day 175: Barrier Gold
Miriam: What a grand day this has been. We spent a quiet morning in deference to a still sleeping, likely migraine stricken Naomi and then the rest of us set out for adventures. She might’ve spent the whole day in bed, we wouldn’t know, though she might’ve still been in her pyjamas (though thankfully recovered) when we finally returned near sunset. Jaime took off in the dinghy for a fishing adventure (spoiler alert: we had a snapper apiece for dinner, Papa brought home the goods) while Matt and I took the kayak to shore and explored the island, or at least the peninsula. We wandered through a old homestead, followed by two inquisitive chickens, and made our way to the track that extended the entire seaward length from Okiore Point to the unnamed (on the map at least) point overlooking the passage we had entered through, Man of War Passage. We traversed the length of it through flowering Kanuka, past many giddy honeybee hives busy with the bounty of Spring, to stunning overlooks. The day was quintessential Spring weather, mostly bright and warm with a few little showers, the ocean almost teal in the full sun. Watching wind gusts riffle the sea and travel their paths and gazing out upon the islands, sighting Kingfishers and Tui and Fantails, rambling in conversation as well as upon land, staying out way longer than expected, altogether relishing a beautiful day. There were some massive Pohutukawa out near the points, one that was so huge and incredible it must’ve been many hundreds of years old and made for a fantastic climb followed by a nature nap. I collected some watercress and ramps for our dinner salad from the stream near our kayak, which we may have tied to a fallen tree during low tide that we ought to have known would be less convenient if we stayed away all afternoon due to the oysters on the branches, but even that turned out easily accessible with a little wading because it was just that sort of day.
Matt: …fish are jumping, and the Manuka is high. The snapper tastes rich, that pohutukawa’s good looking. But hush little gull don’t you cry