Hi again,

Forgot to mention that last week, in order to give ourselves a break from all this pesky weather watching, we took off for 2 days and a night to Russell and stayed at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel. This is the site of the oldest liquor licence issued in NZ in 1840. That's probably a dubious distinction!! We booked it through Wotif for $100 - normal cost $495!!

However, we had  a pleasant time and renewed acquaintance with Stewart at Russell Radio. We had driven up via the coast road (i.e. not the Opua car ferry) and it is a spectacular drive with wonderful sea views of the wild rock bound coast just south of Cape Brett.  Didn't take too much longer than the conventional route up SH1 and over on the ferry and well worth it. And there's a wonderful cafe at the top of the Helena Bay Hill (nearer to Whangarei) which is run by a young German couple. We had the best croissants we've ever had anywhere - including France.

All in all a very pleasant interlude.

Now we are back in the marina and it's 0730 and we have inadvertantly allowed both gas bottles to run out so can't even make a cup of tea much less cook Jim's Kranskys! So it's off to the gas place to get some more.........................

Cheers again