#99 NOW April 7, 2006 1300UTC +12 hours (New Zealand Standard Time) Anchored in Waihinau Bay S4056.6 E17357.2 Temp 70, Wind from all directions 15 kts Good Afternoon, After a lovely stay in Waterfall Bay, I returned to Picton for a couple of hours to re-supply the boat with more food and water. I then headed down Queen Charlotte Strait pulling into Endeavour Inlet. At the far northern end of the inlet is Furneaux Lodge, which has a small dock and some good moorings. Furneaux Lodge is also located on part of the Queen Charlotte Track. I picked up one of the moorings and spent the night. Next morning, after a good breakfast, I put on my hiking shoes, packed a light lunch, and with a handheld GPS set off to hike the Queen Charlotte Track over to historic Ship Cove. In New Zealand, this is called tramping. From Endeavour Inlet, I tramped past Resolution Bay, over an 800-foot hill, and down to Ship Cove. It was a total of 15 km about 10 miles. By now, you may have guessed that Captain Cook had once again left his mark. Indeed this was one of his favorite spots in the Pacific. He stopped here on all three of his trips to the Pacific, once in the HMS Resolution, and four different times in the HMS Endeavour. Ship Cove is an excellent harbour near the entrance of Queen Charlotte Strait, yet protected from most weather. There is also a nice stream with plenty of fresh water flowing into the Cove. This is a protected area, and thus the Cove looks identical to what it did 235 year ago. I could just picture Captain Cook and his men aboard the Endeavour anchored in this cove. Well, now I was 10 miles from my boat. It took me about four hours to hike out. I thought about hiking back, but a much easier way was available. A water taxi came by and picked up several of us hikers, including a nice couple from Christchurch. Twenty-five dollars NZ sounded like a good deal compared to tramping another 10 miles. That evening we all enjoyed a nice dinner and some camaraderie back at the lodge. I have been asked to discuss the benefits of the kayak vs. the dinghy. First, let me explain that getting the dinghy (10-foot fiberglass Livingston with a 9.9 hp Yamaha motor) down form the top deck is a major undertaking, especially when I am by myself. Since the boom winches are used for both para-vane, and dinghy launching and retrieval, considerable re-rigging must be done. It takes me about 20 minutes to launch the dinghy vs. 2 minutes to launch the kayak. I have a bright orange, West Marine special, 9 = foot Mainstream Kayak, which I purchased for $299. It nests very nicely in my Livingston dinghy. While the kayak is convenient to launch, it can sometimes be a challenge getting in and out of it. I had virtually no experience with kayaks prior to purchasing this one. However, I have become proficient, and seldom get a dunking. Since I am by myself most of the time, I consider this the most dangerous thing I do and always wear a life jacket. Also, I never venture further from my boat or shore than what I am able to swim. I put valuables, like my wallet and camera, in a small waterproof pelican case. Sometimes Ill risk a small bag of groceries. It really does not take the place of a good dinghy, but is very useful at times. I especially enjoy exploring the wildlife in quiet little coves. Life is a Cruise, Larry -- Larry Rick Done Dreamin' Nordhavn 40 #33 Site: http://gricknet.homedns.org/Dads%20Web/doneDreamnHome.htm