Goodbye Barrier

And in a puff of smoke, we were gone …

May father-in-law has owned this property at OwHiti Bay on Great Barrier Island for around the last 40 years, it’s on the market, and for the last week I have been helping him tidying it up, after substantial storm damage a few months ago.

I personally have been coming here for about 15 years, and it’s one of those truly special places. Hard to get to, completely impractical, costly to run, but a place where you truly feel alive. Sleep in one of the chalets and watch the stars, ocean and listen to the Tui or Kaka. Head out fishing on the rocks. Pick some oysters or mussels. Dive in the bay for scallops, or just around the corner for crayfish; it’s a playground and paradise.

And after years of saying, this is the last time … Jim is 75 and unable to maintain the property, I think this time it actually is it. This week I have worked really hard, or so my body tells me, but I have also watched Kaka at night, only 1 metre away feeding on flowers. I’ve had some great fishing, and enjoyed the tranquillity. No roads, no cars, no power, limited internet.

Places like this are to me the “old New Zealand”. Things just get done, and people just get on with things. There are so many challenges, and equally so many (challenging) solutions. You can’t wander down to the shop and buy a part, you have to think, and improvise. I fear that we’re losing this ability as a society, instead being wrapped up in cotton wool and comfort.

I’ve met some great people this week. Tom the Irish carpet layer, he only makes $20K a year, but his wife works too, and they live cheaply, and love it. John who runs the barge, man, what a worker. He’d earning good money, but if our job was anything to go by, it’s all danger money! I also met his wife Lil, I had to go and pick up a welder. She’s only been here 7 years, also lives in a remote bay, her life changed two years ago with solar power, and a Kindle. I also met Tony and his gorgeous wife Carol, Tony is 71 and they live on a boat, on land I think. He’s a welder. Well, actually he does anything. In their bay a lot of logs, tawa mostly, washed up after the storm. He built an Alaskan mill (by googling how to do it) and is now building furniture from the wood. What incredible people, down to earth, living a life style, and living by their riles.

What have a learnt this week? Well, lots of practical stuff of course. But in-between being a carpet layer or welders apprentice, or chain sawing, I’ve had time to ponder.

The first thing that really came to me, is that in general, we live in a society that is getting more specialised, and “lazy”. For many of us, life now is relatively easy and we’re losing the art, and skill, of being practical. By that I mean fixing things, or improvising, instead of just going out and buying a new thing.

I love the idea of being "off grid" and more independent in terms of power and water. Practically it can be harder and more expensive, but nonetheless, I love the philosophy.

I also had reinforced that fewer, quality things is important. Buy good stuff and look after it. Period.

And planning. Thinking ahead, and anticipating needs is vital. The old saying, you make your own luck, is very true. To which I might add, the reverse can also happen ...

Task completion, something I have been personally working on for some years, and i was pleased to see that I think I have pretty well mastered it. Start a task, do it well, and complete it. Tie off that loose end, and then move on. And yes, it is possible to have multiple tasks going at once, and complete them all. Yes! Boys can multitask!

I was also reminded of small steps. Some tasks are so huge it’s hard to comprehend them and the end. But breaking them down to achievable chunks, make the journey easier, and before you know it, that huge insurmountable task is complete.

So, week over. I am alive, and tired, and looking forward to going to work next week, to think about different problems.