R. Tucker Thompson

I've been in Pahia in the Northland- right in the heart of the Bay of Islands- for the past 2 days. Not enough time to do it all, so I opted for a sailing cruise today and landed on a good one. A girl at the hostel gave me the heads up to the R. Tucker Thompson which was a breath of fresh air away from all the other bright glowing tour cruises around here. This ship does day tours in the summer for tourists to raise money for the trips they take students on in the winter. Week long trips with kids ages 13-18, often from troubled homes, so the tourist season supports this effort. Just where I want to spend my money. It's a magical ship, something along the lines of the Black Pearl if you will (though a big smaller- 85 ft in length). I was lucky enough to have a Mauri bloke on as crew that did look a lot like Capt. Jack Sparrow himself. He could just monkey right up the ropes to fix the sails up top. I was able to climb the ropes as well (harnessed on of course). The top got a bit shaky, but once I was perched up on the beams the view was pristine. I could have stayed up there all day. That is if they hadn't anchored and took us to shore for a view of the whole Bay of Islands. Before lunch they let us swing off the ropes for a swim in the water. The Tucker has even been sailing along the western shores of the states! A practically perfect day- I only wish my dad could have been there. Would have LOVED it!
Well, there's only a few more days to enjoy these couple islands before they load me on a jet plane.
Til the next one... enjoy your days! And see (some of) you soon!
lovejen