We finally got to the public market held every Saturday morning by the town hall.  We were delighted to see the wide range of produce, fish, cheese and meat available.  Prices varied but the goods were fresh. Lots of unusual items we just don’t see in Canada.

Quince

Quince

Wide selection of avocados.

Wide selection of avocados.

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Fish monger

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Local cheeses

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Feijoas, a South American fruit grown here, and duck eggs

Monty bought a cheap plastic ukulele here in Whangarei.  It will be great for beach parties! He has been busy watching videos on how to tune it and practicing, often early in the morning.  I am concerned about waking up the neighbouring boats but he says they can’t hear it.  The challenge he has been finding is getting it to keep a tune.  I guess you get what you pay for.  The problem with getting a good one is keeping it on a boat!  Moisture and salt air are not good for instruments!

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I have planted some herbs.  You can take the girl off the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the girl! Still looking for parsley and rosemary.  It is the end of the growing season here.  I am told the grocery stores stock live herbs in pots on the shelves throughout the year.  It seems a lot cheaper to buy them in pots that buy cuttings like we do in Canada.  Even if you use the whole plant and throw the rest away, it is the economical way to go.   This is a very agrarian society.  Why not on a boat?  I am not alone in having herbs on board.  It is a common sight.  We will see how they will do on passage and when we get to the tropics.  Hopefully some will survive and I will know better for next year!

Herb garden

Margy’s herb garden

Mark, from S/V Field Trip, showed a few cruisers how to fly a drone.  The video and photos were amazing!  I’ll post when I get his link.

Mark, Frank from Mango Moon and Margy

Learning to fly a drone