It was yet another early start to our day in order to get the bus to Nadi for Elaine's physiotherapy appointment, as well as stop in at the butcher, the grocery store, the fresh produce market, the material store and a fishing store.

Then we returned to Port Denarau for lunch and a trawl around the chandleries to purchase some rope and a new solar panel along with electrical wire and glands to install it. Our last stop was to arrange for the purchase of new house batteries, after our existing ones seem to have got destroyed, having lasted only two and half years. We're not sure if the cause was the vast change in temperatures between the tropics and New Zealand or a problem with the shorepower we received while on the hard in Port Whangarei or in Whangarei Marina. Whatever the reason, they need to be replaced, which is very infuriating, not to mention expensive.

While we got all our errands done today , with the exception of purchasing the engine oil we still need, the highlight of the day, or indeed the year, was that Elaine was discharged. Although her ankle and knee is to remain strapped in order to complete the alignment of these two joints and until she feels her walk has returned to normal completely, she is also armed with a rather gruelling set of new strengthening exercises and future goals to meet. She was also given the all clear to return to all her usual activities - snorkeling with two fins, diving, golfing, paddleboarding, etc, in addition to her swimming and walking. A major milestone and cause for celebrations aboard Paw Paw this evening!