Not much to report really, cold as charity here today, my wekas Gwendala&Manfred are fit and well, they are such great listeners and just nod there little heads at everything I say, perfect for me as I try and avoid people that don't agree with me, maybe that's why I live by myself 30 + km by boat from the nearest town on the side of a hill. (did you know weka mate for life) As most of my friends are climate change skeptics, thought I would provide a website link that's right up your alleys. http://www.friendsofginandtonic.org/page13/page13.html Think I might head down to CHCH this week and get my back sortted out, not coming down like this though! I have a few Blue cod fillets (3) in the frezzer now from Port hardy, so back to my dinner. Before I forget a Quote : Contentment makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor. Keep warm

Made it home and was thinking I might keep the blog running maybe change the header as Vanuatu will have to wait. Looks like pig hunting&fishing for the winter, so may still have a few good stories to tell. While swallowing my pride and licking my wounds in port Hardy I did a little exploring most days, I went ashore one day and came across a little wild boar rooting up some grass, he was so busy that he didn't know I had snuck up on him, there was a Weka following him around cleaning up the grubs he missed, I walked right up to him taking pictures (see below), the Weka new I was there but didn't tip off the pig and then the pig spotted me! as you can see they up and off. I could live out on D'Urville Island, but fear I would become more of a recluse than I am already.

I motored out of bastard harbor (Port taranaki) for Port hardy (D'Urille Island) on the 8th, gales forecast for the 10th,11th,12th. So glad to be out of that horrible place, the Mariner there was just a few piles really, as there is a swell in the Harbor day&night the boat is working all the time, creak.......creak......creak...... enough to drive you mad, as much as you want to leave the boat, you don't dear as it feels like the Bollards will be ripped from the deck or the line chafe through at any moment, as happened one night. Being on the pile moorings in Lyttleton is the worst place I think I have stayed, this comes a close second. So 100 nautical miles approximately to the South arm of port hardy. It was a good sail motor/sail, 3/4 meter swell with confused sea and light west, south/west wind, arrived 0800 and fished for a while, Blue Cod fillets for lunch. I am now anchored in Philante bay in the South arm, and intend to stay here for a few days. This is my favorite ...

I just spent a long night rocking and rolling around in the so called Mariner here in New Plymouth Harbor or Bastard Harbor as the locals call it. 40 knot westerlies 4 meter swell forecast, the swell rolls in here and with the wind coming from another direction the boat is working all the time chewing through the lines, I plan to get out of here the first chance i get, the forecast of the next week is no good for heading north, but there may be a window to get down to Port Hardy on D'urville island Wednesday, I hurt my back putting more lines on the boat this morning, and need to lay up anywhere but here, then take stock.

It's 3.30 am, I'm about 10 miles from Port Taranaki 'Newplymoth', in-steed of sitting out in the Tasman hove-two I decided to drop in for a pie and a beer at New Plymouth. The Low that I though was going to skim across the top of the north island, has decided to deepen, then come south and park up on the west coast of the north island for a couple of days. Have heard that its not very comfortable in the harbor here in a big swell, but beggars can't be choosers . I will have to clear customs again this morning. unlike the islands there is no charge here to check in and out on a yacht, always nice to get something for nothing. Hope to get underway again Tuesday/Wednesday.

I am clearing customs here (Wellington) in the morning and making for the island Tanna the active volcano one of the Southern most islands in the Vanuatu group. About 1400 nautical miles or 2800 km and at 4/5 knot or 8/10 km and hour. So I won't be posting any Blogs for a while. Quote for today: All people are your relatives, therefore expect only trouble from them.