Rocks and Waves

So once again I probably should have written this blog a week ago so that my imperfect memory is not a factor in the lack of information contained herein.  (Reading that back, that is an overly complicated sentence to say that I am useless.)  I shall do my best to recall the interesting (obviously depending on point of view) details of the last two weeks.

Work goes on as usual for myself and the better half.  I am doing more and more duty cover (being on call).  The bonus pay for it is very welcome but the calls in the middle of the night when you are half asleep and have to work out whether an environmental incident can wait until the morning are taking a bit of getting used to.  In between being on call and investigating incidents I have been getting more climbing in.  I've found a few people to climb with regularly and last weekend managed to get out on some real rock for the first time since arriving here.

Last Saturday I drove out to Baring Head (on the east side of the harbour) with Mike to check out the boulders.  It had been mentioned to us that there was a stream crossing to get to the point but this was a fairly normal Kiwi understatement.  The stream was a river and after attempting to cross at four different points, wading up to thigh deep in freezing fast flowing water, we gave up.  Thankfully, 40 minutes from Baring Head, is Turakirae Head which despite the longer walk in also has some world class bouldering.  We got to spend 3 hours playing on some great Greywacke Boulders (rocks to everyone else).  Definitely going to go back.

Not a great deal to report through the week.  The other half and I had a nice quiet Saturday this weekend, she went riding and I chilled.  Today I took part in the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club Winter Series.  I got to crew on a 10.2m MRX racing yacht.  This was not quite as exciting as it sounds due to the fact we had almost no wind all day and it rained constantly.  There were about 30 boats in the race in two divisions and multiple classes.  Despite the lack of wind, and the dampness due to rain, it was great fun.  We finished middle of the field.  I shall be going back in two weeks for the second race of the series hoping for more wind.

The next blog should have more photos and more news.  On Tuesday we fly out to Rarotonga (in the Cook Islands).  We are only going for five days but are really looking forward to the break.  I will fill you in when we return.  Until next time...