2 April

Coralie Bay is stunning. It is surrounded by high, white cliffs to the east of Great Mercury. There are shell laden beaches and perfect climbing hills, per Dalton and Hall. John went wing foiling and the rest of us explored on paddle boards. Hall and John enjoyed snorkeling, but the currents were strong. None of these islands have dinghy docks, so we either paddle ashore or do a dinghy drop off. John dropped off the children and me for some land time. We climbed over the ridge and found expansive sheep and cow farms. These farms are seemingly unattended, with the natural boundaries of cliffs and the sea. The sheep saw us and started running around frantically- clearly, they don’t have any visitors! There was one other boat in the bay. We met them on the beach – a young couple from Massachusetts! They moved to the Bay of Islands during Covid and have never left. They have a  6 month old on board, which reminded us how grateful we are to be free from juggling  nap time and childproofing everything on board! John picked us up in the dinghy and we headed back to the boat for dinner  and showers. We enjoyed family movie night and spaghetti and salad. Bedtimes have been much later than usual, but we all tuck in and wake around the same time. There’s time to nap during the day, of course; although we typically just have down time after lunch for reading. 

There are no snakes in NZ. Not that snakes are a common nuisance on a boat, but it is comforting to know this as the children traipse through waist high grasslands and pastures, mud pits and marshy bogs.

We are finding a regular rhythm in our second month on board.  There are no complaints about cold showers and the children have adopted roles and responsibilities and continue to surprise us with their desire for independence and enthusiasm to learn. They read nonstop. Hall has become quite the navigator and systems monitor. Dalton enjoys doing the laundry, drawing, and sewing. Dalton comes into her own as a sailor when things go sideways & something needs to happen quickly; the sense of importance in the moment peaks her engagement. 

Tomorrow, we plan to enjoy the morning here and sail south to the Cove in the afternoon. This post and the subsequent few will likely be delayed and posted simultaneously, due to our current lack of service…

Cruising in the quiet,

S/v Nogal