to a couple of locals and the suggested a few places to visit when I said I was headed north. All of their suggestions were on the South Island, so I might end up there yet. The consensus was not to bother travel any further north, in fact they were not sure why I headed north of Auckland in the first place. Well you live and learn. Any way if I had not have headed north I would not have seen the dolphins.
Got back to camp, starving hungry had a concoction of couscous, peas, cucumber, tuna with tomato sauce and basil. Pretty good even if I do say so myself. Anyway it is getting dark, so I am going to sign off and sort my bed out.
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