It was a great morning, we were up just on 5am, still smelling of open fire smoke on all of my warm clothes. Gradually I got ready, we stopped and chatted to the locals just for a little bit and then I waved Nat off at 6.30am. We needed a weather update for today to make sure Cape Palliser was okay to go around. The plan was I would leave one hour after Nat so she could drive to coverage, check weather updates and then meet me at White Rock, which was only a 10km paddle. If we had it wrong then I could get out there and not attempt the Cape. It was a great morning of paddling, seals, cray pots, cray boats and me. This morning when chatting to our fisherman friend he said that NZ coasts and beaches were beautiful but this coastline he described brilliantly, "Magic" was his word. Yep it truly is.

Tora to White Rock was not difficult and there they are waiting, it always makes me smile. I never tire of seeing them on the shoreline, my support crew rock and so does Cuzzie, even if at the moment we are covered in a layer of dust from these roads. Nat gives me the thumbs up to attempt the cape, so off we both go, she has a long drive around to meet me on the other side.

Off I head and as I get closer I can see one of my favourite things, a lighthouse, red, white and sitting in prime view. A couple of the numerous Cray boats stop and say hi, ask me where I am heading and wish me luck. No such luck on any fresh cray today, but this is okay as we also still have Paua to eat. Along this coastline today it was a dream. I have been extremely fortunate on most of the Capes, so far it has been calm and sunny and today was a nice, calm, blue ocean.

As I get past the light house and into another bay the wind comes head on at me for part of this next paddle. It is nice for a change to have some coolness and some sea spray as the day is getting hot. I head way out and wide at Te Kawakawa Rocks to miss the rocks and breaking waves. Then as I get closer to Ngawi I am happy to be able to text Nat my location and say Plan A was going well.

Nat started to head to meet me at Te Humenga Point and I paddled on. There was no wind and it was really hot. I stopped to remove layers of clothing and apply more sunscreen, making sure nothing fell overboard or floated away, it is always a little tricky. I was aiming at my destination and travelling really well. Next minute I see the team at the destination point and today even with a bit of a black dumping beach I land and do not get wet, brilliant!

We have decided to stop here for the day rather than go into Lake Ferry. It seemed a bit like extra paddling. My plan for tomorrow is to try and do a direct crossing from Te Humenga Point to Turakirae Head. Yep, plans. We know what happens when we plan things...

Dinner to cook and bed soon, we are getting closer now to another goal.

RED..

PS: My chocolate brownie that I eat most days, FYI it is healthy as! Made from kumera, beetroot, honey coconut flour and oil. Instant energy and it satisfies me when I am needing a lift. Sorry can not share the famous recipe just yet, but it is a winner.