22 Jan 2011 - Oamaru to Mount Cook

This morning we actually slept in to 9 am so I guess the adventures of yesterday took a toll on us.  We woke to broken clouds and the hint of better weather.  However, by the time we finished breakfast it had clouded back in and was starting to rain.  I am not sure of what is happening, but we have not been getting many breaks for weather this past week.

We had been told of a cheese factory in town called Whitestone which makes cheese from cows milk, goats milk and Ewes milk.  So we decided we would have to stop by the factory and check it out.  We had a sample plate of 6 types of cheeses as well as a coffee.  We really enjoyed the different cheeses and each had our favourite.  Wes discovered he really likes Goat cheese and I preferred the aged and smoked cheeses.  The pictures show the cheeses we sampled. 

We headed out for Mount Cook where we hope to get in a couple of hikes – weather depending.  The drive was really enjoyable since the further we drove west and north the better the weather.  Also we were driving through the central part of New Zealand (South Island) and we started to see a lot of similar landscape to our area of BC.  It was interesting to note that the river that we were travelling beside had several dams (we counted 4) at different places so they really are taking advantage of this river for hydro electric generation.  Also this area seems to be dryer so for agriculture they need to have irrigations systems in place.  These created lakes helped with that I am sure.

As we got close to Mount Cook we started to drive along Lake Pukaki.  This is a very large lake which is colored with silt from the glacier.  The soft aqua color makes this a beautiful sight.

Our campsite location is about 20 km from Mount Cook, since there are no suitable campsites in the Village of Mount Cook.  We settled and then drove on to Mount Cook so we could take a short 1 hour hike up to view the Tasman Glacier.  When we got there we discovered there was a walk to Blue Lakes that branches off from this trail so we decided to check them out too.

The Blue Lakes really are green in color.  There are 5 in a row and to see all of them you need to take the parks trail to the first one, and then follow a narrow track around the lake and over rocks etc to find the 2^nd lake, and continue this for all 5 lakes.  It was an interesting track but since it was not raining (actually broken clouds above us and clinging clouds to the mountains around us).  We returned the way we came in and continued on to the lookout for the Tasman Glacier.

From the lookout atop the moraine we looked down onto Tasman Lake which is fed from the melting Glacier.  In the lake there are several ‘bergs’ from the toe of the Glacier.  The size of the lake is deceptive and only when you see the kayaks or boats in the lake do you realize how huge the bergs are and how large the lake is. 

The Tasman Glacier is New Zealand’s largest Glacier which maybe hard to imagine.  However what you see is deceptive since you feel you are looking at a rocky landscape when in fact you are seeing a couple meters of rock covering ice that is hundreds of meters thick.   However, it is true that the Glacier is a receding one loosing about 0.5% of its mass each year.   At the same time the Tasman Lake is getting larger each year.

We returned to the car park but before we got there we took a 3^rd track which took us to the edge of the lake where the boats are launched. The water looks very dirty, but we got a new perspective of the a couple of the bergs.

We are hopeful that tomorrow we will have a clear sky so we can see the top of Mount Cook or at the very least another day without rain and broken clouds so we can enjoy the Hooker Valley walk.

21 Jan 2011 – Dunedin to Oamaru

We awoke again today to find it raining.  We really are getting a bit tired of the rain but what can we do.  We have been able to find alternative activities so we are still getting to learn more about this area of New Zealand.  Already we have added an extra day to our time in Dunedin.  Today we still have a few things to do before leaving.

Our first stop was going to be the Cadbury Chocolate factory but we ended up parking beside the Dunedin Railway station which was to be our second stop.  We learned that this building is the 2^nd most photographed building in the southern hemisphere (second to the Sydney Opera House).  The Dunedin Railway Station is a jewel in the country's architectural crown. Designed by George Troup, the station is the fourth building to have served as Dunedin's railway station. It earned its architect the nickname of "Gingerbread George". 

The station is constructed from dark basalt from Kokonga in the Strath-Taieri with lighter Oamaru stone facings, giving it the distinctive light and dark pattern common to many of the grander buildings of Dunedin and Christchurch. Pink granite was used for a series of supporting pillars which line a colonnade at the front of the building. The roof was tiled in terracotta shingles from Marseilles surmounted by copper-domed cupolas. The southern end of the building is dominated by the 37-metre clock tower which is visible from much of central Dunedin.  Today the Sports Hall of Fame is housed in the facility.  I should also mention that the gardens in front of the station have been sculpted from low hedges and colored with a variety of flowerbeds.

We walked from the railway station to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory to sign up for a tour.  (I should point out that the cost for the tour was 18 dollars each but by the end we were given close to that in chocolate bars during the tour.)   You start the tour by walking through the Cadbury World.

The experience begins with a display on the origins of chocolate and the associated industry, with lots of fascinating insights into human sacrifices among the historic cultures of South America, chocolate as a medicine and favored drink of the nobility, and much more.  There were lots of displays and facts presented to help us learn about the history and development of milk chocolate. Once we finished browsing, the tour proper starts. First off is a DVD presentation of the history of Cadbury and the Dunedin location in particular, as well as a short safety message.

Once bags and jewellery are safely stowed away in a secure locker (cameras had to be left behind so there are no photos from inside the factory), a guide took us through various parts of the factory, where we saw many of the production processes that turn cocoa beans into those tasty snacks.  We even got an explanation of how the hollow eggs are formed.

As a special fashion bonus, you get to wear a rather fetching paper hat. It keeps hairs out of the chocolate.  For those of us with facial hair we also got a paper mask to put on.  How handsome we must have looked.

The factory produces chocolates of all shapes and sizes, from individual chocolate buttons to massive 12.5kg chocolate bricks for trade use. The guide's talks was supplemented by regular video presentations and posters.

One of the tour highlight was to witness a tonne of melted chocolate fall through a deep silo before your very eyes. If you're unlucky (lucky?), some of it might splash on you, so take care.  Once the tour was finished we were able to take some pictures of a couple of antique delivery trucks.

We finished our tour at Cadbury’s and had heard about Baldwin Street while on the tour by the tour guide.  Baldwin Street is considered the world's steepest residential street.  A short straight street of a little under 350 metres length, Baldwin Street runs east from the valley of the Lindsay Creek up the side of Signal Hill, rising from 30 metres (98 ft) above sea level at its junction with North Road to 100 metres (330 ft) above sea level at the top, an average slope of slightly more than 1:5. Its lower reaches are of only moderate steepness, and the surface is asphalt, but the upper reaches of this cul-de-sac are far steeper, and surfaced in concrete, for ease of maintenance (bitumen — in either chip seal or asphalt — would flow down the slope on a warm day) and for safety in Dunedin's frosty winters. At its maximum, the slope of Baldwin Street is approximately 1:2.86 (35%) – that is, for every 2.86 metres travelled horizontally, the elevation rises by 1 metre.

We arrived to find a young lady looking at the street with her bike considering riding to the top and then biking back down.  Wes and I decided to park at the bottom and walk to the top and I can assure you we were out of breath by the time we got to the top.  The young lady meanwhile started to bike up the hill but she found it too steep so ended up pushing it the really steep section.   If you look at the pictures you will see how much of an angle she was in just to push the bike over this section.   I tried to find a way to show how steep the hill was but the best I could do was show the slope of the road compared to the houses along it.  These driveways must be fun during winter.

We finished at Balwin Street and then headed out of town towards Oamaru finally getting back on the move.  The drive is a short one but we still wanted to stop and check out the Moeraki Boulders on the way.  The Moeraki Boulders are unusually large and spherical boulders lying along a stretch of Koekohe Beach on the wave cut Otago coast of New Zealand between Moeraki and Hampden. They occur scattered either as isolated or clusters of boulders within a stretch of beach where they have been protected in a scientific reserve. The erosion by wave action of mudstone, comprising local bedrock and landslides, frequently exposes embedded isolated boulders. These boulders are grey-colored septarian concretions, which have been exhumed from the mudstone enclosing them and concentrated on the beach by coastal erosion.

The rock comprising the bulk of a boulder is riddled with large cracks called "septaria" that radiate outward from a hollow core lined with scalenohedral calcite crystals. The process or processes that created septaria within Moeraki Boulders, and in other septarian concretions, remain an unresolved matter for which a number of possible explanations have been proposed. These cracks radiate and thin outward from the centre of the typical boulder and are typically filled with an outer (early stage) layer of brown calcite and an inner (late stage) layer of yellow calcite spar, which often, but not always, completely fills the cracks. Rare Moeraki Boulders have a very thin innermost (latest stage) layer of dolomite and quartz covering the yellow calcite spar.

We continued on our way and arrived at our campsite late afternoon.  We learned that there was  the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony with tours to watch the penquins as they return from fishing.  We decided that we really wanted to see Blue Penquins which are the smallest penquin at about 30 cm high as an adult.  This colony has been protected and there is an effort to sustain the colony while not interfering in any way.  As a result, they have a section where the penguins nest protected including setting up predator traps to protect them. 

To support this endeavour they have set up a stadium / bleachers for tourists to watch the penguins in an environment that does not interfere with the movements of the penguins.  Because the penguins are so small, they do several things to protect themselves.  They need to go out and fish each day but if they have any young in nests they must return to feed them.  So they leave just before light in the morning while it is still dark and they return at dark in the evening.  While they are fishing they swim on their own, but when they come back in to shore they first gather as group (called a raft) and then approach shore as a large group.  Then they walk up the shore to their nests.

As tourists we are able to watch them and because they can not see the color orange, sodium lights are used to light up the area.  However, all other lights will cause problems so cameras, phones, video cams etc. are forbidden in the bleachers so again I was not able to get any pictures (the ones on the blog are taken from the internet).  They enforce this so strictly that if you even have a camera out you might be asked to leave immediately, and will be escorted out.  There were actually a few people who tried to sneak a picture and we saw them being escorted out so it is a serious concern.

I should step back a second and talk more about the tour we signed up for which picked us up at 6:45 pm.  We first were taken for a tour of the city and shown some of the historical buildings.  What I enjoyed seeing was the use of Oamaru Stone on so many buildings.  I really liked this stone since it was a creamy white color naturally and looked very clean and bright.    We also got to see a couple of very old streets with original buildings.  These narrow streets reminded me of some of the old streets in Quebec City.

From the city tour we went to Bushy Beach to look for the Yellow Eyed Penguins which nest on this beach.  The beach is closed from 3 pm each day and not opens until later in the morning to ensure the penguins can leave in the am for fishing and return in the afternoon.  Often they return between 4 and 6 apparently.    We walked along the top of the bank overlooking the beach and watched for returning penguins and try to spot any in their nests.  We only found one adult that was visible and no babies.  We were not too concerned since we saw several yesterday.

From here we went to the Oamaru Blue Penguin Reserve to be in the stands by 9 pm to watch them come in.  This was really worth doing but the weather was really not working for us.  There was a strong wind, and cool air (about 9 degrees C) so everyone was feeling the chill.  Hard to believe we are in the middle of summer here when it feels so cold.  Both Wes and I were prepared since it had been chilly all day we took our fleeces and wind breakers.  Wes also had a pair of gloves to keep his hands warm (I did but those who know me know my hands don’t get cold very often).   Even then we really did enjoy watching the Blue Penguins come in and walk across in front of us on their way home.  By 10 pm we also were ready to get out of the cold and head back home, which we did.

This has been a very eventful and full day. 

20 Jan 2011 – Dunedin

This morning we got up to cloudy skies and still a bit cool for summer weather.  However it was not raining so we have no complaints.  We decided that we would take a look at the ocean which is beside the park close enough for us to hear the waves crashing on shore all night.  So we wondered over hill and across the ball park and up the sand dune to find a beautiful beach.  The waves were large so I suspect a storm of some sort in the Southern Pacific Ocean.  We had a really nice walk along the beach just to enjoy the sand and surf.  However we could only go for about 45 minutes since we had a full day planned.

We decided that before we left Dunedin we would drive up the Otago Peninsula to Taiaroa Head.  This Peninsula which has the Otago Harbour, is known for it large variety of wildlife and in particular the Northern Royal Albatross and Yellow Eyed Penguins which we wanted to see. 

The scenic road followed the coastline and reminded us of driving along parts of Stanley Park in Vancouver.  However there was just the narrow road, hill on the right and sea on the left with no barriers.  The books warned about driving carefully to avoid being in the water and the book was very accurate.  Having said that, as long as you drove carefully and slowly, avoided front ending oncoming traffic and watched out for the bikers or hikers, it was an enjoyable drive.  We also enjoyed some great views and Wes was snapping photos as I drove – we call this the drive by shooting.

Our first port of call was the Taiaroa Head to visit the Royal Albatross Center.  We arrived and learned that the next tour was starting in about 3 minutes so timing was great.  We signed up to have a tour of both the Royal Albatross nesting area where we would be able to view young birds as well as adults and a tour of the ‘fortifications’ of the Taiaroa Head.

The first part of the tour took us up to an observation room built into the land so we can view the birds without interfering with them at all.  We were able to view nests with adults sitting on the eggs as well as a large flock of Shags below with their nests.   We learned about the Albatross’s life patterns and how they fly for up to a year never landing on land but only on water.  They circle the Antarctic but only nest in certain areas.  These are fascinating birds and I encourage you to google for more details that I am including here.  Our highlight was to watch a bird with at wing span estimated to be about 10 meters fly around putting on an acrobatic show for us.  It was hard not to be taking lots of pictures.

We then carried on to tour the tunnels which housed the defenses and gunneries on the Head.  This area has been used as a defensive position for the past 700 years by the different peoples living here.  The Maori established a permanent settlement at Otakou on the coast 6 kms south and a fortified village was built at Taiaroa Head.  In 1885 with the threat of war between Britain and Russia, the construction of Fort Taiaroa began.  The addition fo barracks and militiamen meant that by the turn of the century there were 100 people living permanently at Taiaroa Head.

The Armstrong Disappearing Gun was installed and ready for action by 1889.  It has only been fired for practise and never in defense.  This gun is a 6 inch breech loaded (first successful breech loaded ever designed that worked), built on a hydro-pneumatic carriage.  Sited in an underground pit, the gun was aimed and loaded while below ground.  The retracting carriage used a hand pumped water and air ram system to raise the gun into the firing position above ground.  Once the gun was fired, it would return to the pit by the sheer force of the recoil and be ready for reloading.   All the defences were linked by tunnels which are still in place today, but the gunneries have been decommissioned.

Our next port of call was the Penguin Place, Yellow Eyed Penguin Conservation Reserve.  By this time it was noon and we thought we would check out the times for tours and then think about lunch.  However as we arrived we were told that the next tour was leaving in about 2 minutes so we skipped lunch for the time being and went for the tour.  The reserve is a private conservation effort to save the world’s most endangered penguin from extinction.  They have a ‘penguin hospital’ to support the program.  After we were given a short talk about the penguins we actually were able to tour the hospital and see a few adult penguins being treated and one baby (there because the dad was sick and could not be left alone).

We then hopped onto a bus and were driven to the beach where we were able to observe the colony.  Now we were not expecting to see any adults since they go fishing all day and return around dusk at night.  However the babies are left behind and we were sure to be able to see them.  The viewing of the area is done through a unique system of hides and tunnels.  The tunnels are about half underground and the top is camouflaged.  In this way we actually were able to get fairly close to nests and birds of a variety of types (ducks, blue herons, gulls, etc.)

Our first delight was to find that an adult had returned from fishing early (the tour guide was stumped too as to why) but was standing along the pond in clear view.  We had to use zooms to get pictures but this was a unexpected treat.  We were able to focus on several nests and find baby penguins sleeping.  There was one nest along the path to see the seals that was about 3 feet away.  The baby here actually stood up and watched us go by so we were able to get really close up pictures.

We also we were looking at nests of the Blue Penguins but we could not see them since the nests are very small and they were hunkered down deep in the nests.  Maybe later we will find some to see.  Yes we did see fur seals again as well.

Our third stop today was at Larnach Castle.  Larnach Castle (often incorrectly referred to as "Larnach's Castle"), is an imposing mansion on the ridge of Otago Peninsula within the limits of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. It is one of only two castles in New Zealand, the other of which (Cargill's Castle, also in Dunedin) is now a ruin. For this reason it is often referred as New Zealand's only castle. It is also one of New Zealand's few "stately houses".

The castle was built between 1873 and 1887 as the residence of William Larnach, a prominent entrepreneur and politician in colonial New Zealand. Much of the construction was carried out under the guidance of local architect R.A. Lawson, who was also responsible for many of the other fine buildings in Dunedin. The finished building contained 43 rooms plus a ballroom, and required a staff of 46 servants.

Sadly, the building, which Larnach himself simply called "The Camp," did nothing to stop his own downfall. After a series of personal and financial disasters he committed suicide in New Zealand's Parliament Buildings in October 1898. The castle's ballroom is reputedly haunted by the ghost of Larnach's daughter Katie, who died days after her 21st birthday.

The building, which had fallen into a state of disrepair, was bought by Barry and Margaret Barker in 1967, and has since been restored to its full glory.  Spectacular views of the Otago Peninsula and Harbour can be gained from the castle, which is 10 kilometres by road from the city centre.  Larnach Castle is now seen as one of the jewels in Dunedin's tourist crown.

Our tour started with walking through the gardens.  Then we did a tour of the castle itself.  Although we could take pictures of the gardens we were not permitted to take pictures inside the castle so I have nothing to show you of the incredible quality of work and workmanship that went into the building.  I wish I could show the craftsmanship and detail of the wood carvings in the ceilings that took 3 people 6 ½ years to complete and install.  In addition to wood carvings there are also plaster grapes and vines in the Dining room that show skill and talent.  In the main foyer is a wall of glass with hand etched Venetian glass with etchings of the rose of England, shamrock of Ireland, silver fern from New Zealand and the Scottish thistle.  There was so much to see that it would be difficult to cover it all.  The main building had 4 levels with the basement, main floor (main foyer, music room, library, drawing room, pantry, dining room and kitchen area now used as Administration), second floor (master bedroom and 2 other bedrooms), and the top floor (Children’s bedroom, nanny’s room, Tower room for view and entrance to spiral stairs to turret).

By the time we had done all three of these incredible tours today we realized that our plan to move on to the next town was not practical.  We were both tired and really had no reason to drive for an hour or more so instead we returned to the camp ground we stayed at last night and settled in for another night.  

19 Jan 2011 – Invercargill to Dunedin

This morning we awoke to the sound of rain again.  It seems that the weather has followed us from Milford Sound but since we were told it was a western front from Tasman Sea coming in we were not too surprised – just disappointed.   (Tonight we checked and learned that Milford Sound had sunshine today even though it was forecasted to be rain so we really are disappointed and upset that we left when we did – but chances are it could still have been raining hard so who knew?)

No matter, we headed off down the Southern Coastal Scenic drive which was recommended.  This took us through the Catlins coastline and we had a fantastic drive along the coastline stopping at several places along the way to enjoy sightseeing.   Our first stop was at South Slope which is the most southerly point of New Zealand.

We found ourselves driving along a gravel road and wondering what we got ourselves into as we bumped along.  Then we came to the sign indicating the trail to the cliffs where there is a automated lighthouse and the signage.  To get to the lighthouse and signage we had to walk through a sheep pasture and out through a gate at the end close to the cliffs.  Then we followed the trail along the cliffs to the lighthouse and signs.  The wind was blowing and it really was interesting to wonder how much wind could we stand up in, but we managed today.  We also noticed someone walking down to the beach carrying a surfboard and we wondered who would be crazy enough to try to surf in this wind.  We did not ask. 

We left the South Slope and headed back down the gravel road only to discover that it was being graded.  The grader had taken one swipe down one side leaving a ridge of gravel down about 2/3 across the road.  It was fun trying to figure if driving straddle the ridge was worth the sound of gravel scraping the bottom or chance driving on the wrong side of the road (which felt kind of normal to me actually).  We drove on the wrong side and switched only when we met a car.  Our van has a lot of clearance and I am not sure how any car would have managed – maybe they didn’t.

Our next stop was at the Petrified Forest at Curio Bay.  Curio Bay is a coastal embayment best known as the site of a petrified forest some 180 million years old.  Curio Bay is one of the major attractions in the Catlins. The now petrified logs, from ancient conifers closely related to modern Kauri and Norfolk Pine, were buried by ancient volcanic mud flows and gradually replaced by silica to produce the fossils now exposed by the sea.   Although we are told there are Yellow Eyed Penguins in this area we did not see any.  Apparently the best time to see the penguins is later in the evening when they return from fishing off shore.

We continued on our journey with some really great views along the drive.  I have taken some pictures to share but what we also noticed as we drove was that we seemed to be just ahead of the dark clouds and rain that threatened to overtake us each time we stopped.  It is very interesting weather here in New Zealand.

Our next stop was at Nugget Point.   Nugget Point is one of the most distinctive landforms along the Otago coast. It's a steep headland with a lighthouse and a scattering of rocky islets (The Nuggets).

A ten minute walk takes you to the lighthouse, where you'll enjoy amazing views along the coastline in both directions. As we looked down onto the rocks directly below the lighthouse, we saw fur seals lolling about, playing in rock pools and generally having fun. The wind was blowing still but we enjoyed the sunshine and the views of waves crashing into shore while the wind was blowing the sea spray back out to sea.  As we got back to the van to leave the parking lot the clouds had blown in and the rain started to fall.  We left just in time to once again race ahead of the rainstorm that had been following us all day. 

Our final stop on the highway was unplanned.  We came across a herd of cattle being moved and they really were not sure which gate to go back into so the ‘cowboys’ on foot and motorcycle were rounding them up and moving them forward.  We simply stopped and watched the cows walk first towards us, past us and then back up ahead of us into the field of choice.  We felt right back at home except these were dairy cows.

We finally arrived in Dunedin and got a place for the van at the campsite.  As we sorted things out the weather caught up to us again and this time we are sitting it out as the wind continues to blow and the rain falls down.  Tomorrow we hope it will be better weather so we can go and find the yellow eyed penguins.   In the meantime I finally have a good internet connection so have several days of blog to get posted. Time flies you may have noticed.

18 Jan 2011 – Milford Sound to Invercargill

This morning we awoke to rain pelting down on the roof of the van.  This was predicted so we were not too surprised.  Apparently a good day in Milford Sound is any day that it does not rain.  Sunny weather is rare but on those few days this place would be unbelievably beautiful.  Oh well, not for us.

When we woke we noticed that the netting we had around the bed had saved us from an infestation of sand flies.  We could not believe how many were around inside the van.  (I spent lots of time as we drove swatting at those who had the death wish and came into striking range.)  When we stepped outside the van we were standing amoung ‘clouds’ of these pests.  I am glad we had decided not to stay for the day since it would require dosing ourselves in ‘Off’ just to stay sane.

After breakfast we headed down the road which means we retraced our steps of yesterday.  We are heading now to the south coast and start the process of moving northward again.  Again I marvelled at the road up to and through Homer Tunnel.  Again Gertrude Valley was covered in clouds and rain.

As we started down the east side of Homer Pass we noticed that the clouds were starting to break up a bit.  Then we remembered that the weather was coming from the West and that as we travelled East we were moving ahead of the weather pattern.  This was ok since we decided to stop at Mirror Lake to take few pictures.  It was not a calm day, but the reflections were really good.

We continued on to Invercargill which is a larger sized town where we will stay the night.  It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff, which is the southernmost town in the South Island. It sits amid rich farmland that is bordered by large areas of conservation land and marine reserves, including Fiordland National Park covering the south-west corner of the South Island.

 After we settled at the campsite we still had lots of daylight left and the sky still had broken clouds so we decided to head off to the town of Bluff which also the ferry station for those going to Stewart Island.   Bluff is a town and seaport in the Southland region, on the southern coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the southern-most town in New Zealand and, despite Slope Point being further to the south, is colloquially used to refer to the southern extremity of the country (particularly in such phrases as "from Cape Reinga to The Bluff"). According to the 2006 census, the usually resident population was 1,850, a decrease of 85 since 2001.

The Bluff area, while itself not settled by Māori, was one of the earliest areas of New Zealand where a European presence became established. The first ship known to have entered the harbour was the Perseverance in 1813, in search of flax trading possibilities, with the first European settlers arriving in 1823/1824. This is the foundation for the claim that this makes Bluff the oldest permanent European settlement in the country. However the missionary settlement at Kerikeri was both earlier and larger and the town is now larger than that of Bluff. The town was officially called Campbelltown in 1856, became a borough in 1878, and was renamed Bluff in 1917.

We headed up to the viewpoint at Bluff which gave us great views of Stewart Island and other islands in the ocean.  The ocean we are looking at is the South Pacific Ocean. 

We then headed back into Bluff and followed Highway one to the end where it stops at Stirling Point.  Highway 1 goes from this farthest southern point of the South Island all the way to the northern part of the North Island with only a small ferry in the middle connecting.   We returned to town and stopped at a used book store to trade books.

Tonight the weather has caught up to us as we sit and watch the rain pelting down again.   It will stop soon I am sure and tomorrow in this area it is forecast to clear up and become sunny again. Here is hoping.