The South Island

February 6, 2014

On the Danish built ferry.  I'm sure it's safe!

Coming into Picton.

After two weeks on the North Island coming down along the West Coast, we have come across to New Zealand’s South Island.  It was a three-hour ferry trip on Tuesday, February 4th departing from Wellington and sailing across the Cook Strait entering the Queen Charlotte Sound on the South Island.  The Cook Strait has a reputation for being quite nasty, so we were prepared for the worst.  Thankfully, we had a smooth crossing arriving at the small coastal town of Picton on schedule and in tact. 

We left Picton in a hurry as we were on a mission that day.  The mission was to get to Christchurch as soon as possible so we could exchange Lucky for a new van.  Our Lucky 1, as she is now known, had a problem with the hot water heater, which meant we couldn’t take showers unless we were prepared to have a cold shower.  Well, you probably know us well enough by now to know that a cold shower just isn’t part of the program.  Lucky Rentals promised us a new van if we showed up to their depot in Christchurch before February 9^th after which time they wouldn’t have any more vehicles. 

The South Island landscape looks quite different from the North with the hills having been razed for sheep farming.  A little further down the coast we travelled through vast acreages of grapes.  I think they discovered that grapes bring in more revenue than sheep and the wine industry is alive and healthy in New Zealand. 

Christchurch is about a five-hour drive from Picton so that night, we stopped at a Freedom Camp.  This means there is no charge for camping (but also no facilities) … don’t you just love it!  We were between the road and rail line and the beach and a couple of times that night we were certain the train was going to come right through the van.

The next day we arrived to Christchurch and true to their word, Lucky gave us a new camper van.  We called this one Lucky the Gray because of its silver color and perhaps influenced a little by Gandalf in the movie LOTR.  Yes, we broke down and bought the series and are now watching it one more time.  There were just too many references to the movies in the pamphlets and brochures.  Between the sights and the movies we are now getting a full dose of hobbits and wizards.

After transferring our stuff and resettling into our new home, we set off to the Banks.  The French originally settled this incredibly picturesque area of Christchurch on the Pacific Ocean.  But alas, the British took over and all that is left of the French are a few street names and a random French flag. 

We spent the night in the quaint town of Akaroa intending to do a hike up the ridge in the morning.  But, as luck would have it, two large cruise ships arrived in the harbor Wednesday night and Thursday was Waitangi Day in New Zealand so the crowds were definitely at their peak.

View of the Banks - in the background you can see the cruise ships.

Waitangi Day is a major public holiday celebrating the signing of the treaty with the Maori’s.  We decided we should attend a Waitangi festival and we were recommended to go to Okains Bay.  There were canoe races, a traditional greeting ceremony and of course a feast. 

Welcoming ceremonies.

A dugout canoe.

Fierce Maori's.

It turned out there was a problem with the brakes on Lucky the Gray and it seemed to be getting worse, so back we went to the depot for a third exchange.  Now we’re driving Lucky 3.   

We’re heading to Mount Cook with some stops planned along the way.  There is more tramping to be done and mountains to see. 

Tramps and Pinnacles

February 3, 2014

Jens with his walking stick crossing the river.

The end of the track (or the beginning depending which way you are coming)

Time for a break and a snack.

It was time for another tramp and this time we walked about 15 kilometers up a ridge and down the other side and back again.  We are in the Mount Bruce area just north of Wellington and South of Whanganui.   

We went for a walk from our campsite through the Tararua Forest Park following the Kiriwhakapapa Stream, over the ridge reaching 544 meters at its highest point, and down the other side to the Mikimiki Stream.  Total elevation was 240 meters having started the tramp from the campsite, which is at 304 meters.  It doesn’t sound like much of a tramp, but the four-hour walk was either going up-hill or downhill.  We put the legs into action and burned about 3,000 calories while seeing some new growth forest including some California Redwoods.  The area around Mount Bruce was originally forested.  When the settlers first arrived in the 1800’s they were given plots of land and began clear-cutting the timber to grow crops and livestock.  Many of the hills are still bare to this day although there is evidence of reforestation. 

After lunch we set off to see the pinnacles of Putangirua, also made famous in the Lord of the Rings movie.  We arrived to the DOC Campsite late in the afternoon and decided on an early morning hike up the riverbed to see the pinnacles since our legs were feeling a little heavy from our morning walk.  We have stayed at DOC (Department of Conservation) camps sites four times so far.  They are always nicely located, inexpensive ($6.00 per person) and all have toilet facilities.

The next day we were on the track before 7AM hoping the sunrise would bring out the best in the pinnacles’ colors and shapes.  The tramp was 45 minutes up a stony riverbed.   After 30 minutes we rounded a corner and caught our first glimpse of the very majestic pinnacles.  The pinnacles are sand and gravel and are quite soft and easily eroded.  They were formed over hundreds and hundreds of years as the rain and weather eroded the sand away.  There is usually a capstone rock on the top of the pinnacle that has prevented the erosion of the section below it.  As time continues, the capstone rock eventually falls down and the pinnacle then begins to erode as well. 

 

The long walk up the gravel riverbed

We took another 20-minute hike up to the viewpoint, which was truly magnificent.  The sun was coming over the side of the ridge and was directly into the camera lens.  But a morning cloud came by and provided some good shots of the pinnacles. 

Back to Lucky and off to see the lighthouse and a seal colony at Cape Palliser just down the coast.  The lighthouse is at the most southern/eastern tip of the North Island and has been operating since 1897.  There are 253 steps up to the lighthouse, replacing what was a slippery path up to the lighthouse.   It was worth the climb to see the view and quite nice to see the sea again. 

253 steps up to the Lighthouse.

View from the lighthouse.

On this outcropping of rocks near the lighthouse you find a seal colony.  Because of the rocks and shallow pools, it is a safe area for the seals to have their pups.  However, it is said the Great White Sharks are never too far away.  You can walk quite close to the seals to take a photo; mostly females with their pups.  But never get between a mother and her baby or you’ll find yourself in a whole heap of trouble.   The much larger male seals hang out a little further down the coast where there is easier access to the sea, but of course, less protection from the sharks.

A seal pup and her Mom

And now for the bad news … the memory card on my camera acted up and wouldn’t you know it, I lost all the photos from our morning hike.  So today we went back and did it all over again.   Which was good because although I don’t think the photos of the lighthouse are as good, the photos of the pinnacles are much better.  And we saw a modern day sheep farmer riding an ATV bringing his flock down the road into a new field with the help of his three dogs.  And the sky was so clear; we could see the mountains on the South Island.

 

South Island in the far distance

A cute couple on the riverbed.

A local sheep farmer.

Another beautiful black sand beach.

PS:  Note on the previous blog regarding Kiwis.  Surprisingly the Kiwis in the supermarkets are actually from Italy.  What’s up with that?

There are Kiwis and there are Kiwis; and of course there are Kiwis.

January 31, 2014

We both agree that New Zealand has been pretty much what we expected.  Beautiful, lush, rolling landscape with dramatic mountain ranges; gorgeous coastline with soft black sand beaches and plenty of farmland with sheep and cows roaming over the hills.  We are pleasantly surprised at the ease of which things happen here.  To be honest, we never plan too far ahead and book very few things in advance.  We usually sit together the night before or the morning of the day and decide where to go.  So far, we have not had any difficulties getting in to see what we want or finding a place to camp for the night.  The freedom is quite delightful.

We have been very impressed with the tourist bureaus called “i-sites” here in Kiwi land.  They are conveniently located and are usually spacious and well appointed, some even offering free wifi.  The staff is always helpful and the numbers of free brochures are plentiful. 

We have found the Kiwis to be polite and courteous but not overly friendly.  Generally they are kind people if a little reserved, but will graciously return a smile and a greeting and provide helpful information if asked.  They keep everything neat and tidy and you would be hard pressed to find any litter around the towns or highways.  It all looks picture perfect.

It seems there are two kinds of tourist sites in New Zealand.  There are the free sites and then there are the others.  We find the others tend to be quite pricey.  For example, the Glowworm caves cost $49.00 per person for a 45-minute tour.  And the Kiwi sanctuary was $20.00 per person for what I would say is an extremely small zoo consisting of a kiwi house where you can see two kiwis in semi-darkness.  On the other hand, the National Parks and Reserves are free to enter and the tracks are well marked, well groomed and the toilet facilities are surprisingly clean.  There are plenty of free things to do in New Zealand so it’s fairly easy to keep your budget in check and still keep busy.

Below are photo highlights from the last couple of days.  We travelled down the Whanganui River Road to Ohakune, home of the big carrot.  The next day we continued to the town of Whanganui that proved to be an extremely pretty little town with some nice museums, a glass blowing exhibit and a still operating steam driven paddle boat. 

The Whanganui River

St. Joseph's Church on the Whanganui River Road - pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

The Whanganui River - from the South end.

Art in the Park in Whanganui - the big silver ball has the map of the Whanganui River traced on it.

The Town of Whanganui

Jens at the helm of a paddle steamboat under restoration.  Do you think he is missing SY SEGWUN?

This big carrot was just begging for a hug!  Ohakune!

I know you are all waiting to see photos of Kiwi’s (by which I mean the flightless bird variety), but did you know these creatures are very shy and nocturnal, hiding in burrows during the day; and are actually quite rare in many regions.  They have been nearly eradicated because of all the predators such as rats, possums and ferrets that have been introduced to the area.  The forest rangers are making a huge effort to rid these foreign predators and are slowly reintroducing the Kiwis to their natural habitats. 

As I said, we saw them in captivity at the Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Center, which is NZ’s most established and successful wildlife breeding centre.  They have a few Kiwis in the centre including the very rare white Kiwi.  It was really nice to see them even if it was a bit dark and much too dark for photos.  Pukaha take care of not only the Kiwi but also other birds and reptiles that are endangered, such as the Kaka bird seen below.

The Kaka bird - currently a protected species.

And as for the third variety of Kiwi, we have yet to sample the local fruit.  They aren’t so plentiful in the fruit section at the grocery store so it might be that they are not yet in season.  More investigation on this is needed. 

So that’s the scoop on the Kiwi, the Kiwi and the Kiwi … so far.

Mount Doom and the Tama Lakes Tramp

January 29, 2014

It is known locally as Mount Ngauruhoe, but was made famous in The Lord of The Rings movies posing as Mount Doom.  It was chosen because of its bare volcanic sides and symmetrical cone.  It is 2,291 Meters and is snow covered in the winter.  Ngauruhoe and its close neighbor Tongariro are popular ski resorts in the winter and just as popular in the summer for tramping.

 

Mount Ngauruhoe - also known as Mount Doom

Our tramp today took us to the alpine lakes Upper Tama and Lower Tama.  The trip was 17 kilometers return and took us 5½ hours.  We started in Whakapapa, parked Lucky at the trail head, packed a lunch and off we went.   The track starts with a slowly winding path through what they call tussock country and alpine herb fields.  

Mount Tongariro in the background.  

We had a beautiful sunny day so slowly the sweaters came off as we walked up and down over the hills.   By the time we reached the Lower Tama Lake the wind had come up and we started putting clothes back on. 

 

Lower Lake Tama

Upper Lake Tama

Lower Tama Lake, sitting at 1240 meters is startlingly beautiful with bright turquoise water.  These lakes were created when a fiery volcanic explosion took place blowing a hole in the rock.  The craters have since filled with water and the color is created by the minerals that have washed into it.  To see the Upper Tama Lake you have to climb to the viewpoint at 1440 meters.  It was quite a windy day with gusts up to 50 km per hour.  As we walked along the ridge, you felt like you could be blown away.   

We did the return trip via the loop to see the Taranaki waterfalls.  I think this is the fourth or fifth waterfall viewing we have done so far on this trip.  They are all pretty much the same, but all very different. 

Taranaki Falls

Then it was back to Lucky and off to a campsite for dinner and another cozy evening.  In the morning we started planning the days’ adventures.  We plan to take the ferry to the South Island on February 4^th so we still have some days to meander our way down to Wellington.

Guidebooks and maps to plan the day!