Derek's New Zealand Blog 2012: March 2012

Friday, 16 March 2012

Derek's New Zealand Blog 2012

Friday 10th February

Blenheim to Dunedin

Rose early again for long journey into Dunedin from picnic area between Blenheim and Seddon. Set the satnav for home and it indicated the next turn was in 284km, on State Highway 1, with a bear right. Soon passed evaporation ponds and solar salt works, near the rows of vines. Big wine producing area around Marlborough region. Saw first and only wind farm on hills near Ward. Tried to get a good photo of a hawk on our travels but never got the camera turned on quickly enough despite the closeness of the hawk to the bus. Failed again near Ward.

Early Start from Picnic Area near Riverlands

Vineyards near Seddon

Lake Grassmere Salt Evaporation Ponds

Followed the single track railway for miles again without seeing another train, but we did see some Fur Seals on the rocks near Half Moon Bay. We stopped for breakfast in the bus at Okiwi Bay. We didn't venture far from the bus due to the steady rain. A car parked next to the bus, good to see a Singer Vogue is good condition again.

Singer Vogue at Okiwi Bay Picnic Area

Road after breakfast very twisty and narrow along the mountainous coastline. Travelled through some very narrow tunnels and wondered how the trucks got through in one piece. Spotted more Fur Seals on the rocks in the rain, lazing around.

Road Tunnels near Half Moon Bay

As we passed Kaikoura, Chris commented that the town was the whale watching centre for New Zealand. Apart from stopping for a coffee at Cheviot, we ploughed on into Christchurch, looking for photo opportunities of the recent earth quakes. We headed for Avonside District of Christchurch, but could not find any evidence of the disaster. We drove around then headed for the centre, almost giving up and continuing to State Highway 1. Then we found the fenced off area around the centre of the city. Chris parked and I searched on foot for the perfect photo. I was soon stopped by the security and prevented from wandering into the heart of the city. Lots of demolition works all around, with evidence that some sites had been completely cleared. Found a huge crack in the road by a fenced off house with ominous cracks in the house plasterwork. Also found a site of a church, St Luke's, with nothing left but the bell and its housing.

Earthquake Demolition, Christchurch City Centre

Earthquake Affected House, Christchurch City Centre

Earthquake Affected Road, Christchurch City Centre

Earthquake Affected Masonry, Christchurch City Centre

Earthquake Affected House, Christchurch City Centre

Earthquake Demolition, Christchurch City Centre

Drove from the centre of Christchurch past Hagley Park, with lots of entertainment on display, to State Highway 1. A long, straight and flat road with the single track railway line running alongside. This time we did see one goods train on the line, a sensation, surprise, surprise. The highway crosses several river beds, very wide and full of shale, with only a few small rivers of water within the wide river bed. I could only imagine the volume of water at flood periods. Close observation of the fast flowing water reveals a pale blue colour, probably caused by the ice melt water from the Southern Alps.

Rakaia River from State Highway 1, Canterbury

More steady driving through Timaru and Oamaru to the Moeraki Boulders. Parked in car park and walked along Moeraki beach past some shapely drift wood tree branches and Oyster Catchers to the bolders. Amazing spherical balls of rock about 1 to 2 metres across, formed from a stone with lime slowly deposited around to form a hard cemented spherical concretion. Sea has slowly eroded the cliffs to free the bolders. I recommend the bolders are seen, but in the meantime at least look on Google for information.

Moeraki Bolders between Moeraki and Hampden
just off State Highway 1

Oyster Catcher on Moeraki Beach near Bolders

Moeraki Bolders between Moeraki and Hampden

Moeraki Bolders Sign between Moeraki and Hampden just off State Highway 1

Returned to car park and travelled the short distance down the coast to Shag Point, where with care Fur Seals can be seen, which luckily we did. A little further round the point, instead of seals there were Stewart Island Shag birds. Dozens of them, all preening their feathers. According to the signs, Yellow Eyed Penguins can be seen, but, although I was careful, I didn't see any unfortunately. On to our final destination, Dunedin, where a curry was waiting for us. Another fantastic day to conclude our whirlwind trip around both of New Zealand's North & South Islands.

Fur Seals on Shag Point, North Otago

Fur Seal on Shag Point, North Otago

Stewart Island Shags on Shag Point, North Otago

Yellow-eyed Penguin Information on Shag Point,
North Otago

16 degrees C, 99% Cloud

25% Rain

Chilly & Wet

Sunday, 11 March 2012

Derek's New Zealand Blog 2012

Thursday 9th February

Hamilton to Blenheim

Rose early and continued south along the State Highway 1 towards Hamilton. Diverted around Hamilton on the State Highway 39, with good views of early morning mist on the low lying fields and clouds on the prominent Mount Pirongia. Through Huntley the local coal mining town on the River Waikato, towards Ngaruawahia, passing a Mouri Kings burial site near Taupiri. Filled up with diesel at Ngaruawahia and stopped again at Te Kuiti

Mist in Fields, Te Kauwhata, Lake Waikare

Mist in Fields before Huntly

Mouri Kings Burial Site near Taupiri

Mount Pirongia from near Whatawhata

Stopped again at Te Kuiti for Chris to increase his mileage tax for the bus. Followed railway tracks for most of the way, with lots of tracks at Te Kuiti, but still no engines spotted. Continued on State Highway 3 with wonderful scenery after Te Kuiti, especially around Totoroa Gorge and Awakini Gorge. At one point the road uses a tunnel, only just wide and high enough to accommodate the trucks. More magnificent coastal scenery from Awaikino for many miles.

Railway Crossing Entering Te Kuiti

Mangaotaki River Gorge, Highway 3

Tunnel by Awakino River near Summit A8Q8, Highway 3

Pahaoa A8QH Ridge, from Awakino River Plain
Highway 3

Makau River Estuary, Highway 3

Picnic Area, Makau River Estuary, Highway 3

With the magnificent mountain of Mount Egmont (Mount Taranaki, new name) prominent on the skyline, road into New Plymouth easy and interesting. Parked in main street for some shopping before parking in Kawaroa Park on shoreline for lunch. Tried to transfer money from UK bank account to currency card for New Zealand dollars, but bank said not possible. Travel Agent advised me to load currency card at the location I purchased the card. Very difficult from the other side of the world.

Mount Egmont (Taranaki), before New Plymouth

Approaching New Plymouth, Highway 3

Liardet Street, New Plymouth

Sugar Loaf Islands from Kawaroa Park, New Plymouth

Sugar Loaf Island & Port Taranki from Kawaroa Park
New Plymouth.

Ship in North Taranaki Blight, Tasman Sea
from Kawaroa Park, New Plymouth

Kawaroa Park Canon, New Plymouth

We admired the view of the Sugar Loaf Islands from Kawaroa Park, then continued south on State Highway 3. After discussing time schedules, we decided to retrace tracks a little and drive west on Highway 45. Good decision because the wind was westerly, giving little cloud cover over mountain in the west.

Mount Egmont (Taranaki) from Highway 45
New Plymouth

Mount Egmont (Taranaki) from Highway 45, Okato

Mount Egmont (Taranaki) from Highway 45, Rahotu

Stopped at a good location for mountain photos by a farm gate. Would you believe it, the farmer wanted to take a tractor through that very gate. Good roads around the Cape Egmont and most of day's journey down to Wellington. All the roads left off Highway 45 directed the traveller directly to the centre of Mount Edmont. Very strange. Passed Middleton Bay near Manaia, where a Pohutakawa Tree was still in full bloom. Other trees around the country were in bloom at Christmas.

Mount Egmont (Taranaki) from Highway 45, Rahotu

Egmont (Taranaki) from Highway 45, & Tauru Road

Middleton Bay Sign at Junction Tasman Street
(Highway 45) & Heaphy Road

Continued on Highway 3 to Highway 1 at Bulls. More good roads giving time to spare, so we stopped for coffee at Levin. First moving train spotted approaching Wellington near Waikanae, after seeing hundreds of miles of track. Good practical cycle rack sited near Waikanae railway station.

New Bike Rack, Waikanae Railway Station

near Wellington

Tararua Range by Paekakariki

Roads clear into Wellington so good time was made. We were expecting to catch the 10pm ferry after having a meal in Wellington, but when we arrived at the harbour we saw a ferry in the docks and our enquires revealed that the ferry was leaving at 8pm. We just had time to get aboard, which meant we arrived at Picton just before midnight and had time to drive to Blenheim. Good to watch ferry leave Wellington Harbour before the light faded. Filled bus with fuel and got a pie to supper before retiring.

Roseneath, Wellington Harbour from Ferry

Wellington Ferry in Harbour

25 degrees C, 30% Cloud

Warm & Sunny

No Rain