Smith’s Farm in the wet
It did stop raining eventually but only after I had agreed to bale out into a lodge. The owner told me to wait until 3:00pm when it would stop raining and it did. I went for a late walk to see a waterfall and it was in full spate.
The ferry from the Snout walk near Picton
We arrived on South Island on the 12th of January and I did the”Snout” walk. We arranged a three day Kayak trip starting on Wed the 16th. I had wanted it to start a day earlier as I was starting my trip to Gore to dive the Mikhail Lemontov. The problem was the weather on Tuesday it said it would be grim and it was.
Large Propeller on the Mikhail Lemontov
In Gozo divers told me that this is one wreck I really needed to dive. I heard them and did four dives on the wreck and one in to get tea in the mussel farm. It was incredible. I was surprised by the low visibility but once inside the visibility was excellent. It was a two and a half hour drive from Picton half of it on gravel roads. There were three of us Richard an instructor from England and Andrew an instructor from New Zealand. We all stayed in a family house with the wife and children of the centre manager. We did a dive on Friday evening the vis was bad. Four dives on the wreck each getting a little more serious. It was very exciting and I was lucky to have a buddy who was more experienced than myself.
Sign seen high up on a hillside path?
After Napier we wanted to see Wellington. We were going to do the obvious and stay there but had heard it was expensive and difficult to park. A little research found that we could stay on the Kapiti coast. Lynne could catch the train and see the town and I could go for a long walk. The bonus was that we could spend a day on kapiti island a famous bird sanctuary. We were surprised that everything went to plan and Lynnne had a good day. I did a six hour walk and we had a fabulous day on the island.
Napier town centre
I do not really enjoy being in towns but this one I felt at home in. I think being by the sea, the sunshine, the palm trees and the Art Deco. Lynne sensibly decided that I was an unsuitable person to be with in towns so we walked around separately!
it was pretty windy by the time we left Te Araroa
We left Ohiwa beach and headed around the East Cape. We camped at Maraehako Bay, no facilities and had to boil the water. It was a wild place people lit fires and were still in the party spirit for the start of the new year.
Weather no good for Kayaking or surfing so headed slowly to Te Araroa. We decided to have a look at a spit of land called Lottin point. The road became gravel and Lynne suggested we turn back. I ignored her and carried on saying it would be fine. It wasn’t! I tried backing out but there was a horrible smell as the wheels spun on the sand. I had to carry on down to the bay on rocks and sand. I think the smell was the clutch?
I did no enjoy being down there as I was not sure we could get out. It was surprisingly easy after I walked up the hill chose a line and went for it. Bad decision on my part. Te Araroa was nice, wild and good for surfing. We left with the wind at storm force – see image at top of page – and headed to Tolanga bay. There was a lovely church at Tikitiki. I walked to Cook bay from the camp site I needed some exercise.
White Island
The weather put paid to my hopes about diving close to this island – wind conditions and swell – we took a boat to the island to see the volcano. It was in true New Zealand style, they cannot be sued if anything goes wrong, It was great fun and Lynne did not feel sick even with a a meter plus swell.
What do herons do when the tide comes in and they want to keep their feet dry?
After Christmas in New Zealand everyone heads for the beach. This caused us a headache because all the camp-sites were fully booked and we could not get into the hills and forests because of the weather. Lynne found Ohiwa beach. It was a long way from anywhere and it had a very, very long beach. Most of the people had a quad bike to take surfboards etc to the beach. After a few days the waves were so tempting I bought a belly surfboard and loved it. The area was a haven for birds and I took some photographs.
My plan was to dive close to White Island 27 miles from the shore which is an active volcano that is meant to be interesting to dive due to venting under water. I booked a trip out, it we as confirmed in the evening and cancelled at 6:00am the next morning. This happened two days running before I decided enough was enough and booked a bigger boat for a surface visit this was successful see next post.
Christmas day swim
We travelled to Steve and Mary’s house in cable bay on the 21st of December. We were keen to get the car sorted out before Christmas – We needed new Shocks Hans purchased and fitted them at no cost. We were hoping to do some outdoor type activities with Steve and Mary over the Christmas period. The tail end of the cyclone put paid to that wind and rain, though we did swim on Christmas day. I also had a good day in a sea kayak with Steve on boxing day.
Steve and Mary after a Christmas day swim
Lynne at the beach with flowering Pohutukowa tree
The Kauri Forest – Waitpoua
On the 18th of December we moved to Miranda bird sanctuary. We rented a nice cabin and dried out all my wet diving and our camping gear. I found the books I had been looking for to identify ferns and trees in the little shop. We spent the afternoon in the hide getting some help with identifying the wading birds near to the shell banks. We then moved to Waipoua Forest on the 19th. The camp-site was in a beautiful setting but the facilities left something to be desired. I walked from the camp-site to the lookout point which was a difficult walk, muddy and a lot of exposed tree roots and I tripped on a root and lost skin, dignity and my sunglasses. I went back for the sun glasses.
Stony bay Coromandel
We travelled From Tutukaka on the 12th of December and stayed on a camp-site just outside of the town Coromandel. It had a little beach facing west. The roads from here were gravel and it took an hour and a half from the campsite to get to the end of the peninsula. I then walked to a bay called Stony bay a 3 and half hour walk. It took Lynne nearly as long to drive around. The forest was beautiful and the views of the sea special.
people enjoying the very hot water that flows out of the sand
We moved to the camp site near to Hot water beach. We visited Cathedral Cove and Hot water beach with a shovel! I went for a swim as well as sitting in the hot water. This was followed by a day’s diving and what a day’s diving! I am not going to write an account here yet but it involved a long period of time floating in the Pacific Ocean. I survived to tell the tale. The rat has been fed.
Tutukaku a small village that is famous to having access to the Poor Knights – a marine reserve that is pristine. There were more fish and larger ones than I had ever seen. Three days six dives and on the last day I dived with one of the instructors and had a great day.
Lynne and I both went out on the boat on one day and were rewarded with a view of a sun fish a first for both of us.
We stayed here for a week. It is a small island joined to the mainland by a causeway. This allows them to kill all pests – possums stoats etc – and there are thriving Kiwi birds. We went for two night walks armed with red torches and we were rewarded with sightings on both nights 5 Kiwis in total. They are interesting birds for a number of reasons. We spent a day in the forest looking at a subtropical rainforest, fascinating. I did a two and a half walk through the forest and Lynne picked me up the other side. I really enjoyed it. There is a lot of greenery in New Zealand. We spend another day using a double canoe to look at the mangroves and visit an island covered in pea plants.
What I will always remember apart from the Kiwis is the birdsong at dusk and dawn the Tui birds putting on their act
Photographs
Arriving at KeriKeri airport to be met by Steve and Mary< \i
Nearly eight years after Mary and Steve left for New Zealand we meet them again. We stayed in their lovely house and admired their garden. Since arriving we have bought a car, I have been introduced to the delight of evening sailing as part of a crew of 6 on a racing yacht, we have done some short walks and eaten some good food. And least I forget we went to see Skyfall in the local cinema.
Photographs
photographs
