You have to love any place that supplies a dock for cruisers to come shop at their store.

Today we headed off (a couple miles across choppy water) to the Black River to find the cheese company. Apparently they make excellent cheddar and a variety of flavoured cheeses. In order for us to be a little closer (and to avoid paying marina fees again) we moved the boat yesterday to an anchorage on the west side of Waupoos Island. It took 4 attempts and one change of anchor to get the anchor to set and hold.

So off we go by dinghy to buy cheese. I should mention that we probably have $200 or more worth of cheese on board but none of it was bought by dinghy. The Black River is very weedy and our little 6hp motor is struggling a little to get us up the river but we get through and there it is right at the bridge. The Black River Cheese company. We tie up at their dock and go inside. This place is a popular spot apparently. I don't see anyone buying cheese but the ice cream counter is really busy. We choose 3 or 4 types of cheese and then throw in a few ice cream cones for good measure. While there we ask if there is any place we can buy bread. Michele tried to bake some the other day but the yeast was dead so we had "flat bread". The girl at the counter directs us to "Vickie's Veggies" which is just up the road.

Off we go. In no more than a kilometer down a small country road we come across this HUGE garden and sure enough at the end of it is a bit more than a road side stand. We found Vickie's Veggies. The place is great although possible a little pricey. We buy some "ground cherries" (look like tiny tomatillos and do actually taste a lot like a cherry) and some just picked raspberries (and I thought the season was past on those). We skipped the reason for the trip. The "bread" was "artisan bread" not much bigger than a muffin and $5.00. We'll wait until we can get yeast since Michele is a terrific baker and can make all the "artisan bread" I want for free. The trip was still worth it for the fruit and veggies. She had some fantastic produce available.

We took out "groceries" back to the boat and decided to dinghy back to the mainland to go for another walk. We found some really pretty houses and a local pub in the middle of nowhere. We couldn't hang around too long since I had to prepare the boat for the trip to Picton the next day. Now from Waupoos to Picton is about 15 minutes by car (maybe 10 miles?). For us to get there by boat we have to go all the way around a peninsula. The trip will be over 30 miles which will take 7 or more hours likely. That means dinner and a movie on the boat..... but we don't have any jiffy pop since it's not that easy to find. Oh well. I guess wine and cheese will have to do.