A great start to the New Year

****Happy New Year****

The first week of 2011 isn't quite over and yet we have packed in quite a lot in a week, here's how we've spent our time in pictures. Hope you've all had a great start to the New Year too.

New Year in Whangamata, we stayed with friends at their new bach (pronounced batch), it's just lovely. We arrived about 9 in the evening as we'd had to pick up 100 bales of hay before could leave. Oh the joys of owning a lifestyleblock!!

Me and Joe who was feeling very jolly at this point. We saw in the New Year singing Auld Lang Syne, although we weren't too sure about the words.

Pauline and Martin

Lilly and Arnie, Paulines mum and dad over from Liverpool in the UK

New years day
A walk along Moana Anu Anu reserve, just a short distance from Pauline and Martins bach

Heading out for a spot of fishing

Enjoying the view

We have other friends that have recently bought a new launch, we thought we were filmstars when we hopped on board for a cuppa

Not too much luck today with the fish sadly, this parrot fish was far too small to keep so it went back into the water

Although Martins was a definate keeper, just stunning

Pauline caught this Kingfish by trawling a lure behind a moving boat. Sadly much too small so he had to go back in too!

Not a lot of fish caught that day and we were feeling worse for the wear after the New Years celebrations and a very late night. So maybe next time we'll be a bit luckier and a lot more sober!!

Tuesday 4th January
We headed down to Raglan this morning for a spot of fishing off the jetty, we took Matt our neighbour and his lovely son James with us. Matt had bought James a fishing rod for Christmas and so he was keen to try it out.

James

I pulled a snapper out but it was undersize, so we threw it back. There are very strict rules regarding keeping undersize fish. And besides if it were legal size it still probably wouldn't have yielded much meat. That was the total catch this morning, no-one had much luck that day

Wednesday 5th January
Bowentown, near Waihi Beach
Heading out for a spot of fishing for the afternoon in Bowentown harbour, with friends Pete and Kerry

Joe pulls out a rather lovely snapper, this one was a keeper

Then it was my turn

The first of 4 stingrays! Definately not keepers

Then Pete not to be outdone by the Webbers and their run of luck, spent nearly 20 minutes bringing this to the surface! A rather large, 6 foot, sand shark!!

Heading back, Joe and Kerry

Our skipper Pete

A view of Anzac bay, our favourite bay

***Yoohoo***

Joe takes the wheel...Man the lifeboats everyone!

Waiting for Pete to bring the boat trailer back
The boat, 'Men at Work' Yeah right!

Kerry

Our catch, Joe caught one snapper, I caught two snapper and a trevally

All filleted

Yum yum!!

There is nothing quite like the taste of fresh fish and especially when you have caught it yourself!