On the last day of our Rakiura Cruise some went for a brief walk in the morning, but I stayed and packed. After lunch we docked at Oban in Halfmoon Bay, then we had a couple of hours before the catamaran took us back to Bluff. We bought superb merino clothing from Glowing Sky. 👍
Managing a blind, elderly dog is a whole new learning experience. TIL unfamiliar places make Sasha anxious so she needs to be on the lead. Plus I need to actively guide her past obstacles. I’ve become a ‘guide person’ to my dog. Deb thinks I should have a special jacket. 🤣
Today my neighbour and I walked the dogs on the north side of the river, with a glimpse of snowy mountain peak. I liked a mossy tree. Poor old (blind) Sasha was very anxious in the ‘new’ place, especially after she walked into a low branch, till I put her on the lead. 🐶
Today I tried this Hungarian recipe: Pogácsa. I didn’t have enough white flour so used wholemeal to make up the amount. They were very delicious. Sort of flaky. They were easy to make, but use a heap of butter.
Camo cow.
Late in the last afternoon of our Rakiura Cruise we did a 1 hour easy walk at the Whaler’s Base in Paterson Inlet. The golden hour light was superb. The base operated from 1923 to 1933 and serviced Norwegian whaling chaser boats hunting in the Ross Sea in Antarctica. 🐳
10 August 2020:
10 August 2021: Oshi has an ulcerated right eye… Chlorsig/Chlorafast drops to be administered 4 to 6 times per day. Probably both dogs lost weight at the kennels from stress. Sasha might have diabetes. Sigh — old dogs. 🐶
The icy blast from the last couple of days has moved on, leaving snow not only on the high peaks of the Tararuas (happens several times each year) but also on the foothills. That’s pretty unusual.
6.55 am and at only a few minutes to sunrise it’s light enough out to see distinctly. We’re definitely on the way out of winter and on the approach to summer. 😀 Also, yesterday’s southerly blast is over and a big High is on its way from Australia with warmer weather.
Hmmm, second time in a week my M1 MacBook Pro has frozen and restarted itself while I was writing in Apple Mail. All standard up-to-date release versions of software.
The country’s in the teeth of a southerly storm, with many high altitude roads closed for snow. At 3.30 am I really thought the house might lift off in the 67 Kph gusts — we’re very exposed to the south where the icy wind (and just now horizontal rain) is coming from. 🥶
Some of us opted for the slow easy walk on Ulva Island. Our guide, Gabriel, shared a lot of info. We spotted Kiwi and Penguin tracks on a pristine beach, various birds — robin, kākā, kakariki, bellbird and others. There was Umbrella Moss, ferns only 1 cell thick, rimu trees…
On the last full day of our trip Sandy King and Detector Gadget (and her other trainee dog, Mawson) came aboard the Milford Wanderer. Sandy talked about getting rid of rats on the protected predator-free island, then the dogs checked our bags before we went ashore. No rats there!
Careless writing:
Women, on the other hand, can sometimes not work … These cultural expectations condemn them to be a burden…
They won’t be lazing with their feet up but will be slaving at home! Unpaid work!
12 Countries Could ‘Lose’ Almost 5 Million Women in The Next Decade
Hmmm, I’ve abandoned Blood in the Bayou: A Bone-Chilling FBI Thriller by CM Sutter just under half way through. There was too much point of view of a particularly nasty criminal and the FBI agents seem to be overlooking some obvious things. Just not working for me. 📚
On Sunday 25 July 2021 we were moored at Paterson Inlet, Rakiura, ready for two more adventures. But first: the sunrise.
Good thing I’m proof-watching my Micro Camp video! There’s stuff I need to fix yet, but what do you call a verbal typo/autocorrect? “Microsoft.Blog⁉️⁉️⁉️ What the heck! How do I bleep that out?
After motoring north for 6 hours, late Saturday afternoon we were taken by local guide Bevan for a walk (1 hour each way along a gentle grassy track) on The Neck — a low sandy isthmus at the mouth of Paterson Inlet on Rakiura, and an area with a rich Māori history.
On Day 3 of the cruise I opted to relax aboard the Milford Wanderer in the morning while others went walking. In the afternoon I enjoyed a tender ride around Small Craft Retreat. There were sealions galore! And even more when we were back on the boat. Sealions were a highlight.
Both our (old) dogs lost weight during their 2 week kennel stay. After I queried for issues the owner sent me back a very useful and extremely detailed log of their food, behaviour, management, staff observations etc. Now considering vet checks for both. 🐶