Time flies

Well a month has gone by without a posting but it seems like a couple of days to us. Yes we have been busy with sailing the last leg from Opua to Gulf Harbour which is 12 miles north of Auckland where we are moored on the same dock as last year but in a different berth which is just great. It is the first time in six years of doing this that we have ended up at the same place where we left. We did a big circle of four thousand or so miles up to the islands as they call the south pacific group of Fiji, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia. We had a great time and it is nice to be back in New Zealand where we have a car and know where the supermarket is as well as a number of people and services where we can get things done. Really we don't have much to do on the boat this year as we did most major things last year so only need minor adjustments now. This will allow us to do some travelling around on land for a change and hope to visit the south island in January and February.

We spent just a few days in Gulf Harbour before flying over to Sydney to visit Marians sister who lives in Cronulla. She has three young children and are doing a major renovation on their house. This was not a problem because we have friends, who are sailors, that have moved back on land and live close by and kindly invited to stay with them. It is quite amazing the close bonds we make living on the ocean. The kindred spirits seem of us yachties are wonderful and seeing Ray and Brenda after four years was like we saw them just yesterday. They live in an enchanting area with parakeets landing on your hands and head with Cockatoo's and Kookaburra all around. We had a wonderful time catching up and look forward to seeing more of them next year hopefully sailing with us on one of the legs. We spent five days in Aus before flying back to Vancouver.

We arrive back here on November 29th and started what now seems like a big blure. It was off the the dentist, doctor, eye doctor etc. Two days after we left for Calgary where we spent four days with our daughter and newest grandson Liam who is just starting to walk so lots of fun. Back in Vancouver it has been more shopping and medical stuff (nothing bad just routine stuff) and visiting family and friends. We have had Andrews house for the last week as they all are off to Mexico for a quick sun break so it is different for us to be in a house. The big screen TV is something we are not used to but it is pretty neat. We will go back down to our power boat called also Kilkea,where we will live on, until we head back to New Zealand in January. Kilkea here has electric heat as well as a furnace so it is very comfortable and at least there is some movement in bed to rock us to sleep.

That sort of catches us up for now. As everyone is at this time of year we will be busy with the family and all our friends here and it will be just a blink before we are back in New Zealand enjoying the warm weather and seeing all our cruising friends.

We wish everyone a Very Merrry Christmas.