While in Opua, we were able to meet up with some of our crusing friends--Paikea Mist (Michael and Gloria), Curious (Steve and Terry), Visions of Johanna (Bill and Johanna). We had great sundowners on everyones boats. Steve had quite an adventurous tale to tell; he was cleaning his boat in Fiji with a stainless steel brush and got a wire stuck into the sole of his foot. He got the wire out, but he then went walking on the coral sand beach and got an infection. By the time he got to Opua, he had to be medi-vaced out to Whangeri hospital for emergency surgery--he had blood poisoning. He stayed for a week in the hospital as they tried various antibiotics to stop the infection. They also removed a chunk of his foot. He is OK now, but it was a reminder to all of us--infections in the tropics can be life-threatening. The pic is of Steve (aka Ace) and his gimpy foot--he accepted all the sympathy he could get.