I love Dunedin!

I slept in this morning. It seemed grey and overcast, and I could see the leaves vibrating outside my window. I actually thought about changing my ticket. I could leave Dunedin early, and go on to Gisborne.

But, wait.

When I heard Rod and Natalie stirring in the house, I quit drawing and made my way into the kitchen. They were preparing breakfast, and checking the reports. The skies were clearing. The wind was laying down. We were going back to Murderers. And, Natalie surfs!

This is why I came to New Zeakland, for a day like today. We drove down the winding hill, and I saw it. Green, glassy waves peeling along the point! It was actually warm outside! The few people on the beach were in shorts and short sleeved shirts! Look at the waves! We paddled out with only two short boarders in the lineup. This day, oh, it will be a day I remember always. When we were driving home late in the afternoon, Natatlie said, "That was a really good wave you had out there, that one that you rode all the way inside!" I knew the one she meant. It had lurched up way outside, and angled in against the rocks so perfectly. This wave lets you do it all, race it, hit the lip, cut back, tuck inside it, just everything you want in one long wave. As I kicked out, I was smiling. I heard that guy in the red wetsuit hooting, and Rod giving me the thumbs up sign. This is why I came to New Zealand. The pale, blue-green waves sparkling in the sun... we surfed for hours.

We explored many other breaks after this fun session, but the wind had turned onshore. The reports are calling for light winds and increase in swell over the next two days. More to come...