Paroa Bay

Hi
Just a short blog - we are tonight anchored in Paroa Bay (BOI) where Jim's family owned a property for 40 years and today went ashore and had a pleasant time with their old neighbours the Solomons ("young" Charlie and Pam) who are still living here. Lots of nostalgia and childhood memories. Also talking with Charlie and Pam about their children who used to play with Jim's children all those years ago. Where has the time gone?!!
The association with the Solomons goes back to 1943 when Jim's grandfather originally bought the property. Then a couple of years later he had a heart attack one night and in those days there was no means of communication - no email, radio or cellphone and the landline didn't operate either because the exchange in Russell which was a manual party line system was switched off at 6 pm. Mrs. Solomon Snr. rowed their dinghy about 2 miles along the coast to Long Beach in the early hours of the morning and walked over the hill to Russell to fetch the doctor. She rowed him back to Paroa Bay but it was too late and grandfather had passed away - before yours truly was born! Jim's father never forgot those heroic efforts and the Solomons always occupied a special place in our affections.
We are thinking we may sail up to Whangaroa in the next day or two and then by degrees back to Whangarei - maybe via the Barrier. After that we would like to forget about boats and boating for a while and are intending to take a land trip south and see how the other half lives! Then it will be back to Whangarei and re-caulking the teak decks. All with a view to a leisurely cruise to Vanuatu and New Caledonia commencing in April 2011.
But right now it's bedtime. We are perfectly sheltered here in a light SW breeze and the yacht is moving almost imperceptibly - just right for a gentle rocking to sleep!! This is what makes cruising all worthwhile.
Cheers,
Jim and Jean (Gina)

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com