Summers hols continue – Bay of Islands

So we’ve skipped to night 4 at Paihia, Bay of Islands.
(Night 3 was beachside at Pataua, Whangarei Heads, when a blissful day playing in the water was followed by a noisy rain squall rudely interrupting our sleep at 5am).

The day got off to a wet start and we travelled up to The Bay of Islands with low cloud, no views and my disappointment looming.
However
by mid afternoon the skies were brightening and so were we when we found a central spot to stay in Paihia for just $20 for a powered site.
(A muddied venue up the road had shown us a corner behind the toilet block and asked for $50 – we declined his kind offer.)
Please bear in mind that we are normally lucky enough to find FREE or low cost sites to stay; we have freedom camped over the past three nights.
However our house battery was totally flat today and in need of full charge up, so the elec hook up is willingly paid for (and all the mobile devices plugged into charge up!)
So we had a lovely meal (bruschetta followed by rice & stir fry veg) before we went for an evening stroll around the small waterside town.
The lights of historic Russell turned on in the distance as the sun set.
Ferries continued to carry their passenger loads, and tourists piled out as soon as the vessels barged alongside the wharf.
The atmosphere was like the transformed weather, warm and friendly with promise of even better to come.
I even glimpsed my dreamboat in the distance.
Not a hunky male, but a real 85ft long sailboat schooner: the R.Tucker Thompson.
One day I shall return to the Bay of Islands, without our dogs in tow, and partake of a trip on the gorgeous boat.
For now it shall remain on my bucket list and I will be content with the mere fact that I’ve seen it, and in such a beautiful setting too!
I daydream of the historic sides of these Northland towns, what things must have been like in days gone by. I will dream tonight of tall ships, sea shanty towns and maybe Johnny Depp.