Robin’s protest, that is. Robin wants me to stay on my back for another day. But I have been making steady progress, I can sit and walk without pain. Just standing still is a little painful. So I am trying not to stand still. And today promised light winds and no rain - a perfect day to head back out to the Bay of Islands, with a stop at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds on the way.

So we stocked up and checked out. We tried stopping at the pumpout dock, but it didn’t work.

It was an easy one hour motor into light wind to the anchorage off Waitangi at Motumaire. It took us a while to get a set with our fortress anchor in the soft mud - Robin was ready to drop the whole Waitangi excursion and press on to Roberton’s island. We had to be satisfied with a 1500 rpm set, which should be plenty in the 12 kt northerly.

It was a half mile paddle to the dinghy landing, then another quarter mile walk to the treaty grounds museum. The grounds commmemorate the signing of the treaty by which the Māori agreed to be subject to British sovereignty, but with self rule, and full citizenship rights. The event, in 1840, is considered the founding of New Zealand. A flagstaff commemorates the site of signing, in front of then-governor Busby’s residence.

The residence is preserved and now called “The Treaty House.” But much more interesting is the adjacent “carved house,” built by the Māori to commemorate the centennial of the treaty, in 1940. Thus ornate structure is full of carvings representing each of the Māori communities - fantastical heads and bodies with shining eyes and genitals with their own eyes, catlike ears, outstretched tongues, Māori warrior style.

The well kept grounds overlook Pomare Bay - we could keep an eye on the Mabel Rose at anchor. We drifted in and out of a tour with a Māori guide, who frankly acknowledged the gun-barrel of nature of the treaty - “The British were just taking all the other countries in the area, and they offered the Māori a treaty, which seemed like a better deal.”

There is a 90’ war canoe, also built for the centennial, on the grounds - it is launched in February every year.

We closed down the museum at five pm, made our way back to the Mabel Rose, weighed anchor, hoisted the main, and rolled out th jib to bear off to Roberton just as an unforecast squall and wind shift hit. So we rolled up the jib and double reefed the main, and made it to the anchorage at Roberton as the lee-shore southerlies dropped to a tolerable speed. We anchored near where Captain Cook anchored on his visit to the island in 1769. Our new friends on Ten Gauge are anchored here