Where Did Those Three Days Go?

Bay Of Islands Marina, Opua, North Island

Friday 9 July 2021

Today’s Post WAS going to be called … “A Comedy of Errors” … or maybe, “Swimming Spectacle” … but there are more important reasons to remember today than Robert (me) … losing not one, but TWO pairs of prescription glasses overboard.

The first from an accidental ”drop” over the stern while loading the dinghy, the second from me diving out of the dinghy, immediately after, to save the first … while wearing my glasses … naturally, I was wearing my glasses because I wear them every waking minute of the day to correct permanent double vision – except when I’m reading, or at the computer, and then I need the first pair which I was diving to retrieve.

My “dive” was purely spontaneous … while receiving bags, shoes and goodies from above in preparation for all six of us motoring to shore, I saw my glasses case plummet from above into the water and immediately start to sink.  By the time I reached the sinking case, which by now had opened on account of a faulty hinge, I was at least a metre under the water, eyes wide-open, completely submerged, flailing desperately with my arms to reach this essential piece of kit – it was like a scene out of a bad movie.

Returning to the surface, clutching the glasses case triumphantly in my right hand, elation soon turned to – whatever the opposite of elation is – when I realised, not only was the glasses case empty, but the world was suddenly blurred and my double vision had returned – oh dear, I’ve ALSO lost my main pair of glasses!!

Oh, did I mention that I was dressed in FULL wet weather gear – including over-pants, jacket, seaboots and lifejacket – totally compliant this guy – plus all the clothes I was wearing underneath – hate to dispel THAT rumour.

Let’s just say, it was not a highlight of the voyage so far.  And yes, I might have used some naughty words that most people might excuse, given the circumstances … particularly those who rely on prescription glasses to function like a useful human being each day.

Fortunately, I have an old pair of multifocal glasses in my bag, which at least corrects the double vision, and now I wear an additional pair of 1.5x Readers, (which I bought “cheaply” from a local pharmacy for a mere $29.95??!!) simultaneously … for up-close work – like now when I’m at the computer typing. Linda offered to take a photo of me wearing two pairs of glasses, which apparently looks a bit funny … but I declined. I must still be going through the grieving process?!

Well, that’s a lot of words devoted to a topic I’d rather forget, maybe I’ll consider it therapy. 

To perhaps fill in a few gaps in the narrative … and linking in with the title of today’s blog … we were in the process of drawing the curtain on three blissful days of unique fun, adventuring and togetherness.  Three days that seemed to have flown … as they do … but three days in which we had packed in as much as we possibly could.   

The weather had just been so kind.  After a lazy start to the day this morning at the Robertson Island anchorage where Matt, Cathy, Eva and James went for a swim – even swimming to shore – we were now anchored off the main town of Paihia; just an hour’s sail away.

The reason was because Linda had been suffering a bit more than normal from asthma and congestion, over the past day or so, and wanted to see a doctor.  The doctor’s appointment was at 2:50pm, and the “spectacle incident” off the back of the boat occurred when we were all preparing to go ashore … in plenty of time …

Consequently, our “spare time” largely evaporated in the time it took me to totally disrobe, dry off and then re-dress.

Once at the Paihia wharf, everyone piled out of the dinghy, leaving their life jackets and full wet weather kit with me in the dinghy to return to Chimere.  Once there, I received a call on my phone from Matt to say … “There’s a dive shop here at the wharf and the owner said he’d be happy to come out and have a go at looking for the glasses”   

Here was a glimmer of hope.  The sun was still shining, the sea was flat, we were in just 5 metres of water … how hard could it be to find a couple of pairs of glasses?!  Apart from the fact that more than an hour’s tidal flow had swung us on our anchor away from where we were when the “incident” occurred.

But still, it was worth a try.  So, I raced back in to the wharf and soon after, was transporting an extremely helpful diver-man-Craig, out to the “scene”.  And I’d love to say that Craig found the glasses in just 15 minutes … but sadly, despite his best efforts, scanning a large arch of the sea floor while I watched his bubbles and orange float from above, there was no happy ending.  But at least we’d given it a try and I felt good slipping him $100 as we parted, which he felt unworthy to receive on account of being unsuccessful.

On the medical front, Linda is much improved after her visit to the doctor – which included the usual stick-up-the-nose-and-mouth (maybe the other way around) COVID test, plus some steroid medications … so ALL drug testing has just ceased onboard.

The long and the short of it is that Linda will NOT be flying home to Melbourne tomorrow with Matt and Cathy.  She will remain – with me – possibly rebooking her flights for Sunday or Monday … after the school holiday rush is over.

So, Matt and Cathy get a taxi at 5:00am tomorrow – driven by Cameron… Margaret’s husband I think – and James and Eva leave us soon after, around 7:00am, catching a taxi around to Paihia.  From there they catch a bus to Auckland, where they’ll rent a car to do some touring for the following 5-6 days – yes to Hobbiton (the second time for Eva)

So, it’s all go here, or was.

They say good times never last.  Which is no doubt true.  Right now though, I’m choosing to focus on the fact that the good times actually managed to occur at all.  Almost in spite of the current, dare I say “unprecedented” times – sorry, I just had to.  Looking back, this family bonding time  in the Bay of Islands was supposed to take place in around May last year – more than 12 months ago. 

Then, with the trans-Tasman “bubble” opening, then closing, then being suspended, then being held ajar for selected Australian States, then suspended again, then each Australian State (once again) not allowing travel across borders … it’s truly amazing that Linda, Matt, Cathy, James and Eva  – simply on account of them coming from Canberra and Melbourne (and not nearly any other place in Australia at the moment) – could come over … and travel home again … although that particular hurdle hasn’t fully been got over yet!

It’s been a very active three days, with all six of us sailing and adventuring together … but by breakfast tomorrow it’ll be as “quiet as” … bro.    And soon after that, very soon after, my thoughts will need to focus almost entirely on preparations for the voyage home – I hopefully have three crew member flying in from Australia in two days – but right now, that can wait.

Smooth seas, fair breeze and where did those three days go?

Rob Latimer