The Purple Penguin

So, the dive on the Rainbow Warrior was cancelled. Not enough people on the boat apparently. There we were first thing in the morning and our main dive is cancelled. Gutted doesn’t even begin to describe it. However, the nice woman in the dive shop rings her mate who runs dives to the wreck out of Matura Bay and he can take us. Hooray! So we have to be at the bay by 1.30 in the afternoon as he has to finish work before taking the boat out. Luckily we’d been to the memorial the day before so we knew where to go. Now we have a morning to spend in Paihia.

So we went for breakfast and checked out the little shops and town. Also saw a nifty looking ‘Aquarium, restuarant, bar’ nice place for dinner thinks us. And after a wander through the place we head off for the bay.

We had a nice drive to the bay and then went on a different route to see the sights and over looks. Beautiful roads, beautiful bays, wonderful drive. We got to the place (a holiday park on the beach) a bit early so spoke to the woman in the shop there. We bought a couple of t-shirts and wondered about the diving when the woman asked what time we were suppose to show up. When we said half past one she smiled and said, oh you’re very early as he’s always a bit late. Hmmm. We drive in and see a small motor boat. Hmmm again. Yep, that’s the boat. The one hooked up to the tractor with bits hanging off.

Everyone finally shows up and the good thing is there are only 6 of us going diving. So it’s a peaceful dive. But it is a small run business – just the bloke and his son. And if we hadn’t been pretty experienced, confident divers this would have been a scary experience. But in all he’s really nice and the trip went well. We got out to the wreck and, despite ear problems, got to do our dive.

The Warrior is a wonderful dive – full of life and small enough that you can really see what you are diving. The statue that was put on her in July is already starting to be covered with life. And the fish are not shy – they come right up to you.

We skipped the second dive as we both had problems clearing. Probably shouldn’t have done the first dive but that was one we couldn’t miss!

Back to Paihia very late however; took ages to get the boat out and sort things. We had to rinse all the kit and get it all packed away and chat to the dive operator. He obviously does it for the love of diving and not for the money. So we got back to Paihia well after 8pm.

Into this nice posh restuarant looking like something the cat dragged in (both of us looked like we’d just surfaced from a dive – funny that). But they sat us and fed us. We were in 35 South which is right on the wharf and has huge aquarium in the centre. Lovely place and the food was wonderful (right, who dreamed up maple syrup whiskey? Canadians? But it is very nice over venison) but the service was quite slow. Still we enjoyed dinner then off to the room to sort kit. By this time it’s night and I’ve not seen the southern sky at night yet. So we grabbed a couple of g&ts, head down to the beach, find a bench, and sit and watch the sky and waves while having a drink. Very nice ending to a fun sort of day.

Today was simply a driving day – straight down to Rotorua and our hotel. We’re off out tonight for a concert and dinner – traditional Maori concert and dinner!