Motored today, using the engine to power the watermaker, from Raetihi Lodge in Kenepuru out to the main Pelorus Sound, over to Jacob's Bay mooring. As usual it was ridiculously windy as we went to pick up the mooring but this time we approached from upwind so as to better position our boat with respect to the ball, and employed our new, improved communication strategies: from the bow I call out the distances to the ball back to Jim in the cockpit as the closer we approach it the more out of sight it is. That helps!

There's a bit of fun watching the fun boat traffic - a few sailboats are heading up the inlet, and a Havelock-based mail/tour boat arrives at the beach nearest to us, extends its companionway and beaches to disgorge approx 35 pax for 10 min, then retracts its gangplank and zooms away.

Time for a much-needed 8 km walk to Fairy Bay & back along a cliff hugging track in native bush including NZ beech trees with their black trunks, and tall pongas. Jim in the lead turns a corner and comes across a large buck with a big rack. The deer is as surprised to see Jim as Jim is to see it! By the time I arrive it's long gone. Deer are an introduced species and are causing havoc by munching their way through the countryside.

Fairy Bay itself it open but wasps are everywhere hovering over the stones. It's a bad year for wasps, another invasive species.

There’s also a curious piece of Pelorus-opogo looking piece of driftwood ....

As there is a tap at Jacob's Bay we fill both our shower bag and a 5 gallon blue container and row everything back to Sonsie.

Wasps are even buzzing around our rigging.