Top of the South Island
Sunday: After writing last weeks Blog entry in Picton we drove along a twisting, winding road following the coast of the Queen Charlotte Sound, to a small place called Anakiwa. Here is the start of the famous Queen Charlotte Track, a 3-4 day trek that follows the Queen Charlotte Sound along a finger of land protruding north. Our aim was not to walk the whole track but to do small sections in search of a bird called a Weka, its a giant rail like out Coots and Moorhens back home.
The weather was gorgeous, beautiful endless blue skies stretching over the deep blue waters of the Sound. On either side green forested hill sides rose up from sandy, muddy bays. We headed off following the trail along the coast through a forest filled with native ferns and giant trees. We walked for quite a while before turning round and heading back, no weka but we did find a beautiful bay, with a muddy, shelly beach meeting bluey green waters which graded to darker blue further offshore.
Our campsite for this evening was on the other side of this narrow finger of land, surrounded by native forest intermingled with stands of pine and filled with the calls of Tuis and Bellbirds.
Monday: This morning we headed along another section of the Queen Charlotte Track once more in search of Weka. However along this section the trees were much shorter, more shrubby and bush like and the ground much drier, not ideal for Weka, but we pushed on to a lookout. After climbing a very steep track through blazing sunshine we finally reached the top on the hill, 417m above sea level and the views were stunning. Panoramic views of the Marlborough Sounds spread out to the horizon before us, narrow channels of deep blue water winding their way through hillsides covered in a blanket of green.
Once back at the car we made our way even further along the finger of land to the last possible point where the Track meets the road, before continuing on to its end at Ship Cove. The forest here was much wetter, with taller trees and dense undergrowth, ideal habitat for weka. We had not walked two minutes when down the road, that initially ran parallel to the track, came a weka! It crossed the road, came down the bank, crossed the trail in front of us and then disappeared into the undergrowth on the other side of the trail!
We now headed away from the Sounds and over a mountain range to Nelson, the sunniest place in New Zealand! We stopped briefly before making our way up the coast of Tasman Bay, stopping for the night at Kina Bay and watching the moon rise over mountains leaving a trail of light across the bay.
Tuesday: This morning we watched the sun make the same journey up over the mountains, touching the sky, ocean and clouds with beautiful light.
Our morning activity was a walk along the Motueka Sand Spit a little further up the coast. It was hot, hard work walking through soft sand but the sky was brilliant blue and the ocean a mesmerising pale blue. We walked right to the end where a group of over a thousand waders mingled on the sand! After a while watching it was time to head back, this time bare foot through the surf.
We spent the rest of day making our way back to Picton.
Wednesday: After days of beautiful sunshine,w e woke to an overcast, drizzly morning, a little disappointed as today we were hoping to go swimming with dolphins! But wait whats that coming over the hillside! No not a monster but blue sky and Sunshine!
By the time we were on board the Dolphin Ecotours boat for the second time this week the patches of blue sky we getting bigger and the sun was heating us in our skin tight wetsuits!
We headed out into the Sound and after only 20 minutes the boat slowed, up ahead were 7 BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS!!! It was brilliant to see these guys! We watched them as they bruised under the bow, they were big! Much bigger than Dusky or Hectors Dolphins, the group included an absolutely massive male! He was huge! and we're thinking "we're gonna get in the water with these guys!?"
On our part there was no hesitation, once the signal was given we were straight in the water swimming over to the dolphins and singing our hearts out. The swim was magic, different once more to swimming with Hectors or Dusky Dolphins, these guys did not swim as close as Hector's and were much more chilled than Duskies, swimming under and around us checking us out. They loved the sound of Lee's under water camera clicking.
We'd look down into the murky green water and out of the gloom 3-7 dolphins would cruise under us, looking back up at us. And yep they were BIG! It was awesome =)
Occasionally we would stop singing as they came into view and listen to their clicks and whistled as they swam by, then we'd try and swim to keep up with them. For a brief moment they would cruise just ahead or below, letting us become part of their pod before one effortless flick of their flukes would send them disappearing off into the gloom.
All too soon we were called out of the water and back onto the boat, where we then spent over half an hour watching the dolphins, which cruised off the bow, surfacing close by, swimming upside down under water and breaching high into the air! It was awesome, we were both really excited about the whole encounter!
Back on dry land we drove away from Picton, just past Blenheim to a small village called Wairu Valley. Here, just over a month after leaving them in Christchurch, we met back up with Mum and Laura! In a tavern, in the middle of a broad valley between two mountain ranges we spent a few hours chatting about all we had done and all that we still hoped to do!
Later that afternoon we left and while Mum and Laura headed for Nelson, Lee and Rachael headed into the familiar landscape of Kaikoura! It was like returning home having spent so long here in January, although it felt very strange to be there without Mum and Laura.
Here over the next few days, Rachael is going to learn to dive!
Thursday: A day for relaxing, sorting our selves out and getting ready to start the dive course in the morning, which mainly involved reading part of a very thick diving manual! Rachael hopes over the next three days to complete her PADI Open Water Course, Lee originally planned to do his Advance Open Water at the same time, but it turns out the dive company's boat is out of action and he will not be able to do it over the next few days - no worries though we are going to try and do it next weekend!
Friday: Day 1 of the PADI Open Water Dive Course - A whole morning of theory, a couple of hours in a swimming pool learning the dive skills and then its out into the open ocean for an open water dive!
Lee joined Rachael and her instructor Gary for the pool and ocean dives refreshing his memory of the skills he learnt in Indonesia 7 years ago!
This evening was spent with more reading for the next theory sessions! An exhausting and intense day but a big chunk of the course completed!
Saturday: Day 2 of the PADI Open Water Dive Course - Another morning of theory, however by 10am we were back into the ocean for another open water dive. This time it was just Rachael and Gary, Lee spent the day pottering about the campsite and town.
With most of the skills mastered in yesterdays dives, today was about covering a few more of the skills, namely buoyancy! and then enjoying the underwater environment around Kaikoura.
It was awesome! despite low visibility we found giant Paua, a large sea urchin, an intriguing sea cucumber and an array of colourful little fishies!
With her new skills and improved buoyancy skills Rachael was able to enjoy the dive so much more! The time whizzed by and we were soon surfacing and returning to shore, finished for the day.....
There is only one day left on the PADI Open Water Course... will Rachael pass the final exam?.... will she maintain her buoyancy well enough to complete her final open water dive?....Will Lee take the plunge and go for his Advanced Open Water?!......
Tune in to next weeks edition of Lee and Rachael's Massive, Huge Travel Blog to find out!!
Sunday: After writing last weeks Blog entry in Picton we drove along a twisting, winding road following the coast of the Queen Charlotte Sound, to a small place called Anakiwa. Here is the start of the famous Queen Charlotte Track, a 3-4 day trek that follows the Queen Charlotte Sound along a finger of land protruding north. Our aim was not to walk the whole track but to do small sections in search of a bird called a Weka, its a giant rail like out Coots and Moorhens back home.
The weather was gorgeous, beautiful endless blue skies stretching over the deep blue waters of the Sound. On either side green forested hill sides rose up from sandy, muddy bays. We headed off following the trail along the coast through a forest filled with native ferns and giant trees. We walked for quite a while before turning round and heading back, no weka but we did find a beautiful bay, with a muddy, shelly beach meeting bluey green waters which graded to darker blue further offshore.
Our campsite for this evening was on the other side of this narrow finger of land, surrounded by native forest intermingled with stands of pine and filled with the calls of Tuis and Bellbirds.
Monday: This morning we headed along another section of the Queen Charlotte Track once more in search of Weka. However along this section the trees were much shorter, more shrubby and bush like and the ground much drier, not ideal for Weka, but we pushed on to a lookout. After climbing a very steep track through blazing sunshine we finally reached the top on the hill, 417m above sea level and the views were stunning. Panoramic views of the Marlborough Sounds spread out to the horizon before us, narrow channels of deep blue water winding their way through hillsides covered in a blanket of green.
Once back at the car we made our way even further along the finger of land to the last possible point where the Track meets the road, before continuing on to its end at Ship Cove. The forest here was much wetter, with taller trees and dense undergrowth, ideal habitat for weka. We had not walked two minutes when down the road, that initially ran parallel to the track, came a weka! It crossed the road, came down the bank, crossed the trail in front of us and then disappeared into the undergrowth on the other side of the trail!
We now headed away from the Sounds and over a mountain range to Nelson, the sunniest place in New Zealand! We stopped briefly before making our way up the coast of Tasman Bay, stopping for the night at Kina Bay and watching the moon rise over mountains leaving a trail of light across the bay.
Tuesday: This morning we watched the sun make the same journey up over the mountains, touching the sky, ocean and clouds with beautiful light.
Our morning activity was a walk along the Motueka Sand Spit a little further up the coast. It was hot, hard work walking through soft sand but the sky was brilliant blue and the ocean a mesmerising pale blue. We walked right to the end where a group of over a thousand waders mingled on the sand! After a while watching it was time to head back, this time bare foot through the surf.
We spent the rest of day making our way back to Picton.
Wednesday: After days of beautiful sunshine,w e woke to an overcast, drizzly morning, a little disappointed as today we were hoping to go swimming with dolphins! But wait whats that coming over the hillside! No not a monster but blue sky and Sunshine!
By the time we were on board the Dolphin Ecotours boat for the second time this week the patches of blue sky we getting bigger and the sun was heating us in our skin tight wetsuits!
We headed out into the Sound and after only 20 minutes the boat slowed, up ahead were 7 BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS!!! It was brilliant to see these guys! We watched them as they bruised under the bow, they were big! Much bigger than Dusky or Hectors Dolphins, the group included an absolutely massive male! He was huge! and we're thinking "we're gonna get in the water with these guys!?"
On our part there was no hesitation, once the signal was given we were straight in the water swimming over to the dolphins and singing our hearts out. The swim was magic, different once more to swimming with Hectors or Dusky Dolphins, these guys did not swim as close as Hector's and were much more chilled than Duskies, swimming under and around us checking us out. They loved the sound of Lee's under water camera clicking.
We'd look down into the murky green water and out of the gloom 3-7 dolphins would cruise under us, looking back up at us. And yep they were BIG! It was awesome =)
Occasionally we would stop singing as they came into view and listen to their clicks and whistled as they swam by, then we'd try and swim to keep up with them. For a brief moment they would cruise just ahead or below, letting us become part of their pod before one effortless flick of their flukes would send them disappearing off into the gloom.
All too soon we were called out of the water and back onto the boat, where we then spent over half an hour watching the dolphins, which cruised off the bow, surfacing close by, swimming upside down under water and breaching high into the air! It was awesome, we were both really excited about the whole encounter!
Back on dry land we drove away from Picton, just past Blenheim to a small village called Wairu Valley. Here, just over a month after leaving them in Christchurch, we met back up with Mum and Laura! In a tavern, in the middle of a broad valley between two mountain ranges we spent a few hours chatting about all we had done and all that we still hoped to do!
Later that afternoon we left and while Mum and Laura headed for Nelson, Lee and Rachael headed into the familiar landscape of Kaikoura! It was like returning home having spent so long here in January, although it felt very strange to be there without Mum and Laura.
Here over the next few days, Rachael is going to learn to dive!
Thursday: A day for relaxing, sorting our selves out and getting ready to start the dive course in the morning, which mainly involved reading part of a very thick diving manual! Rachael hopes over the next three days to complete her PADI Open Water Course, Lee originally planned to do his Advance Open Water at the same time, but it turns out the dive company's boat is out of action and he will not be able to do it over the next few days - no worries though we are going to try and do it next weekend!
Friday: Day 1 of the PADI Open Water Dive Course - A whole morning of theory, a couple of hours in a swimming pool learning the dive skills and then its out into the open ocean for an open water dive!
Lee joined Rachael and her instructor Gary for the pool and ocean dives refreshing his memory of the skills he learnt in Indonesia 7 years ago!
This evening was spent with more reading for the next theory sessions! An exhausting and intense day but a big chunk of the course completed!
Saturday: Day 2 of the PADI Open Water Dive Course - Another morning of theory, however by 10am we were back into the ocean for another open water dive. This time it was just Rachael and Gary, Lee spent the day pottering about the campsite and town.
With most of the skills mastered in yesterdays dives, today was about covering a few more of the skills, namely buoyancy! and then enjoying the underwater environment around Kaikoura.
It was awesome! despite low visibility we found giant Paua, a large sea urchin, an intriguing sea cucumber and an array of colourful little fishies!
With her new skills and improved buoyancy skills Rachael was able to enjoy the dive so much more! The time whizzed by and we were soon surfacing and returning to shore, finished for the day.....
There is only one day left on the PADI Open Water Course... will Rachael pass the final exam?.... will she maintain her buoyancy well enough to complete her final open water dive?....Will Lee take the plunge and go for his Advanced Open Water?!......
Tune in to next weeks edition of Lee and Rachael's Massive, Huge Travel Blog to find out!!
posted by Lee Barber at
6:48 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home