Escaping reality...: Shit Happens

This week was spent on 'Esprit', a Noelex 30, in the Bay of Islands. Initially, we were all very struck by how spacious she is compared to a VW bus! Unfortunately the overriding memory, however, is going to be of the malfunctioning loo. After calling out the charter company who appeared to have fixed it, we found that it the holding tank still need to be emptied by hand. Daddy worked at the shitface whilst we chatted shit, shit stirred and generally had fun by the shit load on deck. For an hour and a half. The only moment we were glad for the consistently strong easterlies that we had all week. I hate holding tanks. (There was also some engine trouble but we didn't really use that enough for it to make a big impression!)

Bay of Islands

That unpleasantness aside it was a very good week! The water is exceptionally clear so we did a lot of swimming and enjoyed the turquoise water.

Really extraordinary sea colour

We also got a visit from a pod of orcas. That includes an ENORMOUS bull orca, that was really quite intimidating and probably about nine females and calves. None of us had ever seen them before and they were really rather close! Two of us went out in the dinghy (feeling somewhat vulnerable) and were a matter of feet away from them at their eye level, they move quite quickly too, and one of us stayed on board to take some photos. We saw one eating a sting ray and one showed off with its tail. All round very exciting and we got a much better view then those who had paid to go on a dolphins cruise! We didn't see any other dolphins, which is unusual, possibly due to the orcas, which eat their babies, and possibly due to persistent swell. We did hear some kiwis, probably, but not close enough to be tempted to go rowing around looking for them in the dark.

Pod!

Tail

This was us, except with more orca and a far less substantial and smaller boat!

Bay of Islands included a visit to Russell, once the capital of New Zealand. It had some quite nice old buildings, particularly the church, and a good museum. It once was known as 'the hell of the Pacific' and Darwin claimed I was filled with e 'refuse of society' but I can assure you it has improved since then! A very enjoyable meal in the oldest restaurant in NZ (1847) although slightly different to eating in the oldest pub in England (793).

Oldest restaurant in NZ at the far end

Oldest church in NZ

We also visited Waitangi where the treaty was signed between the British and tribe chiefs in 1840, handing over their sovereignty. Although, due to issues of translation, this treaty is still very much in dispute. It was interesting to learn about and, particularly, to see the enormous war canoe that is there, made from a single tree trunk. We are just missing Waitangi celebrations (a public holiday here) on 5th and 6th where we could have seen some canoes in use amongst other things....