38:40:22S
178:01:75E
Thursday March 39th.
We were not sorry to leave Picton. We had ferocious gales that put a stop to sailing for a while. We walked a few trails and did some wine tasting so didn’t waste our time so to speak. We were happy to get out of the marina after a few days and park ourselves in some attractive coves. We found beaches with Cockles and Pipis so that satisfied the hunter-gatherer instinct. Plenty of time in hand to catch up on boat jobs as well. The forecast was better so we headed off up the coast to Gisborne. Cape Palliser and Castle point lived up to their windy reputation but as it was on the beam it made for a very fast and comfortable ride. Gisborne is a pilgrimage to visit the spot where Captain James Cook stepped ashore on 8th October 1798 to meet with the Chief. It was not an altogether happy occasion as Maori gestures were misinterpreted by the Brits who of course fired off a Musket and shot a Maori. Not clever. Cook sailed off without reprovisioning with food or water, hence naming the area, Poverty Bay. First we climbed the hill overlooking Gisborne which gives stunning views of the bay and stood beneath the statue of James Cook. Except of course it isn’t him. The statue had been given to the town thinking it was the real Cook, but it turns out not to be the Great Man himself, but probably some Italian……… However we found the real statue as well as the one of Young Nick the surgeons lad who was in the crows nest as was the first person to spot the land.
