Offshore boat racing at Maraetai - woooohoooooo!

Wow - what a fun day!

Arrived at Maraetai around 9.20am and, after safely parking car, we immediately did the most important thing possible - yes, you guessed it - ate some breakfast in the lovely cafe there!

It was a beautiful day - sun shining brightly and the water twinkling in the sun.

After eggs benedict with bacon, we wandered down to look at the boats and to generally be very nosey!

They were beauties!

Here're some:











Aren't they cool!? Of course, by this point, I was dying to see them on the water!

It was at this point we noticed the cranes further along and the fact that they were lowering other speed boats carefully into the water - so, yep, we went along - attracted just like smaller magnets to bigger ones or flies to the proverbial - whatever - we went!

I couldn't believe it - we were allowed to just wander around as close as you like and watch these boats go in! FAB! Here you go:


Ropes being connected.


Tightening up.


Up she goes!
Right over my head ( had to make a swift gettaway here out of the way of the man with the rope!).


Heading for the water.


Nearly there.......


And safely down - whew!


Off it goes - chugging along towards its goal - the open water.

What a brilliant sight! I left Kev still enthralled by boats and engines and manly things and made my way to a spot on the beach (of which there was plenty). After setting up the parasol and mat, I relaxed in the shade reading the Sunday papers whilst every so often watching the odd speed boat race by in practise mode - exciting!

Eventually, Kev returned and we settled down with a chocolate and mint ice-cream concoction to wait for the race to begin - hurry up.......!

At last, lots of white foam in the distance appeared, eventually followed by the roar of engines. A mighty crescendo took place as they roared towards us - it was sooooo cool! They were soooo loud and colourful too. The larger boats were inevitably in the front, followed by their more miniature siblings - wooohooooo!

Not only were these things shooting by on the water, but they were being tracked by 3 helicopters. One copter especially was following the lead boat each time it would pass by us and it was so wicked to watch it suddenlymake a sharp turn in the sky above us as the boats followed the curve of the circuit. They were so low too. I waved at the copter later on as it filmed the spectators - but no idea what programmed they're filming for and I missed the evening news..... Anyway, I was wearing a black hat, red t-shirt and white 3/4 length trousers just in case any of you spot me!

Imagine the scene:
Families playing in the water
Teenagers jumping off the end of the wharf
Spectators watching the boats
Me and Kev sharing an ice-cream
Beautiful blue skies and shimmering water
The roar of the boats and the yadda yadda of the helicopters

Wow.



Well - needless to say, we returned home full of our tales of the day to bore son with and were happily sunburned too (well Kev was)! How lucky we are to go to something like this in such beautiful surroundings and all it cost was the petrol plus anything else you might want to buy (such as brekkie and ice-cream)......

Next year, I will take a chair, a radio (for commentary) and my togs for swimming - the water was sooo warm when I paddled!

Hey ho - Sunday was spent participating in housework and school prep - have to come down to earth at some point eh?!

And on that point, I'm off - watching World's Fastest Indian on TV at the mo.....

x Sue