Cannibals and Mussels

Click here for a GPS track of the day's kayaking

Approaching Cannibal Cove

Well, it’s official, I’ve arrived in paradise … and it’s called Cannibal Cove! I’m alone here and it really is perfect - helped by today’s unbroken sunshine. The wind has picked up since this morning and is currently NNW - will shift to NW for the next 2 days and continue to increase. The paddling today was great - pretty easy and no swell, chop or waves of note - except from passing boats. I saw numerous penguins - cute! Ship Cove was really interesting - a well-balanced account of human history there. It was less than 30 minutes paddling from there to here.

Cook memorial, Ship Cove

Maori carving, Ship Cove

Penguin

Company in the outer sound

So, I’m planning to enjoy this place today … and maybe just stay here. If the wind shifts NW and strengthens, Wharehunga and Blumine Island will likely be exposed. I’ve just checked - Wharehunga is north-facing, as is Blumine. It’s a difficult decision - things mightn’t be much fun here either, if it rains and the wind gets really strong.

The cicadas here are really loud! It’s nice though. It’s now 3:15pm - I’ve just managed to get a radio station using my phone’s FM receive - there’s a forecast at 5pm. If the forecast is for light to moderate winds tomorrow, I’ll probably go. And perhaps the other campsites are as nice as this.

I don’t have anything else to write right now - no philosophy, no feelings, no spritual epiphanies. I feel quiet, at peace, untroubled. A kereru’s wings beat as it flies away.

Cannibal Cove

Cannibal Cove

Happy times at Cannibal Cove

Tent site, Cannibal Cove

Afternoon, Cannibal Cove

View from Cannibal Cove to Arapawa Island

A couple with 2 dogs in a speed boat parked at my beach here earlier but left after a few minutes. I’m sharing this place with 2 sooty oystercatchers.

I picked some humungous green-lipped mussels from the rocks here a little while ago - the biggest one was about 12cm long! So that’ll be dinner, or perhaps just an entrée.

Just for the record - even on the final leg around to here, there was no noticeable swell coming in from the open ocean.

Dinner!

It's 6 pm now and I’ve just eaten the mussels - boiled them in salt water - without a doubt, the best I’ve ever had. Another kayaker, Mike from Blenheim, has just arrived from Waikawa for an overnight weekend trip, so I wont be alone.