Two At Sea

March 30, 2016

What a pleasure to wake up, look outside and see this beautiful bay. We almost missed this, and now we’d count it as one of our favorite spots. We were heading on this afternoon but planned to take a walk ashore before we left.

When we landed the dinghy, the brown stone beach, blue-green water and thick vegetation reminded us a lot of America’s Pacific Northwest. We found a trail and followed it through the lush forest, much too lush to get the hoped-for photo of Legacy from the headland. (As problems go, that’s one I don’t mind having.) As we headed back to down towards the beach, we could hear birds all around us. New Zealand works hard to rid their nature reserves of introduced predators, and it really makes a difference in the level of birdsong.

Below, a gallery of photos from our walk. Click to enlarge and scroll.

We were sad to leave this place, but it was time to move on. It was when we were headed out of Double Bay that we came across the Hector’s dolphins (see Rich’s post below). There’s a lot of wildlife in the water here: different species of dolphin, fur seals, blue penguins, stingrays, gannets, gulls, and cormorants (aka shags) everywhere. Later in the season, there’ll be orcas and, rarely, some large whales, but we should be gone by then. For now, we’ve started a wildlife theme of the day featuring whatever stood out the most, and today’s theme was Hector’s dolphins. –Cyndi

March 29, 2016

As Legacy’s itinerary planner, I now had some decisions to make. The mail boat cruise had given us plenty of information, but it also brought an unexpected complication. By now, fall had arrived in New Zealand, the clock had started to tick as we’re approaching the end of our time here, and there’s still lots more to see before we get to Nelson.

With a period of warm, settled weather arriving, the sensible thing to do would be this: appreciate the tour we had of Queen Charlotte Sound and use this weather window to make the passage to neighboring Pelorus Sound (which involves going back out in the open ocean for a few hours). But that didn’t feel right to me; the mail cruise was meant to help us decide where to cruise, not to take the place of it. After wrestling with the decision, I went back to the guide book and read again a remark the author made, that many consider Queen Charlotte Sound to be the most beautiful. I realized it would be a shame to rush through this area if it might be our favorite.

With that, I decided we should cruise a few of these big bays and wait for a later weather window to move on. I made a plan, Rich plotted the first course, and we were set. Except I still wrestled with the decision, worried whether we were doing the right thing. One other thing bothered me: between our Grove Arm cruise and the mail run, there were two bays we hadn’t seen. One I hoped to hike to from the Pelorus side, but the other would be a miss.

I consulted our cruising guide again (New Zealand Cruising Guide Central Area by Keith W J Murray). With any given guide book, you have to learn the author’s style and do some reading between the lines. In Keith Murray’s case, he’s really thorough about wind directions and anchoring techniques, but he’s not into detailed descriptions about the look of a place. The highest compliment he gives, only occasionally, is to call a bay “attractive,” or very rarely, when it’s really special, “very attractive.” I think he’s used the term “extremely attractive” twice in the entire book. I’ve also learned that “popular” generally means it’s “attractive.”

In this case I was reading about the bay we’d miss: Double Bay, and specifically the east bay within it called Kumutoto. The author used the words, “very attractive,” “popular,” and, “most excellent anchorage.” Wow, he must have darn near peed his pants when he saw this place! Thus, I suggested to Rich that we out to add it into our plan. And so the route was redone as we prepared to leave, but I still kept second guessing myself.

Our new friend, Hsuan, came by to visit us and brought us a special surprise gift of lobster from Julian’s freezer. We visited awhile, then the lure of one final garlic prawn pizza called to us, and we all decided to go out to lunch. By the time we finished, an afternoon wind had come up. With yet another round of indecision about whether to stick with our plan to leave today or wait until tomorrow. We decided to leave today. Kumutoto wasn’t very far away; so we didn’t need to be out in the wind very long.

And so we motored out of Picton, into the afternoon wind, across Queen Charlotte Sound, and over to Double Bay. As we entered this protected area, the wind dropped. We still had a over a mile to go, but already all my doubts and second guessing were falling away. Double Bay was absolutely beautiful. As we motored further in past the west bay (Kaipakirikiri Bay), we were amazed at the sight of a little boat anchored at the foot of a huge mountain. We were tempted to head over there, but kept with our plan.

When we entered Kumutoto, we’d found a remarkably beautiful spot surrounded by steep mountains and lush native forest. Because it’s a nature reserve, there are no homes here. When we were settled, we sat out to admire our surroundings. The feeling here is one of being surrounded by towering mountains, one of which slopes down into foothills at its base to create this bay within bigger bay. There was no doubt now we’d made the right decision about staying in Queen Charlotte Sound awhile longer.

Our best moment was sitting outside after dark. There was a light cloud layer which covered most of the stars but gave the scene a certain warmth. We couldn’t see details, but we could see the silhouettes and shapes of the mountains and headlands around us. A small power boat had come into the bay, and a warm yellow light glowed from behind his curtains like a lantern. The water was glassy and still, and we could hear the call of moreporks (little owls) from the trees. The overall feeling was one of such peace and serenity; this felt like a New Zealand version of that classic Christmas Corona commercial.

Just then we heard a breath from the water, then a few more after that. It seems we had a visiting sea lion or two. This was one of those particularly magical moments that come around only once in awhile, no matter where you are, and it’s so good to pause and appreciate them.

Below, a few photos from Kumutoto Bay. Click to enlarge and scroll.–Cyndi

March 28, 2016

The mail boat cruise takes place six days a week in the Marlborough Sounds. There are three different routes to choose from, and I’d chosen the route for Queen Charlotte Sound’s north bays because that area is more scenic (with some exceptions, I’m sure) than the south side. (We didn’t consider the Tory Channel route because we’d already been there).

And so I’d signed us up for the Monday run. After a burger lunch at the Thirsty Pig, we headed down to the mail boat. It was impressive, with a large indoor seating area, a small covered deck out back, and lots of seating and standing room on the upper-level, open-air deck. There was also a nice area where a few people could stand up front with the captain.

Pretty much all the passengers wanted to sit up top, while Rich opted to stand up in the front to enjoy talking with Julian, the captain, and Hsuan, his sometime-assistant who also does stints on the Rainbow Warrior. Since my objectives today were to sightsee, take photos, and try to get a sense of these places so I could make some decisions about where to return, I was all over the boat. Sometimes I was up top to best get a feeling for a place, other times I was taking pictures out the back or standing up front with Rich, Julian, Hsuan, listening to any recommendations they had.

One of the best things about the mail boat cruise was the actual delivery of the mail. They ride up alongside a dock where a person is standing and holding a bag. Julian opens his side window, gets out a similar bag holding their mail, and they exchange bags so the empty one can serve as the vessel for their next delivery. Sometimes Julian lets nearby passengers do the exchange, and I actually got to deliver the first mail of the day, which was pretty exciting.

Meanwhile Hsuan had given me some cat food for the two Burmese cats who live there and often accompany their owner onto the dock. Alas, they didn’t come today, but on subsequent deliveries we got to meet several dogs and give them biscuits. It’s no mystery why people’s pets enjoy meeting the mail boat, and of course the passengers love seeing them! I had booked this cruise to gather information, but this mail delivery part was endlessly entertaining.

We also heard many stories from Julian about goings-on in the area. It seems the two Burmese cats we missed don’t like dogs, saw a sea lion sleeping on their dock, and thinking he was a dog went over there and made quick work of chasing him off. Sea lions are very stubborn and difficult to remove, and in California they’re a real problem when they make themselves at home on boats. Sea lions will stay put through yelling, poking, being hit with a chair, or getting shot at, but no one, not even a sea lion, wants to get beaten up by a cat. Who knew all it took to solve this issue were Burmese cats?

This cruise was incredibly fun, entertaining and informative. It answered some of my big questions (Is it worth going down the 4-mile long Endeavor Inlet? Yes, its high mountains were spectacular and I wanted to go back and spend time there) and gave me some new ideas (I’d written off dinner at one upscale resort because it was too expensive but today realized we could go for breakfast). Ship Cove, where we were able get off and walk around for awhile, was magical and I place I definitely wanted to return. Other places I was able to write off as I felt we’d seen enough of them from this boat.

In all, this was a terrific thing to do, one of the best things we’ve done in New Zealand. This excursion just happened to fall on Rich’s birthday, and I’d felt bad because we were doing this mostly for me. But Rich had such a good time, I don’t think I could have picked out a better gift for him. Sitting up front on the mail delivery boat is pretty cool, but so is really seeing some great scenery, and Rich and I each got to focus on what we most enjoyed. What a great afternoon! I’d recommend this excursion to anyone visiting the South Island and the sounds. –Cyndi

Below, some photos from our mail boat cruise. Click to enlarge and scroll.

March 26, 2016

In spite of the Easter weekend, we managed to rent a car so we could make a day trip to Nelson.

Nelson is a large town located on the north coast of New Zealand’s south island, just west of the Marlborough Sounds region. We’ve made two attempts to get there from the tropics, but both times have been foiled by that crafty El Nino and its weather patterns.

The reason we’ve been trying to go? We’d like to explore the south island at our leisure, and Nelson would be the perfect base from which to do so. There are pocket areas of New Zealand that, due to their geographical characteristics, have especially good weather. This group includes Waiheke Island, Mount Maunganui, and Nelson. In fact, Nelson may well have the best year-round climate in New Zealand.

Also, it’s a port town and an official entry and exit point for the country. It has a big marina, and the town’s large enough to have the things we like: boating supply stores, good grocery stores, lots of potential day trips, and a variety of eateries. On top of that, people we knew who’d stayed there had nothing but great things to say about it. It sounded wonderful, but getting there’s been problematic.

Now we were finally in Picton on the south island. We had a free Saturday, beautiful weather, and a car. It was time to make the drive to Nelson. We planned to take the scenic Queen Charlotte Drive to Havelock, the town and marina in the neighboring Pelorus Sounds region, and then continue to Nelson, a 90-minute drive in all. We could check out the marinas in both Havelock (a possible future stop) and Nelson, take a look around Nelson, then make some decisions about how fast we wanted to get there.

And so we began with the famous Queen Charlotte Drive, a narrow, winding road through the sounds with several lookout stops on the way. The first thing we learned today is that this drive is best made from Havelock to Picton, not vice versa. Driving from Picton we were on the mountain side of the road, unable to see the views or, because the road was so winding, cross safely over to the viewpoints. We made the decision to return this way, in daylight, so we could be on the scenic side of the road.

Below, a gallery of photos from lookouts on our return trip, including the Cullen Point Lookout walk, a 10-minute hike up a hill. (Click to enlarge and scroll in any of the galleries below)

About 30 minutes later, we arrived in Havelock. Like Picton, it’s a small town located in the Marlborough sounds region of New Zealand. In fact, it’s even smaller than Picton, pretty much a one-street town, but it has a good-size marina and is known as the Greenshell (Green-lipped) Mussel Capital of the World. And of course this mussel capital of the world has an iconic eatery: The Mussel Pot Restaurant. It’s no surprise where we planned to eat lunch. We found the restaurant and decided to order the mixed mussel platter for two, including steamed, deep-fried, grilled (with multiple toppings), marinated, and smoked mussels, plus bowls of mussel chowder.

The second thing we learned today was that there is such a thing as too many green-lipped mussels; we were so full we could hardly finish our platter. The steamed mussels, done in our favorite wine, butter and garlic broth, were huge. So big that we either had to stuff the mussels into our mouths, losing that ideal ratio with the tasty broth, or cut them in half, seeing more of the inside of the mussel than is good to see. After that lunch, we decided to take a break from mussels for awhile.

Below, a gallery of photos from Havelock, including the Mussel Pot Restaurant and its cute green-lipped mussel sculptures contemplating our rental car. The panorama was taken from a viewpoint above the town.

After checking out the Havelock Marina amid the tall, surprisingly dry mountains surrounding it, we decided we might bring the boat here if it’s convenient, but we wouldn’t make a big effort. From there, we continued on the highway through mountains, valleys and farmland to Nelson.

Arriving in Nelson, we were surprised to find it different than we expected. It’s a lovely town surrounded by green hills, situated on a bay made placid by the natural boulder bank surrounding the harbor. Nice homes scattered on the hills overlook the area. There’s nothing not to like about it, but with it’s reputation for sunny weather, we were expecting a beachy, surfey sort of place, and this felt more like a European lakeside town. We’d need some time to adjust our expectations.

We visited the marina and the surrounding businesses, and the whole area was closed for the holiday weekend. The town itself was lovely, with lots of brick walks, big, leafy trees, and more hanging flower baskets than I’ve ever seen in any one place. I think we could like this place, but the combination of Easter-weekend crowds plus closed places made it hard to get a sense of it. We did realize that it would be a half-hour walk to town from the marina. This isn’t such a big deal, but when we’re “living” someplace we end up in town at least twice a day. Thus, we may want to rent a car for our time there.

Below, a gallery of Nelson and the marina area. Click to enlarge and scroll.

With that, we learned we should take our time in the Queen Charlotte Sound and the Pelorus Sound and not rush to get to Nelson. After braving the holiday crowds to get some ice cream, we headed back to Picton, stopping at the viewpoints along Queen Charlotte Drive.

Our final stop for the day was Waikawa Marina, about 3 miles past Picton and an alternative to going there. It was a big, beautiful marina, but strangely it only has one mediocre, overpriced restaurant. (We didn’t actually eat there; I’m just judging it by the menu, the prices, and the reviews.) How a marina this size doesn’t have a selection of eateries nearby is a mystery to me. I guess people who have boats here drive to Picton.

To finish our big day, we headed to Cafe Cortado to get Not Mussels! Instead we had the shrimp and garlic prawn pizza. It was a wonderful end to a great and informative day. –Cyndi

March 23 – 28, 2016

The town of Picton may be small, but it has a few special things to see. For those who like history, there’s the Edwin Fox, the oldest surviving merchant sailing ship, although the “surviving” part might be a bit of a stretch. She was built in 1853, but time took its toll and by the end of the ’60s she lay abandoned on a beach near Picton. Meanwhile, a preservation society had formed to save her, worked to re-float her, arranged a berth in Picton, then build a special dry dock where she remains today. Those interested in history can now visit the remains and her adjacent museum. Those less interested in history can get a look at her over the fence.

I’ll also note here, for history buffs, the Picton Heritage and Whaling Museum. Since seeing any whaling history breaks our hearts, we stayed away from this even though there’s a lot of history other than whaling.

Next, there’s the EcoWorld Aquarium. It’s a small operation, not exactly what I’d call state-of-the art, but it has a lot of heart and is worth a visit. We got to see some of the local fish in the aquarium, some tuatara which is New Zealand’s native lizard and now quite rare, numerous informational displays, and a little blue penguin who’s recuperating after a run-in with a local boat. It was informative, interesting place.

Finally, there’s the gallery of paintings in Cafe Cortado. The first time we went, we sat inside near these paintings featuring peoples’ faces. They were stunning, and during our meal we couldn’t stop staring at them. Something in the eyes of the subjects just made us keep looking. Finally we got up to read the little description of the artist. Her name is Rebekah Codlin, and she is only 22 years old. She started painting at 17 and is entirely self taught, opting not to go to art school because she didn’t want to be influenced by their way of doing things. She’s become very well-known but still displays beautiful prints of her work (the originals probably sell very quickly) in Cafe Cortado in her native Picton.

We were lucky enough to be in the restaurant one afternoon when she came in to put up a new painting. She’s so young and unassuming, you’d never suspect you were in the presence of a celebrity unless you knew of her. You can read about her and can see samples of her work at www.rebekahcodlinart.co.nz. This one is definitely a prodigy.

Lastly, here’s a photosphere Rich took from Picton’s pedestrian bridge. –Cyndi