South Island - Our Intrepid Journey Day 73 – 78 30 Dec 09 – 4 Jan 10

From 30Dec09 until 04Feb10 our blog, www.mtorhominginxs.blogspot.com, will be rather brief as we will be touring with good friends, Mike and Lynne, who only have a limited time in the South Island.  It will primarily be snaps of places as we pass through which will be revisited at a later time, including other places, when we will post more pics and details. Watch this (blog) space.  This blog is best viewed in conjunction with Raewyn's email episodes.

 After meeting up with Mike and Lynne and enjoying some hospitality of some of their friends at Picton we head to Blenheim for their first night.

The following night was New Years Eve and Lake Argyle was a great setting.

 New Years Day and its off to Westport via the Buller River and Gorge.

 There’s a number of tight one way driving spots on the way.

A stop on the way was at the Lyell DOC park.

 To view the historic grave site.

After a short bush walk.

 After a wet night at Westport it was off to wet Karamea.  The weather was real bad.

 With a great deal of rain.

 Contributing to a great deal of flooding.

 Which really put an end to attempting to get some good pics.

 Enough of the rain we headed for Christchurch enjoying a welcome stop for a coffee at the Brew Moon Café near Amberley.  We'll cover Reefton and Lewis Pass some time later when we pass through again hopefully with better weather.

South Island - Our Intrepid Journey Day 27 - 33, 14 – 20 November 2009

Wellington - Cook Strait - Marlborough Sound - Picton - Whites Bay

After arriving at the Bluebridge terminal at 7am we left Wellington after loading at 8am. They put us on first with the truck and trailer units which was good as we got off first.

 The three hour crossing was quite good with only a small swell and a cool wind. A beautiful blue sky with a stunning view .

 Once in Marlborough Sounds the sea calmed right off.  All down the sounds there were these homes nestled into small bays most of which would only have access by sea.

 The Blubridge ferry reversed into the wharf for our offload.  We tied up without even a bump then it was down into the dark hold to find our motorhome amongst the very large truck and trailer units.

Off to Picton for a good cup of coffee and a bit of a look around.  A beautiful park that looked so inviting in the warm sunshine.  Ferry wharf in the distance.

 Picton to the DOC park at Whites Bay is only a short drive.  The bay faces SE, you can tell from the direction of our satellite dish.  The shelter gave us a chance to set up camp.

 A nice sheltered beach that we almost have to ourselves.  This is the northern end.  The rocks are covered in blue mussels intertidal and big green mussels that you have to get wet for.  Talk about cold with no hood.

 We stayed for six nights. This is the southern end where I got our big mussels.  Whilst I was in the water, completely I could only put my head under water for a few seconds each time.  It was worth it.

 

DOC call it the jewel in the crown for DOC parks in this area.  The mountain in the distance, souther end of beach, Mt Richmond I think, is 9000' high.  Same one as in the picture above. As I said earlier we'll probably stay another  two or more nights, definitely be gone by the weekend.