06.57am

Blast from the Past….

oh my goodnes, caught up with an old friend, haven’t had contact for oh, gee - 6 - 7 years? Jackie was the inspiration for me playing live music. I remember we first met when I was in the Pharmacy. I was trying to sell this kind lady a product she really didn’t need! Somehow, we got to talking and we discovered we both loved Celtic music.

In the mid “90s we went to the Annual Celtic “School” (held in Waipu near Whangarei, absolutely lovely times were had, camping for 6 days, Jan 1st to Jan 7th every year) I couldn’t play very well in those days so I thought I’d join in on one of the dancing lessons. I read the “what you’ll need to bring” list, and duly turned up in my boots - they looked in horror at me as I walked in with literally, my hobnail boots on! but I joined in and enjoyed myself and was lerning how dance “celtic” style when I pointed my toes and BANG I’d busted my achilles tendon, was taken to hospital and promptly put in plaster. Now what do I do? bugger it! I’m not driving home now, so I stayed on and enjoyed the music, company and food.

On returning home I had a few visits from a very dear friend Annie (now sadly departed) who had left her tin whistle and a book for learners at my house, I had nothing else to do (being slightly incapacitated) so picked them up and taught myself how to play the tin whistle.)

Jackie came round one evening - we sat down at the table, she produced this sheet music which was like double dutch to me! I showed her the book I’d be learning from, so we played from this. On a particular song, I kept playing the wrong note, she kept saying “no no no - its a C sharp not a D” - huh? what? she then realised that I’d learned by finger position and not the actual “notes”, she looked crestfallen and after one more cup of tea, she left with the words that stuck in my head like an axe - “as an adult, it can take years to learn to read music”. Hmmm, well I went back to the learners book, this time taking a mental note of what the music notes were as I played the finger positions, I think I sat there from 8.30 pm until 5am playing and playing and playing. Had three hours sleep, in shower, while kettle was boiling, I picked up a sheet of music that Jackie had left, and actually played the music!

I couldn’t wait for the next week to come round, Jackie turned up at 7? She sat down, and I asked her to listen while I played, she looked absolutely stunned, and gave me another sheet to play, which I did - from that moment on, I was absolutely hooked, line & sinker into music! We played in a little band together & our friendship developed into one of those that you may not talk to each other for years (as in this case) but when you meet up, its like there’s been no time missed.

Jackie has always been an independant person, she used to have a property in Kohukohu, and has always loved gardening i.e. natives etc and WETA’S!!!! Eugh…(you’re weird girl!) she used to travel all the way to Kerikeri to work in a local nursery and developed a very good name for herself with her native plants. She now resides a little further north and has gone into business for herself, building all the hothouses and laying the water pipes and digging ditches all by herself! and if I know Jackie she wouldn’t have asked for any help either…she has to be the most stubbornest woman on the face of this earth!

Throughout her life she has always worked hard and has two beautiful daughters, one of which has given her two grandchildren - both her daughters have gone onto producing films. One has been succesful at the film festival check it out!

Her heart has always been big though, she teaches music at her local school, helps out in the community and never says no to anyone! It feels so good to be back in touch with my old friend…anyway, I’ve burbled on too much until next time…

Had a lovely day

What more can I say? We had a thoroughly good day’s diving and it was so good to have the Chef along too; always making you laugh. First stop Tapeka, where they dropped into crystal clear viz, 13 degrees of water, I could see them clearly from the surface. While they were going hunting, I quickly tidied up Molly, then grabbed my own gear and the camera ready to heave over side, when I heard conversation - now, where’s that coming from I thought. Bugger!…they’d aborted the dive after only 15 minutes due to the fact the only crays they found, were full of berry or soft shelled! mutter mutter, next site will do just fine.

What a laugh!? Again the boys geared up & threw themselves over side - suddenly the Silverfox seemed to leap back out of the water, lunging for Molly. HIs eyes bulged, bouncing off the inside of his mask then back inside his head!! What on earth? cried the Chef & Myself…”aaahhhhhhhhh I didn’t do my zip up all the way!! its b.%@##..!!! freezing!” yelled Silverfox….(you see, he’s getting softer in his old age and taken to wearing his drysuit now.) That gave the Chef the opening he was looking for and he didn’t stop “ribbing” Silverfox for the rest of the day

As they descended you could hear the chef laughing and the silverfox swearing and cursing as their air bubbles broke the surface. Needless to say they returned empty handed. Then we went onto our third dive along The Wall. Silverfox opted to stay aboard as by now, he had to change into warmer clothes “what a softie” I heard The Chef say. I can’t repeat the reply but you can guess….while the Chef went looking for Crays in his favourite spot, I meandered down and along the Wall and decided there’d be no crays for tea tonight, so grabbed some mussells instead. A pod of Dolphins cruised by, and I was amazed at the amount of Male Butterfish that weren’t shy and came up and were darting into the little gaps I had made in the mussells & quickly taking crabs and having a wonderful old feast. The Pink & Blue MaoMao were waiting there turn too, so I “squished” a couple of mussells and fed them too.

 

A couple of huge Snapper came in and greedily took the Kina I offered - no politeness there! A couple of Leatherjackets decided my mask needed a quick clean and I kept having to gently push them aside so I could get more mussells. The viz was a good 15 metres today, and I whole heartedly agree with the Silverfox; if you could just uplift the complete formations of Black Rocks and dump them into the blue water out at the Cape you’d have a dive site as good if not better than Poor Knights! The amount of differing species here is unfathomable.

Well, we finished out wonderful day on the water with well earned cup of hot soup each, some nachos & my favourite lollies. It was good hearing the two of them ribbing each other all the way home!
So, what did we all have for dinner? You guessed it, Mussell Carbonara followed by Apple Pie.

 

 

Temps dropping, Viz improving

Ooooo ouch!! Plunging into the sea, you have to keep saying to yourself - its okay, the temp may be 14 degrees, but the viz is SPECTACULAR! I’ve lost quite a bit of weight and now my wetsuit allows far too much water in AND out, and the undersuit isn’t enough insulation anymore.  Great for the self confidence factor, but not so great on the financial front when purchasing new suit for oneself, and there’s no way I’m going back into my old 5ml suit thankYOU scubaninja!  (Shades of Rescue temp wise)

Yup, its dropped & will keep dropping now.  In my opinion, the sea is slowly going back to its days of cold seas from mid June to warmer waters in mid November.  “Wishful thinking” says Silverfox! We’ll see, says I.

Honestly though, the viz has been wonderful this last few days, offshore winds and little rain now has helped clean up the bay of islands a treat.  Scubaninja & Naeve Zebra would you beleive its been blue water as far in as Tapeka & Black Rocks?!

Crays are soft shelled, and those that aren’t are truly not worth harvesting, best let them go and carry on breeding for another generation.  I think sometimes that maybe we’re too soft in the heart when I listen to others stating how they got their bag limits EVERY DAY for 5 days - and the crays are only just on the size limit.  I find it quite sad that these people aren’t really thinking about the future, only their stomachs and the right to boast.

A few seals out at “Bitchin Gap” and from Cape Brett down to Whangamumu.  Cheeky little fellows have been popping under and “daring” the divers.

Hey, Scubaninja! Love your new garden congrats on the new greenhouse.  Ours is going to be on the porch/veranda soon, and I’ve got winter plants already in pots waiting to go inside it.  Our next dive, Silverfox has promised he’ll take some pics of me for a change diving, so you will see me at my favourite pastime, searching for those elusive (for me) sea horses in the weed! Saw one at Waewaetoria yesterday, but he had the camera, and by the time I got him back, I couldn’t find it again. (mutter mutter mutter….)

I went out last night! with Debz & Nadia to the Mako bar this time - boy, it was Kareoke night & extremely loud and noisey.  I had one too many coffees and suddenly realised that I was doing all the talking!  Oops sorry guys coffee has that affect on me!  Best stick to tea next time. The Mako has the plastic walls down to keep out the cold, so the sound is trapped inside now and you had to shout to be heard.  The man who cooks (I suppose you call him a Chef) needs lessons in customer etiquette.  The young barman was doing a brilliant job with everyone, and the young lady from behind the bar, joined in on the Kareoke and has a stunning voice. I like the Mako as its on the water front, but not in winter, you can’t escape the decibal factor. Next time, we’ll choose another night - I think we were all too tired.  Nadia had been driving the ferry all day, Debz had been hard out at the IGA Four Square & I’d been diving in the morning and on the radio in the afternoon.  Still, all in all you don’t often get to go out with your friends & enjoying yourself, so whats a little noise then?

Next time we’ve decided on the Beachhouse - something to look forward to.  Oh, the Bay of Islands Underwater Diving Club is having its AGM tonight over in Kerikeri at Steve’s (the Dive Helmet) place.  A BBQ is planned - it had to be, its now thunder & lightening, and pouring bucket loads down at us!  Eunice was probably in the middle of cooking an apple pie when the power went off for an hour.  Eunice has now gone out on her own in business and is so overbooked she can’t believe it.  We’re happy for her - its quite scary “taking that step off the precipice”

Well I think that’s all today - oh, except that the Wallymeister and the “wild one” had a bit of a set too, and he’s got a sore tail at the moment - so he’s been sulking in front of the heater - I’m gonna have to lance the cat bite, so I’ve been down and bought home some sea water and will now attempt to be “Dr.Scubagran”.

He’s got the right idea

After 14 days of constant rain,  the Wallymeister takes advantage of the SUN!!!………

Woohooo the sun is shining

0900 Yes yes yes …. the sun is shining and the winds have backed off finally! Theres snow on the desert road, trapping people there, snow down to 200 metres & the sea line down south. Cooks Straight is experiencing 7 metres swells disrupting the ferries. Yes, winter has taken hold in New Zealand. An absolute mixture of climes as usual.

I was even cold in the heated pool yesterday! When the big sliding door opened a great gusting pillow of steam escaped into the outside air…brrrrrrrr of course once you got out of the pool it felt doubly cold. The Chef’s back in nz, will be paying us a visit tomorrow, showing us his pictures of his diving holiday in Oz, it’ll be good to catch up again. Not sure if Swiss Miss will be back though.

There could be a few changes in this household soon, but will update you later when things are confirmed. Russell Radio’s new operations room is almost complete and ready to be occupied. Capt Penguin has virtually been a one man operation with the alterations there. When I remember to take my camera, will be glad to take shots of the new “office” and its outlook. There’s a good feeling of excitement as the moving date comes slowly closer

1030 Doc have cut a “new” path to the Cape Brett Lighthouse, the following is an excerpt from the local rag (Bay Chronicle)

A stunning walk to the historic Cape Brett Lighthouse has been restored by Kerikeri Conservation Corp and Department of Conservation teams cutting 20 years worth of manuka and kikuyu from an historic track.

The track from the principal keepers hut to the lighthouse was one of the originals, probably cut when work began at the settlement in 1909.
“The teams cleared a lot of very dense manuka and kanuka, some of it two metres high,” says DOCs Bay of Islands Area Office historic ranger, Andrew Blanshard. “The thigh-high kikuyu was so dense that they were able to cut it and lift it off in mats.
“The result is a much nicer walk, in terms of both gradient and surface, than the track thats been used during recent years. There are also stunning views towards the Eastern Bay of Islands, taking in the Cavalli Islands off Matauri Bay.”
Andrew says the Cons Corp team stayed at the Cape Brett Hut for two nights while they helped at the settlement and enjoyed the chance to work in a beautiful location, on some of the heritage that DOC manages.
The teams also cleared kikuyu from around the hut, foundations of walls and other early structures, and removed a kilometre of wire and accompanying battens from a fence built 30 years ago.
The lighthouse settlement was a busy community for much of last century. Before automation of the light in 1978, three keepers and their families kept the light blazing after it was first lit in 1910.
DOC has been upgrading the lighthouse and the site for the last two years, and the next project will be to clean the inside of the lighthouse, which retains all the early workings of the system.

1115 and here’s the history of the Cape Brett Lighthouse. Which I found interesting.
LIGHT HOUSES OF NEW ZEALAND
CAPE BRETT K3709
Latitude: 35° 10′ South
Longitude: 174°20′ East

The light was lit for the first time on 21 February 1910, and the keepers withdrawn in 1978. The light now shines from a 4 metre highfiberglass tower, and is 146 metres above sea level. Its white light flashes every 15 seconds, and can be seen for 17 nautical miles (31 kilometres). The old classic tower now stands unlit.In 1906 it was decided to build another watched lighthouse along the stretch of coastline between Cape Maria Van Dieman and Moko Hinau Island, marking the northern approach to Auckland Harbour. Cape Brett, at the entrance to the Bay of Islands, was chosen as the site, and the light was first lit in February 1910. The cast iron tower was manufactured locally by the Judd Engineering Company of Thames, shipped to the site in sections and winched, by means of a specially constructed tramway, up a 22 metre-high cliff prior to construction.

The light itself was a new design, the first of its kind in New Zealand. Until then, revolving lights had been supported on wheels. The Cape Brett light used a float of mercury, which meant a heavier and more powerful light could turn around faster. This was an important breakthrough in lighthouse history, as it meant there could be more variation between the flashes at different stations. Cape Brett was an important site during the Second World War.

During this time, two naval coast guards were appointed to the cape to keep an around-the-clock watch on all shipping in the area. As fears of an enemy invasion grew, the navy and air force built their own station at the Cape, behind the lighthouse. The keepers were expected to help build this station as part of their duties. This was not acceptable to the assistant keeper, who wrote a letter of complaint to the Marine Department, resulting in the keepers being paid overtime for their extra work.

Unfortunately, the servicemen and lighthouse keepers were often in conflict over safety rules laid down by the keepers. This came to a head with the death of a sailor during a night landing of supplies. The young sailor had fallen while trying to scale the cliff from the landing block, instead of using the steps. The principal keeper wrote of the accident: “Ignorance, carelessness and stupidity have broken the good name of this station… keepers and their families have used them [the concrete landing block and steps] without mishap for forty years!”

This was the last night landing to be carried out on the Cape. With the end of the war the keepers returned to their normal routines. This included lighthouse duties, regular weather reports, and keeping a watchful eye on recreational boats. The station was connected to electric mains power in 1968, and 10 years later was replaced with a fully automatic beacon, which stands in front of the disused tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do we know that person?

Just sat down to lunch & have the radio going in the background, not particularly paying any attention to it when suddenly an enflection in the voice perked up my ears - someone talking about Gerilla Gardens, hmmm pommy accent too. Muching away, I hear the same inflection - I wonder, is this Naeve Zebra talking on the phone to the interviewer?

Silverfox gives me one of his “here she goes again looks” if its not him, then he has a dopplegenger to be sure! The same chuckle, the same sigh at the end of a sentence leading up to an explosive idea in the next sentence.

Was that you Naeve Zebra? so, with a rush of excitement I dashed here to the computer and typed in radio new zealand, checked out the programmes for 1330, and found this link, and sad to say, it’s not Naeve Zebra, the site looks fascinating take a gander (I realise those over in old country know about it, but a lot of others don’t) http://www.guerrillagardening.org/

Our week long session of daily storms seems to be abating, by Tuesday it should start to be a lot kinder, I certainly hope so as the whole country has had enough. Then again, hasn’t the whole world?
At least a small group of yachties will be enjoying themselves out there in the blue water - they’re heading to Fiji, Tonga, New Caledonia, Papaeete and the winds will be favourable for them at least.

Not much else to write about today, if something pops into my head I’ll blog it.

Bother!

Ran from work to catch the fast ferry home, books fell out my backpack into the puddle that deliberately jumped up to catch them, soaking wet I crammed them back into the backpack and just made it to the ferry. Leaned out to take the warp from over the cleat for Brian the skipper, being helpful - to my utter dismay and in slow motion, my cellphone slid out the front pocket of my backpack and as it hit the water, the light came on, and I watched it going down gracefully from side to side as the fish came out to see what it was…..bother!

Never like the damned thing anyway, but sad to say, they are a necessary evil in todays world….bother!!

Today in the Bay of Islands

 

 

Well, maybe tomorrow? we’ll get out there & help Hannah, so today was the day for paperwork alright!

Starting to get Cabin Fever!!

 

 

 

Pepper

3.30pm Pepper - that’s what the bush smells like before a rainstorm. Reading my book I was asaulted by the peppery aroma wafting up from the bush below us. As that happened it became ominously dark and suddenly the sky opened up and you felt that if you were outside, you’d drown, the droplets were that heavy and so close together you surely wouldn’t be able to breath any air. Yet across the bay, I can see Russell and its bathed in sunlight!

4.30pm The big Fuller’s boats are cruising up the passage back to Opua for moorings for the night. The bush birds have gone quiet again, settling down for the night? or another rainstorm coming…there goes that lady again…she runs two three times a day, no matter what the weather, in runner shorts and tank top - looks to be 90 years old - but she’s probably only late thirties. You can almost hear her bones rattling before the soles of her shoes touch the ground. I have never seen anyone look so ill - if thats not addiction on runner shoes I don’t know what is!

4.45pm Finally got a picture of our wild cat - not so “wild” anymore, she/he allows me to leave my hand beside her while she eats, the Wallymeister pricks up the ears flicks the tail, then rather importantly does a full circle and promplty gets back to business of sleeping (hey, it takes a lot of energy to sleep you know?).

5.00pm Decided to make meat loaf with a kick! folded through Junya’s pepper, curry powder, grated ginger, green pepper & grated carrot. Smells delicious cold, will smell wonderful when its cooking, accompanied by mashed spud & cauliflower, haven’t made up mind as to whether I’ll do a white sauce or a gravy. Trev’s still in bed he must be really crook - he’s slept for 4 1/2 hours now, not like him, perhaps a “nanna nap” for half an hour but never this long.

5.08 pm Wow! unbelievable setting sun, looked out over the bush, and through the misty rain, you can a monstrous pulsating bright orange/yellow ball suspended over the ridge before it sets behind, just beautiful. Well I’ve burbled on long enough, time to start prepping for tomorrows lunch, early start 6.30am. Quite curious about tomorrows weather, we’ll see. Oh the water in the bay has turned purple/mauve from the sun…..