Waiting out the weather

Date: 12/04/15 Position: Evening Cove, South Arm, Port Pegasus

On Friday we had a terrific day walk to a peak called Magog. First we walked from our anchorage at Evening Cove in the drizzly rain along an obvious track through a small forested area. Once we were out in open country we followed cairns for a short distance but then the cairns stopped and the scrub doubled in height as we crossed a few creeks. After climbing a knoll we continued along the ridge tops towards Magog. The scrub was fairly low which made for easy walking. At times there were faded tapes and cairns along the way. Magog is a large rocky topped peak with slabs and boulders of quartzite making up the summit. The rain eased whilst we navigated our way to the high point and the sun came out and warmed us while we had lunch on top. The views were spectacular, especially of the wild west coast of Stewart Island with its many outlying islands. We considered ourselves lucky to have enjoyed the sunshine on top as on our return back to Ambler rain showers and grey skies set in again. When we glanced back at Magog it was shrouded in misty rain.

Yesterday and today have been spent on board while a 45 knot westerly blows over with heavy rain showers and hail stones. The rigging has been humming now for two days and although we are tempted at times to stick our heads out into the cockpit, the icy cold wind blasts ensure we don't stay out for long. The next few days aren't looking much better as the wind turns to the south with similar intensity with colder air and snow predicted to fall to 400m. Mmmmm. Presently every coastal area of New Zealand has a gale warning issued due to the passage of this front. So we've been rugged up and occupying ourselves with various projects and the scrabble board came out today for the first time this trip.

All is toasty on board with the heater going. Kathy and Wayne

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