AT BLENHIEM

Due to earthquake damage and landslides last November to the coastal highway between Christchurch and Blenhiem some of the road through the Kaikoura region which we were to have travelled were closed so we had to go via the inland route via Spring Junction and Murchison. This was a longer journey and the countryside much the same as the last few days and the weather was still drizzly.There was also a lot of roadworks along that road as it is now the main road south. It was also affected by the quake and is also being repaired and widened. As we got closer to Blenheim the country flattened out and was replaced with many vineyards and a number of wineries, this is the major wine growing area on the island. There is approx 2600 hectares planted to vines. The weather also fined up and Blenhiem is supposed to be the sunniest town on the island although they haven't had as much sunshine as expected this summer.
Today was a nice sunny day and we had a free morning so had a walk around the town before going on a Greenshell mussel cruise in the afternoon at Marlborough Sound.
We were taken by bus to Havelock where we boarded the catamaran and were taken out into the sound where they farm the mussels. It takes between 18 months and 2 years for the mussels to grow to the approx size of 10 cm ready to be harvested. We were given a sample of freshly steamed muscles and it is a the first time Jan and I had tasted them, we thought they were okay but nothing to rave about.
Tomorrow afternoon we catch the ferry to Wellington, not sure what we do in the morning after we leave the hotel at 10.00am apart from travelling to Picton where the ferry leaves from.
Photos
Sheep dog in his cage under truck tray looking out
Catamaran for mussel trip
Lines of mussel
Lines of mussel
Boat carrying bags of harvested mussels
Cooked musselsLäs mer