Mt. Cook National Park
|
Mt. Cook National Park |
Our diary of journeys in the South Island starts from the north end, Picton,
travels south down the east coast to Christchurch, then inland to Queensland,
a side trip to Milford Sound, then out to the west coast at Fox and Franz Josef
glaciers, north up the west coast to Abel Tasman Park, and returns to Picton. This
is the reverse of much of the bus traffic on the west coast which seems to travel north
to south.
Hiking enthusiasts should come prepared for overnight or longer all-weather rugged
treks through spectacular alpine scenery. Day-hikers must be equipped for rapid
and extreme changes to weather. The mountains may not be as high as in Europe
or the Americas, but they have the same challenging terrain and
snow-capped peaks. During peak season, some of the famous tracks ("walks") are
accessible only by advance reservations. During trekking season, the South
Island back country huts are usually full and the sand flies deservedly infamous.
Upscale guided hiking with prepared meals and overnight accommodation is also
available on some of the walks. There is more opportunity for free/unorganized camping on
the South Island than on the North Island.
We were told to expect that the South Island would be similar to our home, British
Columbia. One of the most frequent quesions we are asked is "Well, is it the same?"
In many ways, it is similar, but New Zealand has fern palms in the forefront of much of its scenery
and more beaches. The Picton/Marlborough Sound area is similar to our
Gulf and San Juan Islands. We did not see any of the fjordlands except for Milford Sound.
It is considerably smaller but scenically similar to our homeland fjords. Milford Sound is intensely
promoted and commercialized for tourism. It receives many times more tourists each day than British
Columbia's fjords, but the more remote Fjordlands coastline probably receives fewer visitors
than British Columbia's. The Southern Alps of New Zealand are not as high
nor as extensive as British Columbia's Coast Range and Rockies. But they are snow-capped,
rugged and appear to have more back-country facilities for hikers in the space available. The dry
interior Otago grasslands are more extensive than Bitish Columbia's dry
interior, and the vast tussock grass eastern slopes must not be missed.
Our advice: the comparisons are meaningless, each area is unique and precious in its own right.
Be sure to take time to explore the South Island.
Warning: carry drinking water and bring more film than you thought was necessary. If you
plan to make extensive use of the Queenstown excitements or back country sight seeing and
commercial tour opportunities, you should also bring more money than you anticipated.
Any commercial activities and guided trips that we encountered seemed fully
professional and offered good value. The all-inclusive, guided and provisioned treks
looked like an especially luxurious alternative after our hikes in the
west coast rain.
Picton and Marlborough Sounds
"The town plan for Picton was developed in England, well-removed from the practicalities and
constraints of the surrounding steep hills. Therefore, it has not developed quite as planned." This
understatement for the rambling pretty little terminus town was given by our wine tour guide, the
self-proclaimed Pommy-from-Picton.
grapevine hairdo? for sipping tour |
Picton is the inter-island rail and ferry terminus for Cook Strait transport. It is
the jump-off for walks along the Queen Charlotte tracks and excursions into the Marlborough
Sound area. Marlborough Sound area has two access points: Havelock, to the west, and
Picton, to the east. Many of
the resorts and farms in the area are more accessible by boat than twisting road, so there
are good opportunities for boat trips and water taxi service into the Sounds.
There is lots of transient accommodation in Picton, some of it closer to the rail
and truck terminus assembly points than you might wish in the middle of the night.
Reservations nearly essential during summer. Bus, train and ferry schedules are coordinated
to make inter-connections easy. Major car and caravan rental companies will arrange pickup
and drop off at the ferry terminal.
While there, we spent a morning walking out to the "Snout" overlooking Queen Charlotte
Sound and boat traffic, then took a wine country tour in the afternoon and got
poured off our bus in time for supper. Sure wish that we could get better access to those
Marlborough wines back home. Half of the folks on the vineyards tour were on a sipping and
wine shopping day excursion from Wellington.
Kaikoura coast
About 30 km south of Blenheim, the Picton/Christchurch highway (and the rail route)
reaches the coast, then follows close to it until Kaikoura. It is worthwhile to
stop where the road overlooks rocky points and outcrops and see the large seal colonies.
Unfortunately, for beach lovers, the rail track reduces access to the seashore along much
of the route. Views inland (west) towards the mountains are pretty from both road and rail.
Kaikoura is a fishing town with some facilities for travellers. It is well-known for its
whale watching and dolphin encounter excursions. There is a well-publicized
seal colony at the tip of the penninsula, a good viewpoint overlooking the whole area from
the water tower near the east end of town, and a half-day walk along the cliff tops. The
visitors center has information on the nature tours and guides to the seal colony and
area walks.
fishing boats off Kaikoura |
Christchurch
Christchurch is a largest (narly half-million population?) city on the South Island. It
is the other main port of entry for visitors to New Zealand. The area has a relatively
settled dry climate compared to most of the South Island.
Originally organized, planned and settled by the Church of England, Christchurch is more English
than some parts of England. It was supposed to be an example of gentile English life in
the colonies. An atmosphere of punting, Cambridge and Oxford type features, River
Avon, cricket and gothic buildings supports that plan. Its modern fanatical rugby following
and active student population moderates those origins.
Huge Hagley Park is located in central Christchurch, between meanders of the Avon River.
An extensive historic Botanical Gardens and the Canterbury Museum is located in the park.
The Canterbury Museum is on top of our "must do" list for the area. We really liked the
exhibit of the traditional proa from the Gilbert Islands and the map of the Gilberts all
done in bamboo. Instead of tacking like a modern craft, the proa changed the steering oar
from end to end, then switched the mast tilt and changed all support rigging to switch tacks.
Neat! Used forked sticks as supports and swivels. This was all necessary because the outrigger
was always kept on the windward side of the canoe.
Amundsen's 1910 sled, Antarctic exhibit |
The Canterbury has
an outstanding collection of equipment recovered from Antarctic exploration. Amundesen's sled
and clothing, Scott's letters, and Shackleton equipment. It was very interesting and sad. The
collection is being expanded and given new exhibit space.
There is another (commercial) collection on the west
side of town at the International Antarctic Centre. Admission provides opportunities for an
"Antarctic experience".
The Botanical Gardens are extensive. We wondered about a woman, dressed in a long white flowing
gown wafting about the park, dancing on tall stilts. It looked quite magical in the sunset, but was
rehearsal for an upcoming theatre performance.
Fellow backpackers told us that the weekend craft market is one of the best in the country.
It is located in the old University buildings, across the street from the Canterbury Museum.
Christchurch is a university town. Therefore, there is non-stop energy and a wide variety
of sports and theatre opportunties. There are some good hostels and other accommodation close
to the park as well as in central Christchurch.
Peacock Fountain |
Bo Peep tile mural from Children's Hospital |
Peacock Fountain, located near the museum and botanical garden, has a number of fish
around its base that squirt water out through their nostrils, but no peacocks.
It is named after an early Mayor Peacock of Christchurch.
Akaroa
Every South Islander that we met recommended we go to pretty little Akaroa, 80 km from Christchurch
on the Banks Penninsula. We did not have time to go there. It was recommended for its
historic homes and three or four day private trek to the outer coast, staying in huts.
Geraldine, Fairlie and Burke Pass
About 1.5 hours south of Christchurch we turned inland through Geraldine, Beautiful Valley
and Fairlie to Lake Tekapo and Mount Cook National Park. This is another film-burning,
spectacular section of highway. The wide gravel river channels (some 750 metres wide)
demonstrate the power of the glacial meltwater. Broad grasslands with lupines, flax and high country
pastures; the Southern Alps dominate the western horizon.
One of your only opportunities to
stock up with gas or food is in Geraldine; supplies get pretty far apart until you get to
Wanaka. Not every town shown on the map has fuel or shops (nor ice cream!).
Lake Tekapo
Lake Tekapo is special. This high country, cold water, sheep, horses and grass. Lake Tekapo
is colored jade by fine glacial silt. Lilybank Station is a sheep ranch at the foot of the
glaciers at the west end of the lake, reached by 35 km of gravel road which overlooks Lake
Tekapo for its whole length. Rental agreements usually prohibit taking cars on unsealed
(gravel) roads. It is one lane wide, curving and hilly through majestic scenery.
photo provided by the Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo
|
Besides the attraction of the lake itself, little Lake Tekapo village is noted for the simple beauty
of the Church of the Good Shepherd and the adjacent Sheep Dog memorial. Because of the clear
air, there is also a space observatory just to the south of town, but it is closed to visitors.
If thinking of cycling or camping, the area from here south to Mount Cook, Wanaka and Queenstown is drier and more settled
weather than along the west coast, but it is high country and the nights can be crisp.
Based on information from another backpacker, we did a short side trip to Lake Alexandrina, just
outside of Lake Tekapo with hopes of seeing an Australasian Crested Grebe. These birds are listed as
"uncommon", their populations reduced by habitat loses. Lake Alexandrina and adjacent Lake McGregor are two of only
five known nesting sites remaining. The caution signs warn that you "may not kill, capture,
molest, harm, harry, chase, injure or otherwise cause disturbance to animals in this area." Does
not leave much to the imagination, does it. (yes, we did see a couple)
Lake Pukaki and Mt. Cook National Park
Walkers heaven. The day-long walks in the vicinity of Mount Cook village are well-marked, but
require appropriate footwear and physical condition. They extend further becoming mountaineering
tracks and part of the parks networks which require registration and/or guides. Short guided hikes
are also available. Accomodation at Mount Cook village is limited and relatively expensive. Advance
reservations are nearly always required. With the exception of a couple of farmstay operations, the
nearest alternative tourist facilities are in Twizel or Lake Tekapo.
Lake Pukaki, Mount Cook in snowclad center of horizon |
Twizel was established as a dormitory and facilities town for workers on the area's hydroelectric
projects. We did not find Twizel as attractive as much of the area around it and would
recommend investigating farmstay as alternative accommodation if staying in the area.
From Mount Cook we travelled to Wanaka, from there to Te Anau and Milford Sound, then
returned via Queenstown and a side trip to Glenorchy to Wanaka and out to the west coast.
Te Anau
En route to Te Anau, we did a short detour through the smaller town of Manapouri. It is famous as the
location which essentially began the New Zealand environmental movement. The movement grew out
of a public outcry against a 1972 hydroelectric power development proposal which would have raised
Lake Manapouri many meters and drowned a prime recreational scenic area. Boat access across
Lake Manapouri leads to treks into the wild (and wet and buggy) Fjordland parklands and coast.
Except for Milford Sound, Doubtful and Thompson Sounds and Malaspina Reach are the most
accessible of the Fjordlands area. They have boat cruises and are accessed by a private system
of water taxis and bus portage from Lake Manapouri and the Wilmot Pass.
This was the first place, so far, on the South Island that we were bothered by sandflies.
They were irritating at Lake Manapouri, but we were told they were "horrid" in the fjordlands.
Lake Manapauri, near Te Anau |
Te Anau is a resort town - it provides varied, abundant tourist accommodation and supplies for
travellers into Milford Sound and the area's famous multi-day "walks". As abundant as the
accommodations are, reservations are a must at any time during the summer. Outside of town, there
are some pretty opportunities for free camping in tent or caravan and good camp grounds in town.
The Steamboat Beach hostel/motel/campground that we stayed at was satisfactory for the motel
units, but the shared kitchen was poorly equipped and totally inadequate for the size of the place.
Milford Sound Road
Using Te Anau as a start point for the drive to Milford Sound, you should plan to depart Te Anau no later than 0800.
It is exactly 119 km and 2:00 hours PLUS stops to Milford Sound. And you must stop frequently
for short walks to appreciate some of the views. Highly recommend that you visit the DOC information
office in Te Anau and get a copy of the mile-by-mile guide to the Milford Road.
A "must stop" going in each direction is the Knob Flats and grasslands of Eglington valley. A medium size
stream meanders through the grasslands and large macrocarpa(?) trees grow along its edges. At dawn in
late February, we watched the morning mists rise off the FROST on the long grass. Coming back
in the late afternoon, it is good spot to stop for a break before getting into Te Anau for dinner.
A lovely spot to camp with few sandflies. Although we were not fishing, the creek looks like it
would be a treat for a fly fisherman.
Knob Flats, Milford Road |
Frequent signs in campgrounds warn "Don't feed the Kea!" New Zealand's native parrot
attacks (and removes) shiney eyelets on hiking boots, windshield wipers and tent zippers.
One advantage of independent travel is that we were able to stop and see this kea on the Milford
Road in the morning quiet before the mass migration of day buses began.
Kea, Milford Road |
There are definite advantages to using Te Anau as a base for Milford excursions instead of Queenstown. The morning that we left Te Anau returning towards Queenstown, we met 30 tour buses en route towards Milford Sound before we saw even one private car or caravan! Go early and stay late to avoid them or be resigned to travelling in the mob with their traffic instead of wandering through this magnificent countryside at your own pace.
Homer Tunnel
Digging the Homer Tunnel made the Milford Road possible. It is a very narrow, unlit, downhill
hole with no lighting, dripping water and black rock sides. The center line, if there is one,
is not visible and it is very hard to see to drive. Anyone with poor eyesight (e.g. cataracts)
would find it a difficult passage. It is about 2 km long, with wide spots at 400 and 1000 metres.
Trucks and tour buses must travel down the center. Therefore, it is effectively one-way traffic
unless you wish to compete for passing space; most traffic going towards Milford from about 9-11 a.m. and
towards Te Anau from about 2-4 p.m. Going through on our first experience, we
found it challenging; coming back, we followed immediately behind a tour bus (the only time
that I appreciated them) following its back lights, with other cars following tight behind us.
What a parade! I would hate to meet one of these big guys in mid-tunnel - the wide spots were
nearly impossible to see.
There is a good scenic viewpoint just on the Te Anau side of the tunnel and another good side
trip and walk just a few kilometers further towards Te Anau. Notice the extensive and numerous
avalanche tracks and smooth side slopes in the Homer Tunnel vicinity. A tour guide at Milford
Sound told us that on average there is one earthquake hard enough to be felt every day at
Milford Sound and several others per day on the seismograph. The frequency of quakes makes for
free avalanche control, but a lot of snow removal is needed to keep the highway passable
during winter.
Milford Sound
Milford Sound is grand. On a clear day it is spectacular. One of the mountain sides is so
sheer that it has been used for a base jump with boat pick up from the Sound. We were told that
the previously mentioned earthquakes cause the landmark Mitre Peak to rise about 4 mm per year.
Mitre Peak, Milford Sound |
Huge numbers of tour boats meet the bus traffic. The harbour dock even has traffic control.
They all looked professional and competition for your dollar is fierce. Local advice: reserve
in advance and take your Milford Sound boat tour in the morning; winds frequently develop in
the afternoon and trips are more enjoyable during the morning calm. There is some, but
limited, accommodation available right at Milford Sound. The usual flight tours and kayak rentals
are available, but we could not afford the flights and it did not look like that desirable
a kayaking location.
There is a nice picnic area with tables screened by trees and views up the Sound located
adjacent to the parking area. The car park area is a 10 minute level walk from the docks.
Anyone having difficulty walking should be dropped off and picked up at the dock, then have
someone else park the car.
Queenstown
Surrounded by the Remarkables, probably the best-named mountain range anywhere,
Queenstown is the extreme sports, non-stop adrenalin rush, fear junkies capital of
the world. A great town if you cannot endure any moments of calm. A few miles towards
Glenorchy up Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown puts you back into mountain scenery and the
mouth of the Dart River.
Glenorchy at rush hour |
Glenorchy
Glenorchy is the jump off spot for Dart River jetboat safaris and a couple of New Zealand's
better known walks, the Routeburn, Rees and Dart tracks. We took the Dart River jetboat safari
(we think it is an affiliate of the Shotover jet operation)
from Paradise Meadows up the Dart River to the Mt. Aspiring National Park boundary and then down
to the hostel and lodge at Kinloch (across Lake Wakatipu from Glenorchy). The mountains along the
Dart and Rees Rivers have been used as substitutes for others in a number of movies, such as "K2"
in "Vertical Limits", and as the Rockies or Alps in jeep and car advertisements.
A flock of Glenorchy sheep stopped all traffic for nearly an hour until they got sorted by the two
shepherds and their sheepdog (named "Apache-you-idiot"). A young dog that was not much help. The
number of vehicles kept waiting is visible in the photo.
jet boating along on the Dart River |
Paradise Meadows, Dart River valley |
Paradise Meadows
Although you will find Paradise on some maps, there is no town or village of
Paradise or Paradise Meadows. It is the name of a ranch which was turned into an lovely
lodge and rustic cabins for people with mobility problems. The cabins are all independent and
separated for privacy. The cabins and some of the trail system are wheelchair accessible and operated
by a non-profit society with booking priority given to wheelchair guests. Reservations are
essential. It gets its name from the numbers of paradise ducks which inhabit the area.
The mountain/river setting is remarkable and was used for some of the mountain scenery in
"The Lord of the Rings" films.
Kinloch
We stayed at the historic Kinloch Lodge while in the area. It is an upscale restored 1868
hunting and fishing lodge with a newly refurbished hostel attached. Our notes indicate that
the sandflies were bad once the wind quit, but that the hosts and their two golden retreivers,
Sampson and Delilah, were friendly and helpful. You may drive the 27 km
(17 unsealed) from Glenorchy, or Kinloch Lodge will pick you up in Glenorchy by water taxi
for $5 per person each way.
Having supper with a local hunting, fishing and horse trekking guide, he told us of his attempts
at jade (pounamu)-hunting. He was partners with another that supposedly knew what he was doing.
Story was that they found a big boulder they identified as jade in the rough. They had to man-
handle it 1/2 km to a large enough clearing to bring in a helicopter to lift it out. Hired the
helicopter, got it out, took it to town where they were told it was "a rock". End of rock hunting
career.
Crown Range road
The Crown Range road between Queenstown and Wanaka is New Zealand's highest elevation highway
and a good alternative to the main highways (#6 or 8). For about 35 km of its length, it
meanders through a wide high tussock-grass pass; then for the last 15 km, it switchbacks
steeply down to the gold rush town of Arrowtown, just north of Queenstown. This last drop really
tests a set of brakes. There were quite a few cyclists on this route, but it has some
steep climbs and drops and can be windy. We saw no buses, caravans or camper vans on this
road, probably because of its tight turns and steep hills.
Crown Range Road near Cardrona |
Midway along the Crown Range Road finds the Cardrona Hotel, built in 1868, with refurbished
interior rooms, pub and beer garden. Its colorful founder and past are featured in the book,
"Tavern in the Town, the historic pubs of New Zealand". It is close to one of the South
Island's ski resorts.
Wanaka
Located on pretty Lake Wanaka with views of the Southern Alps. If planning on
travelling to the West Coast, we recommend that you stock up at Wanaka with as
much food and fuel as you can carry. It is the last large centre until Hokitika
and Greymouth. It is also the last bank until Hokitika and credit cards are not
universally accepted along the West Coast.
Wanaka has less rah rah and hussle than Queenstown but some similar
activities. Cafe Paradiso and theatre - you may have dinner at the cafe, then take
your drink or bottle of wine or home-made ice cream into the adjacent cinema and live
theatre. The unique theatre has an eclectic collection of comforable stuffed
wing chairs and deep sofas, or the front half of a convertible car in which to sit.
The rough unsealed road towards the ski hill and Mt. Aspiring goes past pretty
Glendhu Bay (campground) and some local walks to the west of Wanaka. Day-hikers
only, we went on the Diamond Lake walk, a moderate climb to views over Lake
Wanaka and Glendhu Bay. Wanaka is expanding rapidly with extensive
land developments along its fringes.
Lake Hawea, near Wanaka |
Lake Hawea - pretty lake similar in scenery to southeastern Lake Wanaka, but not
nearly as developed. Well-known locally for its fly fishing.
Haast Pass road
The weather can change quickly once you start along the Haast Pass road because
it follows a valley through the Southern Alps which exposes it more to unsettled
west coast weather than is typical of the more settled weather along the eastern
slopes. Winding, narrow and slow, this stretch of highway is not to be hurried
over, but to be savoured. Watch for any number of good short walks among the
numerous pull-outs and scenic waypoints. We recommend the Blue Pools walk to
where the Blue River runs into the Haast River. At low water the pools are
incredibly clear and blue, in spring and after big rains, it is a wild maelstrom, 10 metres
higher. It is always cold water.
The "Gates of Haast" is a narrow, steep rapids, and then
the valley opens and highway drops down beside the broad Haast River floodplain
for the rest of the trip to the west coast. Note that as inviting as they may look as a
picnic site, those broad gravel flats have sandflies aplenty except when the winds are
strong enough to create dust storms.
Haast River near Haast |
The 1.2 km long bridge over the Haast River is one-way, single lane, but it does have
a short passing section in the center to avoid having to reverse the whole 1.2 km if
oncoming traffic arrives before you finish crossing.
Munroe Beach - located near Lake Moeraki about 35 km north of Haast, a 15 minute walk through
the tree fern, pine and totara forest brings you to Munroe Beach. A small pretty pocket
of sand which is a haulout and moulting area for crested penguins. A nice day-trip from
Haast or a lunch stop - bring bug repellant. We did not see any crested penguins, but
were able to photograph a couple of all black oystercatchers (listed as "uncommon").
Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier
The South Island's most popular natural tourist attraction. Lots of bustle, shops,
tour centres and (higher priced) accommodation.
Distant view of Fox Glacier |
No closer to Fox except for experienced climbers |
The number of aircraft buzzing the glaciers really does detract from the
experience, but the glaciers are beautiful, and anyone with average fitness
can walk to the viewpoints. It is a relatively short walk nearly up to the ice
face at Fox Glacier, Franz Josef is a lot further. The Lonely Planet guide notes
that both glaciers have been advancing rapidly since 1985 (racing forward relative
to others in the world). The average advance in recent years for Fox Glacier has been
40 cm per day, and for Franz Josef 70 cm per day.
Lots of excursions are available to walk on the glaciers with a guide or take a
scenic flight over
them. Note: potential customers are pressured to pre-book flights and excursions
considerably in advance; the flights would be spectacular in clear weather but
are much less so in overcast or drizzly days. A wide-angle or panoramic lens
is an asset for pictures.
On clear days, a good postcard view of Fox Glacier and the background snow-capped
peaks is available by driving about 7 km west on the Cook-Gillespie Flat
Road from the village of Fox Glacier 3 km past the Lake Matheson turnoff.
Nearer the glacier, we found the main Fox Glacier hiking trail and parking
areas relatively crowded and really enjoyed the old Fox bridge and access
trail on the other (south) side of the river. The native bush along the old trail
had a good population of little "fantail" birds flitting about.
Okarito
Site of the first landing in New Zealand by a European, Abel Tasman, in 1642. Apparently,
the Okarito wetlands reminded him of his dutch homeland, hence the name,
"Niuew Zeeland". An extensive lagoon and wetland, great area for bird watching. It is the
only nesting site for kutuko (white herons) of which there are only about 60 nesting pairs.
Best time to see them is in October to December when they are nesting. After that they disperse
throughout the country. Hire tours control access to the colony.
Okarito also has a fairly healthy population of kiwis which are used as a source
for outplantings to re-establish populations in other areas.
During the late 1800's gold rush, Okarito roared with 50 stores and hotels. The present
population is 20 people. We stayed at the Royal Okarito, definitely the most relaxed hostel we
encountered in New Zealand. Old and worn, but clean and quiet.
We think that the "Royal" in the name stands for the super hospitality that you get from the hosts, Rosanne
and Tony. Rugby on tv and draught on tap; pancake breakfast included in the room rate
and the last person to arrive for breakfast helps with all the dishes.
A couple of European travellers who we met, Heidi and Marcus, had come
for two days and stayed two weeks.
Okarito is about 8 km off the main highway. It has minimal accomodation and
a nice campground and "ablutions block" at the grassed airport, but no other facilities for travellers.
Good beach, few flies, dangerous surf and high currents. There are no shops, supplies
or fuel. The one-room schoolhouse built in the 1850's is now a lovely YHA hostel.
Greymouth
Greymouth is the west coast terminus of the highly-recommended scenic Trans Alpine train trip.
Interesting that the Tourist Information office was located in a building
which originally housed the local library. It is a Carnagie building, identical
to the many Carnagie libraries located throughout Canada and the USA. Pleasant
town, local service centre, not focussed on tourists.
Punakaki extremely rugged topography |
Punakaki
Located midway between Greymouth and Westport, Punakaki (pancake) rocks are
striated sandstone rocks which have been sculpted by the waves into fantastic
formations and blowholes that snuffle and snort with each wave. There is a
short easy walkway through the formations. Take lots of film and stay on the
track. Especially impressive when there is a big surf running.
Truman Beach, just north of Punakaki, is a short walk down to a massive
undercut sandstone cave at the base of the cliff. This is low-tide accessible
only and would be deadly at high tide.
There are also some caves in the area with self-guided or guided trips
available to them.
Westport
Located at the mouth of the Buller River, Westport is the northernmost
main supply town and service centre for the West Coast. It has an extensive
quarry near Cape Foulwind, 10 km to the west. Cape Foulwind has a good
viewpoint overlooking a seal colony. Travelling out to it in late afternoon,
we saw a lot of wetland birds, pukeko and some weka. Note: weka are not shy.
They are a big bird about the size of a small chicken and their long beaks are
dangerous. The one we saw ran stright toward Rosalind's camera to peck at the lens.
They are also known to peck at the shiney metal rims on eyeglasses if they can get
close enough. (hmm. flightless? guess they could get close if you were lying down.)
Buller River
A pretty drive winds for miles along the Buller River between Westport and Kawatin/Howard
Junction. The Buller looks like a canoe/kayak/raft delight. There are several pretty wayside
stop areas. By contrast, the next two hours drive, down the Motueka River from
Motupiko/Morarewa to Motoeka seemed relatively flat and boring. Must be getting
accustomed to narrow, steep, winding roads through pretty countryside.
Abel Tasman National Park
Fabulous golden (they really are golden in colour) beaches, rocky outcrops
and clear water focus everyone's attention on the waterfront and the sandflies were not
nearly as pesky as on the West Coast beaches. Abel Tasman
also has extensive back country tracks and abundant bird life. Golden Bay
is the north or western access area, Kaiteriteri and Motueka are the south
or eastern access towns.
kayaker beach, Abel Tasman, north of Marahau |
Motueka/ Marahu
Motueka was once an important port city. The hulk of the turn of the
century steamship "Janie Seddon" was run aground and abandoned in
1955 just offshore of the old town wharf. the Motueka visitor center
is a good spot to find accommodation and Abel Tasman trip information.
Motueka is also your last chance for supplies. Watch for local market
days on weekends for best in veggies.
Although Motueka is the nearest town, tiny Marahau is the primary
terminus for trekers, kayakers and tour boats into the easrern
parts of Abel Tasman National Park. It is only 6 km from Kaiteriteri
to Marahau, but you will not want to drive it often. A narrow, sealed road,
it is so curvy that you meet yourself coming around the corners. The
locals drive around its blind curves with the usual abandon. We thought it to
be the most crooked road in New Zealand.
Marahau has a large tidal lagoon and the beach slopes very gradually, drying
out nearly a kilometer which makes launching and returning kayaks into
heavy work at low tide. Many boat tours, water taxis and kayak
excursions (both self-guided and guided, single or multi-day) are based
out of Marahau from as far afield as Nelson. Most traffic comes to
Marahau from inland via Motueka rather than Kaiteriteri.
Nearby, the small upscale resort town of Kaiteriteri fronts onto yet another pretty
beach, but has little transient accommodation except for the beachfront
Kaiteriteri Motor Camp.
Nelson
Nelson is the major city of northern South Island, located on a large lagoon and harbour complex.
The drive from Nelson, to Havelock and on to Picton is pretty. The
area near Blenheim, south of Picton, is relatively gentle, flat vineyard, country. The area
east of Nelson, along the hills of the sounds near Havelock is lovely.
Havelock, about 30 beautiful km from Picton, is the boating marine centre for
Pelorus Sound, the primary access into the Marlborough Sounds area.
- back to Picton and then to Wellington