Tag: Marlborough Sounds

Heading for the West Coast

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn South Island, West Coast Region, West Coast Region1 Comment

It’s adventure time.

I love adventure time, especially when it’s on 2 wheels.

I find travelling by motorbike so easy and freeing. I love the simplicity of having limited luggage space.

Our bike is packed. We are ready to go. For the next week, it will just be us and our 2 wheels as we explore the West Coast of the South Island.

The Plus lounge on the Interislander Ferry is a great way to start our trip. It is comfortable, quiet and fully catered. This is excellent as we are on an early crossing and have not yet had breakfast. The Plus Lounge makes it easy to sit back, relax and watch the world go by.

As we start to slip into holiday mode, I realise just how tired we both are. Daniel has been really busy doing long hours at work and I have spent a lot of time painting the exterior of our house. I think it’s fair to say, we are both in need of some down time. I have activities planned for this trip, but have been much more controlled. Normally I plan action packed days, trying to squeeze in as much as I can, but I have toned it right back this time. Hopefully it will be the right balance of fun and rest.

The Marlborough Sounds are looking stunning today, as usual. The water is always so calm and peaceful, the landscape pure and untouched. I am privileged to have done this journey a few times in the last year, so instead of battling the wind outside, I enjoy the views from the comfort of my armchair in the Plus Lounge with my cup of tea and scones.

We disembark in Picton and I am surprised at how hot it is. Even on nice days I usually layer up under my motorbike jacket – when you are moving it can get quite cool, but today, a t-shirt is all that is needed.

We are heading towards Punakaiki (also known as Pancake Rocks) The most direct route would be to head towards Blenheim , but the journey is all part of the adventure. We prefer to get off main roads, so instead choose to take Queen Charlotte Drive and head towards Nelson which offers some beautiful views. We stop at a look out and enjoy the sight of Picton, soaking in the sun. The cicadas are chirping and little boats bob up and down in sage coloured water.

Magical.

We carry on, passing a gorgeous little campsite. It looks simple and very relaxed, the quintessential kiwi summer holiday.

By the time we make it to Nelson, we are definitely ready for a late lunch and find ourselves sitting down at Burger Culture. It’s a funky place and lots of people are outside enjoying their food. Daniel gets a burger but I am so intrigued by the sweetcorn ribs that I have to give them ago. As it sounds, they were rib’s made from corn on the cob, smothered in sauce.

Wow! These were sensational and I enjoyed how messy they were to eat. Such a cool concept. Some people are so creative!

With our bellies full, we carry on, we have one of our longest riding days today and I am keen to arrive late afternoon so we have some time to explore. Our journey takes us through The Buller Gorge.

Oh my. It is stunning.

It is so lush and green and I can smell the forest. The road is windy, following the river – great fun on 2 wheels! Unfortunately I don’t have any photos as we didn’t make any stops.

We carry on riding. It’s near late afternoon and I am thinking we should be nearly there. I pull out my phone to check directions and realise that we have taken a wrong turn.We should have headed towards Westport and then down the coast, but instead we are still travelling inland, on our way to Greymouth! We have traveled in the wrong direction for so long that it’s quicker to carry on and head up the coast, than turn around and backtrack! Apparently I was on navigating (No idea why – Daniel knows I have a terrible sense of direction!)

The route we took

We finally make it to our destination, 13 hours after leaving Wellington! It has been a really long day and I am ready for a sleep! We are staying at Te Nikau Retreat. What a sanctuary to relax in. Set among tall nikau palms, our lodge is nestled into the trees and looks out along the canopy line. I feel like I am in a tree house.

We have arrived just in time to watch the sunset so we shoot down to the beach. Conveniently there is a path from our accommodation that takes us right down to a viewing platform. I can hear the powerful roar of the ocean well before we even get there. I have heard the West Coast gets some pretty spectacular sunsets and tonight it doesn’t disappoint. There are unusual rock formations dotted about in the ocean and a warm golden glow from the setting sun. It is so stunning, I forget all about our long travel day.

Walking Queen Charlotte Track

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New Zealand has many amazing walks all across the country. There is even one called Te Araroa that goes from Cape Reinga at the very top of the North Island where the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea collide, all the way down to Bluff at the very bottom of the South Island. Queen Charlotte Track is a multi day walk that can be accessed from Lochmara lodge, so today I go on a walking adventure.

But before my walking adventure begins, the day starts with some kayaking. Another early start, but I like it that way. The water is so still first thing in the morning and I have the inlet to myself. I don’t see any seals or dolphins but there is other marine life to spot. The Marlborough Sounds are rich in wildlife. I spot a nesting seagull perched in the rocks. She keeps a beady eye on me. The water is incredibly clear, there are lots of shell fish including the biggest mussels I have ever seen. Some of them are the size of my forearm! I also spot some moon jellyfish. I find jellyfish mesmerising, they way they dance through the water, my eyes are fixed on them. I follow the coastline back and get to hear all the birds singing away.

Back on land I have a quick breakfast, pack my bag, lather on the sunscreen and by 8:45am I am on the track. From the lodge, it’s about an hour’s walk to get to Queen Charlotte Track. I am heading to Onehau Lookout. A couple of sections of the track are quite steep, but for the most part it is reasonably flat and easy walking. I make it to the lookout, 360 degree views of gorgeous turquoise water, golden sandy bays and forest. I didn’t realise just how much coastline there is in The Marlborough Sounds. So many little coves, bays and inlets to be explored.

It’s only 10:30am, I am not ready to head back so I decide to walk on further to Mistletoe Bay. The tracks leads me down, then further down and down some more. It makes sense, I was at the top of a lookout and now I am heading to a bay, so I need to go down, but all I can think about is how I am going to have to come back up!

The track opens up and I am wowed with a beautiful outlook over the sounds. I think this view is even more striking than from the lookout. I get out my phone to take some photos and notice that I have wifi reception. For some reason, the network connection with my provider is almost non existent at the lodge, but from here, in the middle of nowhere, I have great reception. So I video call my parents, my husband and grandmother from Queen Charlotte track and show them all the views.

I keep making my way down and after what feels like a really long time I make it to Mistletoe bay. I find a nice grassy area to eat my picnic lunch which I had prepared for me at Lochmara. I take my time to enjoy the view, refuel and take some pictures of a duck.

As I make my way back, I find the uphill isn’t as bad as I was expecting. I manage it fairly well. Sometimes the down hill is actually harder. I start looking for reference points that I recognize, places that I remember, to try and gauge how much further I have to go. I’ll confess, the last hour I was definitely feeling it in my hips and legs and all I can say is that I hobbled back to my room, very much aware of the blisters that had formed on my feet. I was out for 6 hours. I am pretty pleased with how far I managed to walk. I am also feeling rather pleased with myself for thinking to pre-book a massage for this evening.

If you are needing time away, time to escape and relax, come to Lochmara. Get lost, and there, amongst the bird calls, the stillness and the peace, you will find yourself.

Make time to take time

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Its a beautiful sunny day as I make my way to the ferry terminal. For the next 3 nights, I will be spending my time at Lochmara, a resort in The Marlborough Sounds. I am looking forward to a few days of sun, fresh air, the outdoors and no real agenda.

On board the ferry, I settle into my seat by the window and spend the next couple of hours reading and listening to podcasts. I also do a bit of people watching. I have no where else I need to be, nothing else I need to be doing. Life these days is often just so busy that I don’t have time to just sit, watch and take in my surroundings. It’s a nice change.

The sailing is very calm and smooth which I am relieved about. I am pretty good with motion but the Cook Straight can get pretty wild. I have been on one of those sailings before and not something I wish to repeat! Its a very pretty trip, there is really only a small section where you are not surrounded by land. We pass mountains dusted with a little bit of snow before entering The Sounds. Then I instantly feel like I am on holiday. The ocean turns a turquoise blue, seagulls sail alongside the boat. Schools of fish disrupt the ocean surface and little pockets of golden sandy bays peep out below the trees. I don’t know why, but the colours just seem more vibrant here.

Then things start to get stressful. My ferry was significantly delayed so I re-booked my connecting water taxi for 3.15pm. The ferry was meant to get in at 2pm but we left a little late. I was told we would arrive around 2:30pm and that I would have plenty of time to get to my water taxi. At 2:30pm we were still making our way through The Sounds and I start to get stressed. The 3:15 water taxi is the last one for the day so I don’t want to miss it. We dock at 3pm, I then have to get on a bus to take us to the terminal where I collect my bag. I have a minute so I give the water taxi a call. They say they will try to hold it for me and that I need to run. So that’s what I do. With my tramping pack on I start running (as best as a non runner can, while wearing tramping pack) through the streets of Picton to the jetties. I arrive at 3:20pm where I am welcomed aboard and told to sit back and relax. No one minds that I am late and that they had to wait. Everyone is in holiday mode.

With music playing, sun shining and the fresh sea breeze whipping through my hair, it doesn’t take me long to slip back into a state of relaxation.

I am staying at Lochmara, a beautiful lodge nestled amongst trees in a quiet bay. I first heard of this place earlier in the year when Daniel and I made a trip down to Alexandra on the motorbike. I saw a couple of billboards for the place and thought it looked nice. I looked it up and the place went straight onto my bucket list.

When the water taxi arrives at the jetty, the staff are waiting to welcome us, collect our bags and show us around. Bean bags, hammocks, sunshine, a sheltered sandy bay. Yes, I think I will be quite happy here.

I have booked their budget room. Its quite basic and has no sea views, but I am not here to sit in my room! Even in their budget room, I still get full access to all their facilities and activities so its a great option for me.

It doesn’t take me long to ditch my shoes and wander bare foot (no shoes are needed here) to the bar, where I grab a cider to enjoy in the sun. I have done very little today, but it’s been a long day. I am ready to sit back, relax and leave city life behind me for a few days.

When night falls, I grab my camera and head to the ‘Glowworm Dell’. I arrive, turn off my torch and am dazzled by an array of tiny lights. It’s as if someone has picked up the heavens and pulled them right down to earth.

Magical.

I’m enjoying experimenting with night photos. I am very much a novice but it hasn’t stopped me from giving it a go. This is not quite the effect I was going for but an interesting shot none the less.

I head back to my room but decide to take a detour down to the bay. As my eyes adjust, more and more stars become visible in the night sky. It is beautiful. So of course I set up my camera and have a go at a few more photos. Slightly better results than my last attempts.

I find stars very mesmerising , they draw me in and it gets me thinking about what life would have been like many years ago. Today, everything is available at our fingertips, fast and convenient has become our way of life. But we have traded the starry nights for the city lights, our forests for parking lots and malls, nature’s chorus is replaced by podcasts and city noise, stillness has been replaced by schedules. In our journey of progress, technology and invention, we have lost touch with Mother Nature. It may not be for everyone, but I recharge my batteries by ditching the schedule and surrounding myself in nature. That is why trips like this are so important for me. Creating space to sit, watch and listen, that is when I feel most alive.

Make time to take time.

E-Ko Tours, part 1

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Today is bucket list day.

My husband and I spent many years trying to start a family. There was a 2 year period where my life felt like it was just a series of blood tests, pills, injections and procedures.

Life was unintentionally put on hold.

I longed for the day I could make plans more than a couple of weeks ahead.

That activity that I dreamed about doing – swimming with dolphins.

This morning we are joining E-ko Tours in the hope of making that bucket list item a reality.

It’s a beautiful, still sunny day, perfect for dolphin spotting and swimming. We check in at E-Ko tours and change into the wetsuit, mask and snorkels we are provided with. Then we have a short introduction video about what to expect on the trip and some key do’s and don’ts.

The group gets asked if everyone has swum in the open ocean before. I forget sometimes how lucky we are in New Zealand. No one lives more than a 2-3 hour drive from the ocean. Beach holidays are a quintessential part of being a kiwi. The fact that some people live hours away from the ocean, with some never even seeing it, is such a foreign thought.

There are 5 different species of dolphin we might see on this trip; the common dolphin, dusky dolphin, bottle nose dolphin, hectors dolphin and orca. We are told that we are only allow to swim with the first 3 types of dolphins as hector’s dolphins are rare and endangered and in New Zealand Orca are not classified as a dolphin so we can’t swim with them either.

We board the boat and are handed binoculars and species cards. We are the last to board, but get the best seats – right up the front, behind the captain. We seem to have the only opening window – the rest of the boat is enclosed so it means I am not taking pictures through the glass.

Marlborough Sounds is beautiful, lush and green with really still water. We see seals basking on the rocks and also one just chilling out in the ocean, quite content with it’s bit of kelp seaweed.

New Zealand Fur Seal chilling with it’s kelp
Catching some rays while having a snooze

There is lots of bird life and we also spot a pair of little blue penguins swimming. They were so cute and I loved the fun fact that little blue penguins mate for life.

After an hour or so, we have our first dolphin sighting. Little black ‘micky mouse ear’ fins popping out of the water. Hector’s dolphins have a very distinctive, small, black rounded dorsal fin. We stop the boat and spend quite some time bobbing up and down in the water watching these beautiful, curious and playful creatures from the boat. They are the world’s smallest dolphins with adults measuring 1.2 – 1.4 meters. We are told that there are about 40 that live in the Sounds. It’s quite an experience to watch them. They come quite close to the boat, and we all watch, waiting for those flashes of silver to appear as they come up to the surface.

It was such a special encounter.

To be continued..

Cruising on the Interislander

On By exploringthelongwhitecloudIn Uncategorized3 Comments

In February, my husband and I packed up the motorbike and headed out a road trip adventure around the South Island. I have been really looking forward to writing about this, but at the same time, putting it off a bit because I just don’t know where to start. It was such an epic trip, in such a beautiful part of the country; I want to make sure I do it justice!

Our trip began on the eve of Waitangi day, we were on a 5pm sailing and at 1pm, I still hadn’t packed. Packing for a motorbike trip can be quite quick, you don’t have a lot of luggage space so there isn’t actually that much to pack. On the other hand, it can be quite a challenge deciding what is really essential and deserves a space in the small side pannier.

Between us we have 1 set of panniers, a small backpack and a tank pack. Somehow, I managed to fit all of this:

Into this:

Packing completed. Time to head to the ferry.

While waiting to board, we got chatting to another motorcyclist. One of the things I love about travelling on a motorbike is that you are instantly in a club. When out on the road, other riders will give you a nod or a wave, and when you’re parked up, they will just start chatting to you, sharing stories of the adventures they have had on their bike.

Wellington had put on some nice weather for us, thankfully. I don’t really have an issue with motion sickness, but the cook straight can get pretty rough. I have been on one of those rough sailings and I don’t wish to do it again!

The ferry ride is around 3.5 hours, about an hour of which is through the picturesque Marlborough sounds. We had a pretty smooth sailing, apart from a rough 30 minute patch after we left the shelter of Wellington harbour.  It was a full sailing and the motorbikers were last to board, so all the inside seats and the outside seats at the front were taken by the time we got on board. We ended up in the only available seats we could find, which happened to be outside in the smokers area, but also in the centre of the boat. Now here is a tip from my mum to you – ‘Stay in the centre of the boat, it’s more stable there’. Yes the boat was rocking and we watched the horizon going up and down, but neither of us had any sea sickness. When I went inside to get some food, I passed a lot of very ill looking passengers. Excellent advice mum!

It’s near impossible to get a photo of Daniel smiling. He pulls a face every time the camera comes out (unless he is standing next to a Super Car, then he will smile!)

We then entered the calm waters of the Marlborough sounds. It is so picturesque and beautiful. A flock of birds effortlessly glide through the air, following alongside the boat. The water is so still and the setting sun casts a golden glow across the hills. I watch as birds feed on schools of fish that have risen to the surface.

What a way to start our holiday.

We arrived in Picton, a quiet, peaceful town and drove a couple of minutes down the road to our accommodation. Tonight we are staying at Sequoia Lodge Backpackers,  a pretty place, with tropical looking plants, a spa pool and giant chess set. The rooms were simple but clean. All we needed.

We then decided to head across the road to a local pub, Crow Tavern, to grab some dinner and a wine. The pub has a bit of a kitch, kiwiana feel to it, the staff are friendly and there is a really chilled out atmosphere.  This  place feels  like it is a bit of a community hub, reading the notices on the board I learn that Kerri-oke is cancelled this Saturday as Kerri is away.  

That made me smile. 

But now it’s time to get some rest. We have a decent ride a head of us tomorrow we want to be feeling fresh for the next leg of the journey.

The Details

There are 2 ferry companies that operate between Wellington and Picton, The Interislander (which we traveled on) and Blue Bridge. Both companies have multiple sailing times during the day.

Our return trip for 2 adults and a motorbike cost us $336. (You need to take your own tie downs for the motorbike)

Sequoia Lodge Backpackers is in a convenient location and only a couple of minutes drive from the ferry terminal. Linen, towels and breakfast is included in the price. There are a variety of room types to suit all budgets. We stayed in a double room with shared bathroom for $76.