The evidence suggests we’ve forgotten how to do sums. We’re currently out and about with Grace in the Able Tasman National Park. It’s an area only accessible on water or by foot. Although if you’re a pedant, abseiling in by helicopter would also be very doable. The wooded and bush laden hills fall away to stunning sandy beaches and picturesque little coves making it a draw for kayakers and walkers.

We picked our spot and anchored. It wasn’t far off high water so we worked out how much the tide was forecast to drop and how much chain to put out. The anchor dug in like a good ‘un, not bucking an inch as we backed down to ensure it was solid and stationary. A necessity of boat life when you’re about to leave your floating home. 

Eggs were eaten, tea was drunk then we bundled into the dinghy to row ashore and head out for a walk. The trail provided easy walking and we reached our destination, a cracking long sandy beach after an hour or so. 

We hung out at the beach for a while, munching trail mix and watching world go by. I had a brief paddle. The sea temperature is still transitioning from winter here. The precise temperature on the Helen scale is bloody chilly. Feet will cope, calves complain and anything beyond that vertically is still a sensible unknown. 

We reversed our journey, walking quicker this time, as a group of four walkers had the loudest self important irritating voices which filled the air. Dave said, “You’ve got a shuffle on”. Yes, I replied. I need to getaway from them. It’s amazing how sound can carry in a quiet place. Especially when it’s irritating. 😀

Grace on our return was sitting quietly in a circular cove. The water had dropped quite a bit. She looked a little close to the land but not dangerously so and distance can be deceptive from afar. As the rowed back, we understood why she was sitting so patiently. She was on the bottom. There are some advantages of having a long keeled boat. Not heeled over but settled into the sandy mud, needing another 10 to 15cm to float. 

There were two contributing factors. One. We’d put a new depth sounder in before we left to return to the UK and it hadn’t been calibrated properly. Two. Ineptitude when doing tidal height sums. There wasn’t any drama. Phew. We waited about 20 minutes. The tide rose and we floated again. 

Then re-anchored in a deeper spot. And double checked our sums. Where is our friend Ken when you need him? He’s the sums King.