South Island - Our Intrepid Journey Day 40 - 45 27 November – 2 December 2009

 Okiwi – Farewell Spit – Milnthorpe – Waikoropupu Springs

3 nights – 1 night – 1 Night – 1 Night

  

ELAINE BAY

Below are a couple of more pics taken at Elaine Bay just before we left to go back over the hill to Okiwi.

A fine early morning.

  

OKIWI BAY

 We spent three nights at Okiwi Bay.  The first at the camp ground to catch up with domestic chores then off down the road to the local POP for the next two nights.

The POP is just across the road from the beach almost opposite the boat ramp.

It would seem that a number of others had the same idea.

 The entrance to the Okiwi harbour is quite sheltered.  This pic was on full 200mm zoom.

 It was great to have at least one day of of almost perfect weather.

FAREWELL SPIT

From Okiwi passing through Nelson we headed all the way up to Farewell Spit.  View from he cafe above the car park (tide out).

From the carpark we crossed the farm that had many interesting rock formations.

Past some old remains of habitation.

Following a well worn path.

 To the ocean beach at Fossil Point.

We weren’t alone on the beach.

 Part of which had been sculptured by the wind.

 That night we free camped just down the road and after a night of rain gumboots were in order.

MILNTHORPE

A free camp spot at Milnthorpe was to be our next stop that had some interesting walks across a causeway.

That was awash at high tide.  In this pic high tide was still almost 1.5 hours away.

 This view is from an old wharf looking back to where we were parked, in the group of trees middle left.

WAIKOROPUPU SPRINGS

From Milnthorpe it was only a few km to Waikoropupu Springs usually just known as Pu Pu springs.

 A short interesting board walk in part over water.

And through the trees.

 To the Pu Pu Springs.

 That has a flow volume of 14,000 litres / second or 40 bathtubs full per second.

That eventually flows down to Golden Bay where we are going to free camp for the night at the Waitapu River Bridge rest area.  That will be in the next blog.