[password]8Tarnhows

[position]36 47.6s 175 10.7e

[status]Hello from the crew on Ambler this fresh ,sunny Monday morning.

We are as I scribe ,sailing into Auckland from a rather beautiful , green island called Waiheke where we anchored last night in Man of War Bay.

The skipper is in need of internet and some provisions wouldn?t go amiss. I can never say No to a laundromat and we do need to deposit Graham near an airport... so Auckland here we come.

Will be very sad to farewell our resident poet. We?ve made a deal, he shares his poetry with me and I share my play list with him. ( a man with musical taste as well as literary style .. not to mention his exceptional sailing abilities.)

Not meaning to become too technical but we enjoyed a 20 mile Spinnaker sail yesterday at about 9 knots.

Everyone was happy.

The day before we dinghed ( is that a real word?)ashore to Bush Beach on Great Barrier Island with a view to ?bagging? Mt Hobson.

No mean feat more like sore feet.

It was a relentless climb up with over 2,000 steps accompanied by the production of a load of lactic acid.

As always an absolutely magnificent view from the top so well worth it.

We ambled down the South Fork Track and were somewhat delighted to eventually spot the boat mast .. only one more step up onto the boat.

Graham?s poems included in today?s update capture the walk in its essence.

Actually he had plenty of time for poetry cogitation on the walk as he was back at the dinghy waiting a long time before the older members of the party reached their destination.

My evening was spent luxuriating in a shower / library all in one .

I could multitask ( a female thing) whilst conditioning my hair I was able to browse the shelves for a interesting book and soak in the most beautiful sunset view of our anchorage at Smoke House Bay.

Whilst I abluted to my hearts content( water heated by a wood stove which a rather feral but extremely pleasant young kiwi gentleman kept loading up.)

the boys drank beer near the wood fired oven which was cooking our spuds and patiently waited for a sweet smelling lady to return from her anti fouling procedures.

This little bay is a sailor?s delight.. only boat access to this heavenly spot and equipped with oven , fire pit, tables ,chairs , bath and shower and even some old wringers and washingline ... set up by a family of sailors called the Websters and kept going by volunteers and donations...

I?ll be donating ,my shower was worth a packet( maybe an Island packet???)

On that note ,tootle pip my hearties,

From the only sweet smeller on board.

X

Sent from my iPad

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