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| Caption competition... |
With the advance party having taken care of provisioning earlier in the day (thanks, John), we were able to depart Whangarei within minutes of arrival on the very last of the tide - skimming the mud as we shot downstream a full 3 hrs after the high.
Touch and go, but it made for a record time to Marsden Cove marina, for a brief overnight (and a well-needed wash-down for Harlequin) before pressing on up the coast to Tutukaka the next day.
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| Lovely day for a swim |
By mid-afternoon, we were alongside at the marina there, with Charlie & Gareth in the water (they volunteered, honest) giving the prop a good scrub. Needed it, too, although the rest of the anti-foul on the hull has been lasting amazingly well in the river at Whangarei.
Meanwhile the adults sat in the sun and chatted over cocktails. So it was only fair the boys be treated to a slap-up pizza dinner at the Marina Pizzaria - trez plez, sitting outdoors in the warm winter sun.
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| Charles |
JC and John then had to depart, back at work on Monday morning, leaving the remaining team of Jim, Charlie & Gareth to sail & fish their way back down the coast in a stiff NW'ly to Bream Head. No fish landed, but they were met by a large school of dolphins for an hour of play, before heading straight up the river to Whangarei.
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| Where's Charlie gone?! |
A couple of days of odd jobs rounded off this flying visit, leaving Harlequin refreshed and ready for the summer hols, starting next month. Can't wait...
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| Dolphin hunting | Here they come! | Line abreast |
