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The North of the South 2021
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  • Amanda Carnie

The North of the South 2021

An open-ended adventure by Amanda Read more
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    Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    View from Conical Hill LookoutThe Top of Conical Hill

    All Good Things must come to an End

    November 26, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Yesterday we drove through from Kaikoura to Hanmer, taking the inland route. Unlike the drive north, we actually found the right road this time! It was one of the hottest days we’ve had yet, with the temperature reaching 27 degrees by the time we arrived in Hanmer. Earlier in the week we had thought we might take a dip in the hot pools when we got there, but a cold drink in a shady beer garden sounded much more appealing. We spent a jolly hour there meeting up with Joanne and Simon again, who are in Hanmer for a couple of days helping their neighbours clear out their holiday home. We spent the last night of our ‘North of the South’ holiday at the NZMCA park by the Hanmer River bridge.
    This morning we ticked off the Conical Hill walk, a steady 40 minute climb through conifer forest to the top of a hill, from where you get a great view out over Hanmer and the surrounding countryside. Then it was time for a final coffee before we hit the road for Christchurch and a few days catching up with friends and family and getting our Christmas shopping done.
    We’ve had the most magical holiday, and taken the time to explore some really beautiful places – many of which we’d never visited before. We have loved having no fixed schedule, and no real plan other than the next 24 hours. And we’re still talking to each other!!
    Thanks for coming with us on our travels… Can’t wait to do it again.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    You'd think we were on the moon!
    Looking down on a relatively easy part of the coastal trackWE DID IT!!

    A Walk and a Half - part 2!

    November 24, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Unfortunately, it appears we should have returned to the upper track via a steep, stepped path about half-way along the coast. Instead, we carried on round, with the track disappearing and the terrain getting progressively rockier and more challenging until we had to do some fairly serious rock climbing around one headland. There are numerous signs reminding you to keep away from seals and nesting birds (of which there were thousands – all screaming) but as we were so busy watching where we were walking, we were often almost on top of them before we realised.
    We had reached a point where it looked like we could go no further, and might have to back-track a good 40 mins to the find the uphill path, when Charlie thought he could find a way through by jumping over a fairly large crevasse, which he duly did. I was heading the same way until up popped the head of a very large seal less than 2 metres in front of me. He had been sleeping between the very rocks Charlie had just jumped over! Meanwhile Charlie started to come back towards me, as he’d found himself between another seal and the water – not a good place to be! Not wanting to aggravate it, I simply pointed down at my feet and mouthed “there’s one right here”! We did manage to find another route past him, and tiptoed quickly past the second one while it was sleeping.
    I kept wanting to stop and take more photos of the incredible landscape, but Charlie (who was getting progressively more anxious) was striding ahead with the camera in his backpack, and he wasn’t stopping for ANYTHING! We finally made it back to the motorhome about 2 hours 15 mins after leaving our lunch stop – weary and blasted by the sun and wind, but blown away by what we had seen, experienced and achieved. We will definitely sleep well tonight!    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    The Peninsula, pre-earthquake. Looks like you can walk right round on the beach!
    Post-earthquake, much of the sea floor is now foreshore!Our track up the hill to the top of the cliffs, and back around the beachNewly-uplifted landOur return track!

    A Walk and a Half! part 1...

    November 24, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    We started the day with a very pretty woodland walk through the native forest surrounding the campsite, and then headed back into Kaikoura. We decided to attempt the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway, from South Bay to Point Kean. According to the author of our ‘Short Walks’ book, it would be an ‘easy’ walk of 1.5 hours return. By now, however, we were wise to his somewhat unreasonable estimation of our fitness level and so we took a packed lunch and a cup of tea with us. And just as well, too!
    The walk took us up to the top of the cliffs overlooking South Bay, and then over farmland to a lookout point over the seal colony at Point Kean, where we stopped for lunch (1 hour 15mins to this point!) The landscape of the peninsula was dramatically changed by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in 2016, when parts of the sea floor were raised by up to 12 metres in some places. The resulting new foreshore of barren and undulating rock looks like the surface of the moon in places.
    All the way round, we had been checking out the beach from the clifftops, as (according to the book) we could “return along the coastline”. We had thought this meant ALL the way along the coastline, right back to our starting point. So this is what we did.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Unintended birthday lunch!
    Puhi Puhi ValleyPuhi Puhi ValleyHapuku River, from a bridgeHe did enjoy!

    Happy Birthday Charlie!

    November 23, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Thanks to everyone who called or texted birthday messages today – it was great to hear from you all. Our plan today was to go out for a nice relaxed birthday lunch in Kaikoura, and last night we Googled restaurant options and settled on one with a great-looking seafood menu. Once we got to Kaikoura, we parked at one end of the main street, and walked along to our restaurant which was at the far end of it. To find…
    It was CLOSED!! As were ALL of the other 9 restaurants and bars in the main street, except for the fish and chip shop, so our lovely leisurely lunch turned into blue cod and chips back in the motorhome!! Albeit with a glass of wine / beer.
    We headed back up the road to the north of the town for our overnight stop: a DOC campsite in the Puhi Puhi Valley, up 6km of narrow winding gravel road. But what a gorgeous spot, surrounded by bush, and we had the whole place to ourselves. After the fish and chips we decided on a ‘light’ birthday dinner – a hot smoked salmon platter with a baguette and all the accompaniments, and of course a lovely bottle of bubbly from the No. One estate in Blenheim.
    We had bought a very interesting bottle of barrel-aged gin at a distillery in Takaka (forgot to tell you about the rainy afternoon we spent tasting at a couple of distilleries with Joanne and Simon!) Charlie had been saving it for a special occasion, and… well… this was obviously it!    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Back at Marfell's Beach

    The Start of our Return

    November 22, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    With steady rain for the rest of the day yesterday and more forecast for today, we left the Blenheim area this morning and reluctantly turned south, which is effectively the start of our homeward journey. We are SOOO not ready for this holiday to end yet!
    By the time we left the Awatere Valley the skies were clearing, and we set up again at Marfells Beach (which we had visited – and loved – on our way up) in brilliant sunshine. Had a late lunch in the sun and a nice walk along the beach…    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    View of Port Underwood from top of the ridge
    Looking back to Rarangi Beach - White's Bay at the bottom of pictureWhite's BayAfter the crowds had gone...

    White's Bay

    November 21, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    After a very peaceful and relatively bug-free night tucked in beside the forest, and a cooked breakfast, we decided to tackle one of the numerous walks that head out from the camp. The Black Jack Loop track is a steady uphill climb through the bush, with the occasional glimpse through the trees to the beach below and Cloudy Bay beyond. Once we got to the ridge we were able to look over the other side to Port Underwood and out to Cook Strait, and could see the North Island in the distance.
    The walk took us a little over an hour and a half, and by the time we returned what had started as low cloud was becoming a light drizzle. As we expected, the tents were all packed up and most of the weekenders had gone, so where yesterday afternoon there were about 2-3 dozen cars parked all around us, this afternoon there was only us and a single campervan left!
    Charlie went out with his fishing rod for a couple of hours, but sadly the only thing biting was the sandflies! Apparently the tide was too low this time, and by the time he returned steady rain had set in so he was soaked through and ready for a hot drink.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Monkey Bay
    Monkey Bay, Kaikoura Range in backgroundInteresting rocks at Monkey BayWhite's Bay - complete with Surf Club! We walked to top of the ridge the next day!White's Bay - Charlie's fishing rockWhite's Bay

    Disappointment Island!

    November 20, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Well there was great excitement all along the beach last night: heaps of people turned up during the early evening and set up in little groups with their chairs and their chilly-bins, some with fancy-looking cameras on tripods, and a few bonfires were lit. All were awaiting the “big reveal” as the moon rose out of the ocean and the eclipse started. We waited…
    …and waited…
    …and eventually realised that we weren’t going to see a THING! The moon actually rose around the corner, on the other side of a large headland! It was about 2.00 a.m. before we could actually see it above the ridge, and by then the eclipse was all over. Disappointment Island!
    SO, I hear you ask, what were you doing awake at 2.00 a.m.?? Well that’s a whole other story: we were invaded by an infestation of flying insects! Goodness only knows how they were able to get in, as all the windows and vents were closed, but get in they did. And they sounded just like a mosquito as they zizzed past your ears! They looked a bit like large mozzies too, and in fact we did get a few bites, and they had us waking up regularly and reaching for the fly-spray.
    So we decided we definitely wouldn’t stay another night at Rarangi, and this morning we moved on a whole 6km up the road to Whites Bay, where there is a very large DOC campsite and a lovely sheltered sandy beach. Before we left we took a track that climbs up over a set of stone steps to Monkey Bay, a pretty little shingle cove that looks out over Coudy Bay to Cape Campbell. Apparently there is a sea arch that pierces the rock beyond the bay, and although we couldn’t see it, we could hear the booms as the waves hit the opening, and see the water surging into a cave behind us.
    Whites Bay is obviously a favourite with the locals, as the place was HEAVING with day-trippers enjoying the sunshine when we arrived – mostly families who set up their picnics on the beach – but despite the number of people it was surprisingly quiet. The gates to the camp are locked at 9pm, so a lot of the cars were gone by then. Also being Saturday there are families staying in tents, but rain is forecast by lunchtime tomorrow, so that should send them all home!    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Our lookout views: from the head of the Wairau Valley...
    ...across Blenheim to the mountains and out over Cook StraitRarangi BeachRarangi BeachOur Motorhome at Rarangi Beach

    Up to Rarangi Beach

    November 19, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Having not been for a decent walk for a few days now we decided to head to the Wither Hills Farm Park on the outskirts of Blenheim, where there are a number of walking tracks. We chose the one named ‘Gentle Annie’ for our climb up to a lookout as this sounded the least arduous, and indeed it was a lovely walk through a forested section of the farm.
    After about 10 minutes, Charlie realised that he’d forgotten to lock the vehicle, so he headed back to the carpark while I meandered slowly on. By the time he had caught up with me again he was pretty hot – the dashboard was showing 26 degrees when we eventually got back to the motorhome! When we reached the lookout we could see all the way from the top of the Wairau Valley to the west, across the roofs of Blenheim to the mountains and out over Cook Strait to the east, where we could also make out the North Island.
    We left Blenheim just after lunch and headed north to Rarangi Beach, where we are parked in another DOC campground, waiting for the ‘mini’ blood moon to rise out of the ocean and begin the first lunar eclipse of its duration in about 800 years.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Our lunch at Wither Hills Estate

    More Wine-tasting in Blenheim

    November 18, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    This morning we found a laundromat and ticked off a bit of shopping while our clothes were revolving. Then it was off for lunch at Wither Hills, a winery with an impressive restaurant and a commanding view over the surrounding countryside. Of course we were obliged to taste a number of their wines, before deciding which one would accompany our delicious lunch.
    Our second tasting stop was Cloudy Bay – another famous Blenheim winery – which has recently bought the vineyard at Northburn just outside of Cromwell. A ‘must do’ with the Queensberry crew when we get back home!
    We headed back to the lovely peace and quiet of the reserve at Onamalutu, where we dined on a platter of Italian bread, smoked salmon, salami, cheeses, olives, tomatoes and cucumber, washed down with a very nice bottle of Cloudy Bay chardonnay.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Onamalutu
    Lake RotoitiThe start of the Buller River, Lake RotoitiThe "dirty" Wairau RiverEntrance to Onamalutu DomainOnamalutu

    Blenheim

    November 17, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    It rained overnight and this morning, so we didn’t hang around the lakes for long. After checking out the other DOC camps in the area, including finding the start of the Buller River (which flows all the way to the West Coast) we headed off towards Blenheim down the Wairau Valley. Charlie had hoped to be able to spend a fair bit of the day fishing but – yes, you guessed it – the river was dirty and so the plans were once again shelved.
    Instead we traveled on, passing hundreds of hectares of vineyards, till we found ourselves at Renwick on the outskirts of Blenheim, where there are literally dozens of wineries. We only chose two to visit today: Nautilus Estate and No. 1 Family Estate. This is Daniel le Brun’s winery, the famous Frenchman who was the first to make champagne-style wines in New Zealand. Daniel sold his shares in his previous winery in the mid-1990s, and although you can still buy wines with his name on the label, he has nothing to do with them! We tasted four of his current bubblies, and all were delicious; we are having a case shipped home and have kept a couple of bottles to enjoy on our birthdays.
    Then on to tonight’s stop: another DOC campsite at Onamalutu, about 12km from Blenheim. We are parked in an enormous grassy domain, surrounded by trees and hills, and there are only four other vehicles here. Perfect!    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Lake Rotoiti
    A dirty Motueka RiverAbout half of the Satellite Train

    Lake Rotoiti

    November 16, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    I forgot to tell you about the satellite train! As luck would have it, we just happened to be heading from Joanne and Simon’s house back to our motorhome at a little before 10pm on Sunday night, when we looked up into the clear night sky and saw the ‘train’ of around 60 satellites passing overhead. It was amazing! We checked on the interweb the next day and found that we should be able to see it for the next couple of nights, which indeed we did last night in Motueka – although with more light pollution there it wasn’t quite as bright.
    After a morning spent catching up on chores in Motueka, today we headed south down the Motueka River valley. Charlie had been hoping to cast a line for trout in this river, but with the rain over the last few days it was too high and too dirty.
    We checked out several freedom camping spots and several DOC campsites on the way through to St Arnaud, a little settlement on the northern side of Lake Rotoiti in the Nelson Lakes District. This area is the sandfly capital of New Zealand – even the DOC brochures warn you to “be sure to take insect repellent for the ferocious sandflies”!
    Despite the really warm temperatures of the last few weeks, today was a reality check. It was 19 degrees in Motueka at 9am this morning, and hovered around 18-20 until the early afternoon. As we got further inland, the temperature dropped as we got nearer to the rainclouds which seemed to be hugging the hills, and it was 8 degrees and raining steadily by the time we reached our overnight camping spot: the DOC campsite at Kerr Bay, Lake Rotoiti. There had even been some snow on the hills at the head of the lake!
    Charlie thought he might try for a fish off the shore of the lake, but he found it was so high there was no access other than off the end of the jetty! He’s not having much luck, poor man…
    We are set up for the night in a little alcove surrounded by native forest and bellbirds, with the sound of gentle drips on the roof to lull us to sleep. The satellite train should pass by again tonight, though as we have thick cloud cover here, we won’t be able to see it.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Lunchtime entertainment: a tui in a flax bush
    The beach at Patons RockA great place to while away an hour or two...Marble boulders at Hawkes LookoutView of Tasman Bay and the Riwaka Valley from the lookout

    Four Days at Patons Rock

    November 15, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Sadly our Farewell Spit trip was the last fine day we had for four days – weren’t we lucky! On Thursday we headed back into Takaka to get some groceries, only to bump into the Betneys coming out of the supermarket. They encouraged us to come back to their place, where we were very pleased to hunker down and wait for better weather – which finally arrived today.
    It didn’t rain all day every day though, and we were able to enjoy several walks on the beach and around the delightful village of Patons Rock, or just sit and admire the garden or chat over a coffee. Joanne and Simon are incredibly welcoming and generous hosts, and we had a fabulous four days with them and their dogs, and even got to meet some of their neighbours. We can’t thank them enough.
    It was with quite heavy hearts that we left Golden Bay early this afternoon, where we’ve spent the last two incredible weeks. Promising to return in the (hopefully not too distant) future, we headed back over the Takaka Hill. On this side of the hill not far from the summit is Hawkes Lookout, where we took a short walk through the bush and between water-hewn boulders to a marble outcrop high above the Riwaka Valley. We stood almost directly above the Riwaka Resurgence (that we visited more than 2 weeks ago) and admired the awesome views over Tasman Bay, before pressing on to Motueka, where tonight we are staying at the NZMCA park.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie

    Farewell Spit - part 2

    November 10, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We took the opportunity to have a good walk along the beach, until the bus came and collected us for the return journey. The driver pointed out a colony of gannets at the end of the Spit which he said was started with about 60 birds and now numbers more than 10,000.
    The sand dunes are constantly traveling, at about 300m per year, as sand is blown off the windward side and lands on the leeward side. On the way back, we stopped to climb the highest sand dune (and run down the other side) from where we could see across the Spit to the inside beach somewhere between 7-10km away depending on the tides. This shallow bay is sadly the place where pilot whales are regularly stranded, and the community comes out in droves to try and refloat them.
    Before heading back across to the inside beach we stopped at the bottom of the beach, Fossil Point, where we saw 25million year old fossilized shells in the rocks. From here we could also look further along to some of the cliffs at Cape Farewell. Then it was back over the bumpy track to the inside beach, and on to Cape Farewell itself, the northern-most point of the South Island. The layers of conglomerate rock that make up the cliffs are most impressive – these are 50 million years old. Here we climbed to the top of the cliffs and looked out over the vast expanse of the Tasman Sea.
    We were back at Pakawau by midday, and ready for a wee nap, after one of the most brilliant of days.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie

    We cruise along Farewell Spit - part 1

    November 10, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Happy Birthday Geoff!
    Today was such a massive day we’ve decided to post it in two parts. We had a VERY early start, with the alarm waking us at 5.15, and we were waiting at the roadside for our pickup at 10 past 6! Over 30km in length, Farewell Spit is one of the longest recurved sand spits in the world. The Spit has been formed by the longshore Westland current depositing sand which originated in the Southern Alps. More sand is constantly being added to the Spit and so its size is gradually increasing.
    With about 9,400 hectares of tidal flats on the inner side, the Spit is recognised as one of the most important habitats for wading birds in the world and is classified as a Nature Reserve, which means it has greater protected status than even our National Parks. Although people are permitted to walk the first 2km on the inside beach and 4km on the outside beach, to access the rest of the Spit you have to take a ride with the sole tour operator.
    There were 11 of us plus the driver on the 4WD bus. We passed through a locked gate onto the start of the inside beach, where we travelled for about 1km before turning left and crossing a bumpy and sandy track to the Western side. We were very fortunate with the weather – it was a beautiful day, with no wind, and we were surprised to see very little surf on the outside beach. The tours run at low tide (hence our early start today), and the bus travels between the low and high tide marks, as anything above the high tide mark is out of bounds. All we could see as we looked ahead was miles and miles of flat pale sand, seemingly all the way to the horizon. With the low pale sea sparkling to the left of us, and low pale sand dunes rippling away to the right of us, at times it looked like we were in the middle of a moonscape. And a bit eerie to think we were the only ones there.
    Tens of thousands of migratory birds visit the spit each spring/summer, including knots (which arrive from Siberia via Asia and Australia), turnstones, and the remarkable godwits, which grow a whole new set of feathers to replace all their worn-out ones while they are here. The godwits fly non-stop all the way from Alaska to feed up here, before returning to the Arctic Circle to breed and subsequently leave their young. Once their young have fledged, how do they know that this Spit is where they migrate to, and how do they find their way here?
    We stopped a number of times as the driver pointed out various birds or the occasional fur seals lolling on the beach. One stop was at the remains of a willow tree that had been washed up in 2010 (along with sections of 2 bridges, a fridge, and a TV) after floods on the West Coast. The only thing to break the unending flatness the entire length of the beach, the tree’s shapes and shadows looked amazing in the early morning light. We were also able to make out Mount Taranaki on the horizon, on the North Island’s West Coast. Apparently it is only clear enough to see this on about 50 days of the year.
    About 1km from the end of the Spit is a lighthouse, which until the mid-1970’s was permanently staffed. There are several old houses there which the lighthouse keepers and their families lived in, and one of them is now used for accommodation for DOC workers. This is where we had our morning tea (at about 8.30am!)
    Stay tuned for Part 2!    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Whanganui Inlet
    Kaihoka LakesKaihoka LakesGrass growing in the middle of the road!Lunch stop, Whanganui InletLooking towards Farewell Spit

    We Cross to the West Coast

    November 9, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Our destination this morning was the most westerly part of the northern South Island. Or the most northerly part of the West Coast! An initially sealed road heads inland from Golden Bay, crosses a narrow part of the Kahurangi National Park, and emerges at the Whanganui Inlet. After that it’s all unsealed.
    We turned right and, as is usual for us, the road got narrower and windier and rougher, and there was nowhere to turn around! Charlie was driving today, and the tension mounted as the road conditions worsened. After about 6km we eventually found ourselves at the Kaihoka Lakes scenic reserve, where we found there is a parking spot (big enough for 2 cars only) down a narrow, steep, soft and pot-holed track – totally unsuitable for a motorhome! We managed to creep up onto a grassy bank, and decided to worry about how to get out of there after we had finished our forest walk and had our coffee!
    The walking track took us between two small lakes in the undulating landscape here that have been formed by sand dunes blocking valleys in the underlying sandstone, and in typical West Coast style the bush grows right down to the water’s edge. Very pretty!
    Our next challenge was how to get out of there. Charlie had already walked on up the road a bit to see if there was anywhere to turn, but nothing obvious was in sight. We gingerly reversed back down the grassy bank and headed on up the road in search of a space that was big enough for a 7m vehicle to do a U-turn. By this time the track was so narrow that grass was growing in the middle of it! About 2km further on we came to a stretch of grass where it appears stock trucks had recently loaded up with cattle – there were numerous very large (and very fresh!) cow-pats all over the grass, and as I leapt out to help guide Charlie backwards I had to be VERY careful where I trod!
    But we managed to turn around, and then we were able to get back out to the intersection at the start of the inlet. We again turned right, and carried on round hoping to get to a point where we could see between the heads and out to the open sea, but there were too many spurs of land in between for this to happen. After another 9 or 10 km of bone-rattling (and having met half a dozen speeding drivers heading towards us in clouds of dust) we decided we’d had enough! We got as far as the Wairoa River, then turned around and headed back. All up, about 35km of shingle road, and the motorhome is looking VERY tired and dusty.
    On the way back to our POP at Pakawau, we poked our noses into a beach track just up the road, from where we were JUST able to make out the sand dunes of Farewell Spit arcing away out into the ocean. That’s tomorrow’s adventure!    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie

    Paua Patties in Pakawau

    November 8, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    This morning we reluctantly left our favourite POP (with a promise to return) and headed on toward the end of the road. We stopped at Milnthorpe Park on the edge of the Parapara Inlet, where a large tract of land has been revegetated with native forest. Mandy was driving today, and as we headed into the Park (down a narrow unsealed road) we rounded a bend to find a huge rubbish truck hurtling towards us in a cloud of dust. We managed to tiptoe past it with our mirrors intact, but had to breathe in!
    Within the Park, several kilometres of tracks wind their way through the bush past a variety of interesting sculptures and out to various beaches and viewing points around the inlet. After a couple of hours (and another promise to return – Charlie is very keen to try fishing there) we pushed on through Collingwood to tonight’s stop at Pakawau.
    This POP is now a café, but used to be a small school, and we are parked on a large flat grassy area that would once have been the playing field.
    One of the Betneys’ neighbours is Syd Eru, an ex-NZ rugby league player. Simon had taken a load of firewood over to him yesterday, and this morning his partner turned up with a tray of snapper fillets and three large paua. Charlie and I have just had paua patties for dinner and they were delicious.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie

    Day 2 at the Betneys' POP

    November 7, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    The Betneys’ park over property is the best one we’ve stayed at yet! None of the others came with catering, and an outdoor shower in a tropical garden was a real highlight! It has been lovely spending time with Joanne and Simon and their two dogs, Magnus (who we’ve met before) and Bryn, an ex-racing greyhound with the loveliest gentle nature. She followed Charlie and I around like a shadow, and sat outside the door of the motorhome in the mornings waiting for us to get up. We took the dogs out onto the beach for a run in the afternoon and it was amazing to see Bryn running at full pace.Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie

    Takaka and the Dancing Sands

    November 6, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    After a major stock-up at the supermarket in Takaka, we took a wander along the main street and around the stalls at the weekly market there. It’s an interesting part of the country, which appears to attract a lot of people with what you might call ‘alternative’ lifestyles. A great place for people-watching!
    We pulled into a picnic area next to the Takaka River and took our lunch down to the water’s edge to sit under a tree, as the weather today was sunny and hot. We had only been sitting there for a minute or two when we spied a seal cavorting in the river only a few metres away. Suddenly it sped up and dived… and came up with a trout wriggling in its mouth! Great entertainment.
    Our walk today was at Te Waikoropūpū Springs, which translates as ‘bubbling waters from the throat of the spring’. As its name suggests, the water bubbles out of a series of springs at the bottom of deep pools of the clearest water, before rippling away downstream. You can see the sand moving as it is disturbed by the emerging water – one of the pools is called ‘dancing sands’. The walkway winds through native bush, past and over several spring-fed creeks of rushing water, and there are boardwalks and viewing platforms from where you can gaze into the pools and try to estimate their depth. The area is sacred to the local iwi, and you can see why – it is a very special place.
    This weekend we are staying with some ex-neighbours of ours from Queensberry. Joanne and Simon moved up to Golden Bay a couple of years ago and have a beautiful home set in several acres of park-like grounds at Paton’s Rock, which is right on the coast. It has been really lovely catching up with them. Charlie has lent a hand both days, splitting wood for their winter store.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Sadly leaving the avenue of 170-year -old plane trees, TotaranuiCheers from Pohara!

    A walk to Wainui Falls

    November 5, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Today we left Totaranui and stopped on the way out for a walk up to the Wainui Falls. This is a very scenic 40 minute climb up to a thundering 20m high waterfall. The boulder-strewn stream has huge water-hewn rocks the size of small trucks littering its length. The water is so clear that it is impossible to determine how deep some of the pools are. Bet it’s a fabulous place to cool off on a hot summer day.
    Every time we’ve been on a walk, we’ve slotted our water bottle into the sleeve on the outside of Charlie’s backpack, and every time he’s taken his backpack off the water bottle has fallen out and gone splat on the ground. Well today we were half-way up the climb and he decided to take his backpack off to remove his jacket. Once again – as was to be expected – the water bottle fell out, only this time it rolled down the hill and disappeared over the edge of the cliff face, never to be seen again!
    Tonight we are back at Pohara, ready to start the ‘final ascent’ on our last leg up to the very top of the South Island.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Anapai Bay
    Anapai BayA grove of Nikau palmsView from the track to Totaranui beach

    A walk to Anapai Bay

    November 4, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Today we packed our lunch and a coffee and took the track north to Anapai Bay, another beautiful walk through the native bush. Our ‘Short Walks’ book listed this at 1 hour 40 return, but we did it in an hour and a half… each way!
    The lushness of the forest, and the enormous number of varieties of green, are quite remarkable. We passed huge stands of manuka trees, some of which looked to be hundred of years old, and there are pungas (tree ferns) everywhere thrusting their new shoots (the curling korus) high into the air. There are groves of nikau palms too, which is an indication of the near-tropical micro-climate that must exist in some parts of the park.
    Initially it was quite overcast, so we didn’t see the stunning colours of our walk on Tuesday, but the sun did come out on our return to brighten things up. Sadly the sea is very discoloured after all the turbulence yesterday, so Charlie is unlikely to try fishing again and we will move on tomorrow.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Before...
    ...and After!

    A rest day at Totaranui

    November 3, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Today was a ‘rest’ day, so nothing much to report other than Charlie went above and beyond the call of duty fighting the elements to secure another huge haul of oysters off the rocks for dinner.
    A strong south-easterly wind overnight and all day today has whipped up huge waves, transforming the previously tranquil beach into a surfie’s paradise! We were amazed to see the damage it had done to the beach: there had been a gentle slope of sand down to the water when we arrived, but overnight a wall almost 2 metres high had been gouged into the beach!    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Totaranui Beach
    The beach at Goat BaySome of our rock-hopping terrainStill rock-hopping back to Totaranui Beach. Check out the oysters on the rocks!

    A big walk to Goat Bay

    November 2, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    I was just opening up my laptop to start penning today’s update when the laptop skidded across the table and knocked a whole glass of dark red wine over – it splashed all over both the seat AND back of one of our couches!! Twenty minutes of frantic swabbing and scrubbing later, we are hoping that we have done enough to mitigate a permanent stain. Bugger!
    Charlie was up at sparrow-fart this morning to try his luck fishing the incoming tide and - YESSSS!!! At last, his first gurnard. Two lovely fillets.
    Totaranui is one of the DOC campgrounds on the Abel Tasman Coastal Walk. Today was another gorgeous warm sunny day and we decided to head out on another section of the track to the next bay along, Goat Bay, which according to the sign was 2km away. Unfortunately we didn’t realise that the track, which usually follows the coastline not far above the beach, was washed out recently by floods. It took us an hour to get there and only the first 10 minutes were flattish. The NEW track now zig-zags up a VERY steep hill and down the other side even MORE steeply! I was certainly not looking forward to the return journey!
    But the beauty of Goat Bay was well worth the effort. It simply took our breath away. We were the only people on the beach, and we found a shady rock to sit on and drank in the views (and a cup of coffee) before walking the length of the beach and back. When we arrived on the beach, Charlie realised that the rocks at the northern end were those he had been fishing off (and gathering oysters on) yesterday, so we debated the pros and cons of rock-hopping across and around them to get back, rather than traversing that dreaded hill again. We decided to give it a go, and I crossed my fingers hoping that my knee would last the distance.
    Well it did, and although it still took us an hour to get back to the Totaranui beach it was great fun! It gave us a completely different perspective on the beach and we spent quite some time peering into rock pools and marveling at the clarity of the water. We also noted where the next lot of oysters are for when the hunter-gatherer goes back with his toolkit!
    Another evening feeling pleasantly tired and sun-kissed after our day’s exertions.    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Wainui Inlet
    Leaving PoharaAnother narrow, winding road - into TotaranuiOur camp at Totaranui1A perfect Rock Oyster1Oyster fritters and a glass of bubbles - pure decadence!

    We reach Totaranui

    November 1, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    What a beautiful morning! We set off from Pohara and wound our way round the coast past the stunning Ligar, Tata and Wainui Bays (the other end of the Abel Tasman Coastal Walk) until the tar seal runs out. Around 12km of narrow, winding, unsealed road later we arrived at Totaranui – another hidden gem we had only heard about but never visited until now. I’ll leave it to the photos we will post over the next few days to describe this place.
    We had a walk along the beach and back, then sat out under a shady tree for an hour or so while Charlie put his fishing gear together (not a sandfly in sight, Karen!) Being low tide, he decided to go off to explore the rocks at the Southern end of the beach, and came back with a bucket full of rock oysters! On Rick’s advice we had brought a chisel and a small hammer with us, and had bought a shucking knife while we were in Christchurch hoping for just this eventuality, so now was the time to try it out. We took a while to get the hang of it, and minced quite a few oysters in the process, but finally got enough for half a dozen patties – and ate a few of the big ones ‘au naturel’… absolutely delicious!
    Then it was book time (for Mandy) and fishing time (for Charlie). Just bait stealers again sadly: apparently the tide was not yet high enough, and he needed to go back out again after we’d enjoyed our oysters with a bottle of Hunters Miru Miru (bubbly) for dinner!    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    From Takaka Hill looking back to Tasman Bay
    From Takaka Hill looking ahead to Golden BayPohara MarinaPohara BeachPohara Cliffs

    Over the Takaka Hill

    October 31, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Apologies for the delay in transmission over the last few days. We have spent a magical 4 days at Totaranui, where there is not enough signal to be able to get onto the internet.
    Here’s what we’ve been up to while we've been away!

    Actually I didn’t sleep very well… I guess being a weekend, the locals were keen to party and there was a thumping bass playing for a couple of hours after we retired for the night. Added to that, three cars turned up in the evening and decided that right next door to us would be a good place to pitch their tents. Which wouldn’t have been so bad, except that two of the three were packed up and gone before 7am the next morning, and each had developed at least 25 doors (all of which had to be slammed shut) before they were ready to depart!
    Today we took on the massive Takaka Hill – nearly 800m to the summit and the climb seemed to go on and on. We made it to the township of Takaka where we did a big supermarket shop as we’re intending to spend quite a few days at Totaranui. We carried on round the coast to Pohara, where we overnighted at the NZMCA site near the marina. It was blowing a gale (these pictures were taken the next morning). Charlie spent quite some time talking to a chap in the bus next to us who gave him some tips about where to fish and what has worked for him… he’s looking forward to trying it out!    Read more

  • Amanda CarnieThe North of the South 2021Amanda Carnie
    Porter's Beach
    Porter's BeachHigh above Coquille BayCoquille BayThe Beach at Coquille BayThe Intrepid Fisherman

    Abel Tasman Coastal Track

    October 30, 2021 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    What an amazing day! We decided a cooked breakfast would set us up for the day so it wasn’t the earliest of starts, but we set off from camp with our walking poles swinging. Slathered with sunblock and insect repellent (we are still expecting to hit swarms of sandflies – though we haven’t yet!) we hit the start of the track around 10.30. The weather had finally come right – it was cloudless, sunny and very warm, and the resulting contrasting colours of the sea, sky, beach and bush were a joy to behold.
    The track initially crosses a very large estuary (the tide was out) with multiple boardwalks raised above the swampy bits, before heading into the bush and winding along the coast. There was quite a bit of up and down, but every corner seemed to be another ‘oh wow’ moment.
    Charlie was keen to try some fishing, so as well as his rod, he was carrying quite a bit of fishing gear in his pack along with our lunch! He had been sold some newfangled synthetic soft-bait that look like little crayfish or prawns when dangling off a hook, with lots of little arms and legs, and was interested to try them out. He had heard that Tinline Bay was a possible spot, but the tide there was still too far out when we got there, so we carried on. We got to where the track to Coquille Bay headed down the hillside to a beautiful little beach, but it looked a bit steep and treacherous (especially for someone with a dicky knee) so we carried on for another 15-20 minutes hoping to find an alternative route down. There wasn’t one, so we backtracked and decided to give it a go, slowly and very carefully!
    What a magic spot. There was only one other couple on the beach when we got there, and we took up a position by the rocks at the far end of the beach and spent a lovely 1.5 hours there. Sadly, apart from one small bait stealer, he didn’t land any fish. But the new soft-bait seemed to be a hit with these tiddlers – they nibbled all the little arms and legs off, so all that was left were the little chubby bodies!
    Our walk home was a bit quicker as we didn’t loiter at all the lookout points, but it was a fairly solid hour and a half’s walk. We reckon we did close to 8km today, and some of it was pretty rugged, so needless to say we were pretty hot and tired by the time we got back to camp. I know I’m going to sleep well tonight!    Read more

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