Fishing

We seem to have lots of digital photo files called "fish" or "fishing". Got another one last weekend when Eric, Stuart and I headed north on Saturday for a fish at Paua wharf on the Parengarenga Harbour. There was a(nother) big low due in and the conditions were auspicious for a good fish. That was the forecast ... we awoke to a steady drizzle and wondered if the low had arrived early. We went anyway, stocking up on a range of baits, burley and fuel before gunning up to the North Country. I like heading north because it is quiet and elemental up at Paua. It is often blowing strong wind as well and there is little in the way of shelter.

We arrived to glass like water and an empty wharf. Not many fish to start with but the berley attracted small fish like pipers and parrot fish. To cut a long story short, we caught a kahawai and a parrot fish and lots of pipers. One of the pictures shows Eric modelling the parrot fish. The piper have ridiculously long beaks that must have some purpose thoug I am not sure what. The snapper in the fish bin was donated to us by a boat fisherman who stopped at the wharf to get some pipers. It turned out that he lives just up the road from us in Kaitaia!

The lamb arrived with the low on Sunday morning - we don't call its mother Dippy for no reason. Not only was her timing dodgy, she also decided to have it on Stuart Island before it was cut off by a flooding stream. That gave me a bit of a worry as it would have been tricky to rescue her. Fortunately, the rain stopped and out came the sun and dried up (some) of the rain and the little new born. It is called 81 as it will be eaten. Boo-hoo!

Dippy's daughter Nippy had her lamb on Thursday morning. A little ram lamb "called" 82. He is quite a bit smaller than 81 despite Nippy looking like she was carrying twins. Pregnant sheep look quite deceptive. No sign of a lamb from our last ewe Hilary and in light of my last comment, I am not prepared to speculate on her state.

We had a lovely spring day today after weeks and weeks of rain. The ground dried up a bit and I actually got to do some soil preparation in the veggy garden.

Family news: not a lot really, all tootling along nicely ta.

National news: Winston Peters who is the Foreingn Minister has been stood down by the PM for allegedly cooking the books. An election draws near.

Local news: a fishing boat came in too close at Waipapakauri and was wrecked. It had to be cut up and taken away for scrap. Kaitaia Chess club had an almost double figures turn out last week when the youngest member Paddy Bryan had a shock win over the oldest member George Johnson. Order was restored this week when George beat Paddy!

Til next time.