Bay of Islands and Ruth

Opua is but a small settlement on the south coast of the bay, which has a short pebbly beach.  For this reason, although the marina is excellent for all kinds of boats, the beach does not attract tourists and we were able to have it pretty well to ourselves this morning.

Ruth loved the Bay of Islands and worked happily at one of the backpackers for quite a while.  

We scattered more of her ashes in the waters of the bay this morning.  

Coincidentally (?) a Monarch butterfly, similar to the one we saw while scattering Ruth's ashes at Manly with her friend Till, was fluttering in one of the pohutakawa trees there.  These butterflies are not uncommon but are very beautiful and therefore are a fantastic link to Ruth.