Soaked because of a crab

'Where is that photo of the crab?' Marilyn asked. Ah, I had forgotten, silly really as I got very wet taking it. All Marilyns fault as a huge rock was pointed out to me whilst admiring the Three Sisters. It had several large slits in its face so armed with the camera I get down to take a photo. Suddenly, whoosh, a huge wave rushes in from the sea and rises to well above the knees 'I'll hang on to you' shouts Marilyn over the noise and proceeds to grab the back of my shorts. So how on earth could I have forgotten to include that in my last post! Anyway here is the photo of the crab. Hmm, not sure it was worth the soaking!

Today (16th) we left Hawera and travelled a mere 10 minutes to stop at the Tawhiti Museum a private museum of local South Taranaki history bringing the story of what life was like back in the time of the first settlers including interaction with the Maori's, the wars that followed and eventually leading to the Waitangi Treaty being signed. Every single modal whether it be big or small was made by one man, Nigel Ogle which took him well over 20 years to complete and there are even more to be added to it. So much to see that 3 hours flew by and we still didn't manage to see it all. Nothing for it...we will have to do another return trip in a few years time!

How Joan's rooms would have looked. (see below write up)

So lifelike! Just a mannequin though!

It was well into the afternoon when we left the museum and headed toward Foxton, tonight's destination where I know from our last visit three years ago that there was a  Dutch delicatessen shop in a Windmill. I'm rather partial to Dutch food, well both my parents were Dutch after all. A stop on the way to take this unique photo of the Aotea Canoe and a tale told to me by David. A chap running from the Police managed to climb into this canoe to hide. Apparently, it worked!

This artwork representing the Aotea canoe stands in Pātea. The captain of the Aotea, Turi, brought the god Maru to New Zealand. (exert from teara.cov.nz) To read about the traditions CLICK HERE

And wildlife today