Back from work at 530 and a successful fishing mission  from the bottom of the garden by 630. From the sea to the plate with a delicate little unoaked chardonnay from Te Whau winery. A large and small snapper. The big one put up a fight! about 5 pounds in weight. We ate the big one and the animals had the other as a special treat fish supper! Absolutely no waste.

Catching fish everytime we go now within about 15 - 20 mins. Dinner can almost be guranteed.

Ringside seat watching BjornAgain at the Devonport Wine and Food Festival. 

 
 On a truely gorgeous morning in the Hauraki Gulf just outside Auckland - even puts me in a good mood on a Monday morning. Rather than passing a Vectra at speed on the M3 we passed the bloody massive QE2. Just in after sailing down from Sydney for a couple of days. Full of white haired people eating too much no doubt, but looks very pretty from a distance. 

The QE2 is 23 stories high and actually too big for the Queens Dock in Central Auckland, so had to be stuck in the container port a little bit down the road!

Rest assured its not always this nice weather wise...last week we had the reminants of a tropical storm that hit as I got on the ferry. I was a slight shade of green for the rest of the day. However only really two days of  big rain in the last 6 weeks...getting spoilt or what.   

 
 
 More pictures from a recent sailing trip.

 The Devonport Wine and Food Festival, a short ferry ride from Waiheke. Food, Wine and Music. The music was  Bjorn Again - the Aussie ABBA crew. 

 Beach life for Basil in Oneroa Bay. An endless stretch of sand perfect to knacker a Border Collie. 

 Basil enjoying the luxury of Land Rover life! travelling at least at 30 mph...

 

 

Back to work on the ferry this week and a reality check! and some familiar haunts to go and get

a free coffee. All good and it pays the bills!

 

The one that didn't get away (a red snapper)! Jason has taken to fishing - think it's a mid-life thing. Won't get fat on that but quite satisfying and as Jason continually tells me it's free! May be turning into Tom and Barbara. 

 

Where we swim - yes you guessed it - the bottom of our garden again! Bet Madonna hasn't got the same facilities!

 

Yet another vineyard lunch (Miro Vineyard) - only 24 more to go! Wonderful tapas and of course a bit of home brew. Will be 20 stone alcoholics in a years time ...... watch this space. When you think we need help call please say.

 

Yes it looks naff, but it was bloody brilliant - 3. 5km narrow gadge railway through the Coromandel bush and up to an amazing lookout. Created by one man over 20 years (these Kiwi's are tenacious buggers). Not exactly white knuckle but an experience non the less ..... we're easily pleased these days you know.

 

Our kayaks ...... a bargain .... or so we were told by the island kayak man. If we sink next week we know where to find him. And yes, they have seen action incase you were wondering. Found lots of deserted bays to explore. There's no-one in this bloody country!

 

The Pacific by moonlight - our garden again ..... not bad eh?

 

View across to the Coromandel Peninsular in the evening sun from our back garden.

 After all that activity...lunch of course...

We had a great sailing trip today. For around 55 quid each we had a 30 ft catamaran to ourselves with a skipper (who just so happened to be a chef on the island as well). 

We sailed, stopped in a fantastic bay off the island of Porui (close to Waiheke) and swam to a beach. Which of course being NZ has sheep on it...

 A slightly worrying situation...Jason driving the boat.

 Her name is Rio.....well Jenny Burns actually. More pictures of our sailing trip. 

 Jason learning to sail the Jason way. First things first...a nice cup of tea and a biscuit. 

 Recent Kayak trip around the island with Ross's Kayak Adventures. We have now bought our own Kayaks.

 Our 5th Anniversary was spent in Te Whau Vineyard. Overlooking the Harauki Gulf towards Auckland in the distance. 

 

We went to the Onetangi Races today! Much sunshine, wine, beer and burgers. And of course lots of racing.