The boat went back in the water on Thursday Hurraaaaaaaa. We got all the projects done plus some that were not planned. All is well with Shellette. Mike and Marnie are back on the boat after spending 3 weeks in a hotel. I am leaving the boat for 3 days to go on a road trip. M & M had the room for another night and let me use it so my first day/night of the road trip, I spent in the hotel. It was nice; I watched a movie, used the Jacuzzi and sauna and even took a nap. What a nice change from grinding fiberglass and painting with toxic paints etc.
That night I was walking to have dinner and ran into the guy who replaced our salon floor. He has sailed around the world 2 times, 8 years each time and around Cape Horn both times. He built his last boat 51’ and it was amazing. For example most teak floors are veneer. His was solid teak with solid holly 3/4′” thick. It was just beautiful. It took him 14 years to build.
Anyways back to the road trip. I am heading to Waitomo to go caving. It is about a 6 hour trip. My first stop was Hamilton on Saturday. I went to a casino and lost this time, but it was fun.
So we have a tent on the boat and I bought a sleeping bag and on Saturday night I camped out for the first time in 20 years. I think the last time was in Switzerland when we lived there. Got up on Sunday and it was raining, so I had to pack up camp in the rain and headed to my caving adventure.
The caving was an awesome adventure right up there with sky diving or white water rafting. I felt like Indiana Jones. Five of us were on the adventure with 2 guides. First we repelled down through a hole in the earth 150’ (looked like a well, but made by Mother Nature). Then we hooked onto a rope and pulley and shot down another 50’. Finally we jumped into the small river running through the cave with inner tubes. We then floated in the river. Glow worms where all over the ceiling, so as you are sitting in your inner tube looking up it looks like the starriest night you have ever seen. It was really awesome. So we floated through the river for awhile at times passing through some rapids. Remember all this time we are 200+ feet below the surface. It never dawned on me we had to get back out again. To do that we climbed up a vertical cave with water running through it and had to go up single file as it was a very narrow passage. It was truly a blessing to see day light again after being down there for 3 hours. I was also getting a little cold even though they gave you a thick full body wet suite
So I left Waitamo and started heading back to the boat. I stopped in Auckland on the way back to see a couple of movies In the Air and at 10 am on Monday, it was the only time I could get a good seat to see Avatar 3D in a Imax theater. I don’t think I have ever seen a 3D movie. I am sending you this email before seeing Avatar.
I cannot wait to get back to the boat and head to sea again, exploring more of New Zealand.
The adventure continues
Love Gary