Water Issues and Journals - July 31st

We spent the morning out at Waihora (Lake Ellesmere), New Zealand's fifth largest lake, learning about water issues and the Maori.  Very timely as water rights and the question of "does someone own the water" is very much in the news here right now.  During our morning tea break, we worked on our journals.  Another rainy afternoon was set aside as free time for working on journals. Cheers, Mark

Free Day - July 30th

Today was a free day spent catching up on sleep, laundry, journals, etc.  Good day for the sleep part - lots of rain.  The big news of the day was the Christchurch Blueprint for how the Christchurch City Council is proposing to rebuild Christchurch was unveiled.  - Meryl

From cheeky Kea to a castle on a hill and the Simpsons? - July 29th

Kea on the Gatorwaka's rearview mirror, Arthur's Pass

Devil's Punchbowl Falls, Arthur's Pass

After becoming regulars at Maggies in Greymouth, we headed back toward Lincoln across Arthur’s Pass.  We stopped in Arthur’s Pass proper and enjoyed up close and personal time with the Kea, alpine parrots, before taking in a hike to Devil’s Punchbowl Falls.  

Castle Hill, Arthur's Pass

After we had lunch and drove on to Castle Hill, a spot popular with rock climbers  for its beautiful limestone formations.  The pass was clear and only the peaks of the mountains had snow. While we are not complaining about the warmer winter, we are sure the skiiers are not thinking this, but we were happy for yet another spectacular day! 

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

Doh!  We pass through a town called Springfield on the
way back to Lincoln.  Home of the Simpsons?

A leisurely day sightseeing - July 28th

Pororari  River, Punakaiki

We enjoyed breakfast at Maggies in Greymouth and looked around a bit before getting in the road and heading north along the West Coast up to Punakaiki where Paparoa Nathional Park and the Pancake Rocks lie.  Along the way we stopped to search for Pounamu (jade) at Barrytown beach, and took in a hike along the seemingly prehistoric Pororari River.

At the Pancake Rocks

Weaving flax

Then we got to see the Pancake Rocks at sunset and high tide.  We ate dinner in Punakaiki and Meryl and Jámm taght us how to weave some of the Maori flax figures.  On our way back to Greyouth, we stopped to explore a glow worm cave and listen for Morepork. 

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

Morning above the clouds - July 27th

Sunrise above the clouds

Breaky at Ces Clark Hut

Group shot at hut before heading out

We woke up to a beautiful sunrise above clouds that filled the valley below us and poured over some of the adjacent mountains. We eased into the morning and set off again for our trip down. A group of us headed back down the way we came, and another headed on toward Barrytown, a slightly longer and more difficult 9.15 mile hike  across the mountain top and then down to the Tasman Sea. Along the longer hike, we saw spectacular views to the Tasman Sea, views of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman, weta, weka, wild goats, and we came within 50 feet of a calling kiwi!

We were all excited to check into a comfortable hotel that night and enjoy a good meal out.  

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

Uphill, both ways, 5.5 hours - July 26th

Views to the south and north of the Tasman Sea

Chasing the good weather to the West Coast paid off.  We had to stage a car at the end of the Croesus Track in Barrytown on the coast and then travel all together around to the other side of the mountain in Blackball to start our overnight journey.  Along the way to Barrytown we enjoyed a brilliant morning with the sun glistining off the Tasman Sea and spectacular views of the coastline.

Swing Bridge

Ces Clark Hut just within reach

Our 8.3 mile hike up to the Cess Clark Hut took us across three swing bridges, along a beautiful clear river and eventually, at the top, out of the dense rainforest to tussock and spectacular views of the valley and south toward the Southern Alps.  Along the way we saw the New Zealand Robin, heard a Tui, and as the day wore on we heard what we were after - a Kiwi!

We got settled in at the hut, saw a Weka, and enjoyed our freeze dried dinners.  Some of us ventured out for an evening hike to hear more Kiwi. 

Cheers, Mark and Meryl

This is for the birds - July 25th

Hiking up the Kaikoura Peninsula to the Hutton's Shearwater Project area

In order to chase good weather for our big hike on the West Coast, we shortened our stay in Kaikoura, but not before taking in the views from the Kaikoura Peninsula and learning about the Hutton’s Shearwater conservation project. The only place in the world the Hutton’s Shearwater breeds is in the mountains above Kaikoura.  This one remaining colony is threatened by the presence of rats.  The Department of Conservation along with other researchers and the community decided to translocate some of the Huttons Sheerwater into a predator-proof fenced area on the peninsula.  They removed chicks from the mountain colony and raised them within the predator proof fence with the hopes that those raised in this new safe location will return as adults to the predator proof area to raise their own chicks.  The translocation has been a success as three years out several adults have returned and they hope in the very near future chicks will be raised there.

Checking out the "Elfin Forest" on the St. James Walkway in Lewis Pass

We then made our way down and across Lewis Pass toward Greymouth on the West Coast.  Along the way we walked a short hike on the St. James Walkway through an “elfin forest” and stopped in Reefton, first city in  New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere with electricity, for our afternoon tea time.  

Making lunch and gathering breaky supplies for the Croesus Track hike

After dinner in Greymouth, we readied all our supplies for our big hike on the Croesus Track.  

Cheers, Mark and Meryl