PM 1st Spuddle

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Mon 4 Nov 2013 23:57
Port Maurelle First Spuddle in Tonga
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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We had a fairly sedate start to the day and after breakfast I was hammered at backgammon. Cross as a wasp, it put me in an attacking mood – best time to take it out on fridge cleaning. Everything out and washed, sounds straightforward, Mmmm. I can only just reach down to the bottom and bodily have to organise myself. Skipper helped with the rinsing and drying of all the beer cans, Diet Coke and Sprite bottles. Washing all the tubs and storage boxes, guilt for beating me ??? Like heck............. Mmmm. That done it was time to have a go at all the cupboards, New Zealand is the strictest country for Customs, Immigration and Biosecurity so far (just a shade behind Australia) – no fruit, nuts, unpopped popcorn, flour, spices, herbs, feathers, shells, tinned meat, the list is quite long, a boat recently commented on their roach hotels being taken and only being left with one insect repellant as the contents were viewed not to be correct.
Isabel (Sonsie) came over for a quick visit, they are off this afternoon for Auckland and we wish Jim and Isabel safe winds and following seas and an email on their arrival with full details of how the journey went.
Out came the computer, spreadsheets at the ready. We made a pile of what has to be eaten and everything else was checked off. Marvelous, time for lunch. Last job was to empty the freezer, audit and reload, Bears job whilst I scribe, he says he needs to get tough to wedge it all back in as it becomes a Krypton Factor to get it all in. You can begin with quite a space but somehow you only just get the lid to close..... With the fish fillets we caught and the gifts from Palmerston it looks like fish every other day, yummy. Oh that sounds so lame Bear. Just as the last bit of tidying had occurred, Gallivanter popped over for a visit. Lovely to catch up with Adam, Tam, Jack and Katinka. They are off soon and some of the conversation was a repeat of our sorting, it seems everyone is doing exactly the same thing. At the end of the day, it is us that wish to visit, so it is us that need to adhere to the rules.
Five o’clock we thought a short spuddle was what was needed. Off we went to the cave at the end of the promontory Adam had told me of yesterday - over our left shoulder. It was nice to be out and about and getting our first feel of our rugged environment.
 
 
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We found the cave and could see a big gap in the coral.
 
 
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The cave was huge.
 
 
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The colours were quite something and the swifts were dashing around in the roof. Sadly we had only brought the little camera. A must do is to return here. We need a few days in town after we check in tomorrow, no internet here, must fill one of the water tanks and tick off a few more chores. We have a ten day trip on the horizon, but for now we can enjoy a little while exploring.
 
 

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Shame about the graffiti. 
 
 
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Back out into the sunshine.
 
 
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A quick look around the corner.
 
 
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Time to get back to the anchorage.
 
 
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Beez always happy to be at the back.
 
 
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The shallow, pale blue water to her right looked inviting enough for a short snorkel.
 
 
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Baby Beez tethered to the back of Beez, we swam from thirty feet depth and slowly made our way to the reef shelf, at fifteen feet things came into view.
 
 
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The shelf was in about five feet of water, must return in full sun.
 
 
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Blue stars lurking all over the place.
 
 
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Bits and bobs that have become usual for us.
 
 
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Several posers.
 
 
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Happy colours.
 
 
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A brand new chap to us (centre) would not pose at all. Home by six, shower and fish supper........and a third loss of the day.......
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL QUITE A DAY