The end of North Island and off to the South Island

It was a nice drive, thru farmland and vineyards, down to Wellington from Tongariro National Park.  Wellington being our finally destination on the North Island and the city where we will catch the ferry to Picton.  We left the North Island on the Interislander ferry early in the morning and luckily we booked our passage a month ago as the boat was sold out.  The crossing was good, the weather being clear and calm gave us a nice view of the Queen Chariotte Sound on the way into Picton.

The summer holidays are starting here and the Kiwis are starting to think about their vacations, from now until the end of January will be very busy.  Campsites are starting to fillup and we are starting to worry a little where we spend Xmas, all the Kiwis are heading to beaches themselves so maybe we should head for the hills.  I guess we will have to try and book something ahead of time...something we don't often do.

Having landed in Picton at noon we had the whole day to drive toward the Golden Bay area, the first on our list of places to see on the South Island.  We ended up camping at Abel Tasman National Park at the Totaranui DOC site for three nights, doing some great hikes and walking on the beaches.  What beautiful beaches they have here!  While staying at the DOC site we met 5 crazy Kiwi ladies spending a few nights, what fun, they gave us some great tips on what to see in the Golden Bay area so when we left there we spent the next few days checking off the 'things to do' list.

The top thing on the list was Farewell Spit at the very tip of the Island.  We did a 12 km hike out one side of the spit, on the beach, and then crossed over and walked back, on the beach, on the other side of the spit.  A long walk in the sand but nice just the same.  Second on the list was Whanganui Beach for more sand and, this time, wind as well but the Archway Islands off the beach were absolutely magnificent at sunset.  One of the final things we wanted to see was the area down the coast road, 40 km of gravel, in the Kahurangi National Park.  We found a little campspot(free)out of the wind at Paturau River to spend the night and then it was off again in the morning, back to Takaka and a visit with our Kiwi lady friends.  

The people here are so laid back and friendly!  We spent an evening with the girls and their partners and friends at a pub then went back to spend the night at one of their homes(thank you Sandy!).  Also, thanks for the recipe for your famous Edmonds Ginger Crunch, recipe to follow.

Give it a try!  Ken will tell you they are very tasty...he should know!

Ken can't believe his luck, a pizza place just km's from our campsite...an apple and cinnamon dessert pizza, yum, yum.  A Swiss guy bought this old log house and turned it into a bakery/pizza place, The Water Mill Bakery(Friday night pizza only, between 5 & 8) which serves up some great food to mostly locals but every now and then a tourist pops in...thanks for the tip Mike and Linda!

 

Ken just can't get enough shots of the beautiful pigeons!

The view of Wellington from Mt. Victoria. Moari art in the foreground.

There she is...the Interislander ferry that whisks away happy tourists from the North Island to the South... and the cruiseship behind.

Someine told us the roads on the South Island where straighter than in the North...NOT!

A glimpse of the coastline at Anapei Bay in Abel Tasman National Park.

We make friends so easy here.  And this one was definitely not camera shy.

Who knew the beaches where so beautiful and plentiful here in New Zealand?

We have got back to basics, doing handwashing.  And while Heather did the washing...

Ken has gone to the birds!

Pupu natural springs, the largest spring in the world...lots and lots of water, and oh so clear too!

Deep Purple is parked under "The Devils Boot".  We will do anything to find a little shade.

Outside the Langford store, where they make a mean coffee and scone.  In behind the table and chairs you can see a white tank with a pump on it...an old time petrol pump!

Just another beautiful campsite.  A quiet site in Pakawau on the Golden Bay.

A glimpse of the "The Archway Islands" at Wharariki Beach.  ("Wh" is pronounced "F".)

Even a small thing like a shell can stop the sand dead in it's tracks.

Dusk is a great time to go and visit Wharariki Beach, even if there is a bit of wind!

Another hike, this time out the "Farewell Spit".   Lots and lots of sand.

And more sand!

The spit is a bird sanctuary, here the Godwits and the Oyster Catchers mingle on the beach, I know it looks like snow.  The Godwits have flown here all the way from Alaska!

 

A view of the spit in the background.

Like I said "Who knew they had so many beaches".  This shot was in the Kahurangi National Park, down along the West Coast.