The Southern Alps, The Tasman Sea, and Wekas

New Zealand's Southern Alps

I am happy to report that we finally made it to the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea.  Wow!  It has been quite a journey for us.  We zig-zagged back across the south island, nearly to Christchurch, and spent the night in a special little town called Geraldine.  From there, we took the road to Sheffield, and as we were coming out of town ran into another road sign.  Albert Pass was closed.  It was our only route to the West Coast from this point.  It was noon, and the next road update wouldn't occur until two that afternoon.  What to do?

We chanced it.  It was sunny, so no new rain had fallen.  The trip to Arthur Pass would take us over an hour's drive.  If the road was open, we were an hour's drive further than we were now.  If not, we would need to turn around, go back to the east coast, and take another road further north.  The extra two-hour delay seemed worth the risk.

Arthur Pass Lookout, New Zealand

We stopped at a lookout point just below the pass and noticed a line of cars coming towards us.  That meant one of two things... either folks were turning around or they had opened the road.  We were delighted to learn that the road was now open.  Hallelujah!

After we crossed the pass, we learned why the road had been closed.  First, there was a section with a 16 percent grade that crossed under a diverted waterfall and tunnel.  Water was pouring off the end of the tunnel in sheets of water.  Further up, the edge of the road had washed away in several places.  Finally, we crossed a one-lane bridge that had obviously been covered in water, with a raging creek-turned-river below.  Road crews worked with heavy excavators, digging out the creek so that it could hold more water flow.

South of Arthur Pass, New Zealand

Finally the Southern Alps that I had so longed to see came into view.  They are absolutely stunning.  This whole west coast is what I had thought all of New Zealand would be... remote and beautiful.  The road weaves between the Tasman Sea and the Southern Alps.  It is fascinating to pass through lush tropical rainforests with 12,000-foot mountains in the backdrop.

We camped at Lake Mahinapua, a wonderful, quiet reserve.  Here we met our first flightless bird, a Weka.  Once plentiful, they are now protected.  They are also supposedly very reclusive.  This little fellow was not at all shy.  In fact, David held up his phone to take a photo of the bird.  It came right up to him and pecked his finger.  No harm done, he was our constant and close companion for the evening.

David photographing the "reclusive" Weka 

New Zealand Weka... look at those feet!

New Zealand Weka

Wekas are indigenous to New Zealand.  They are flightless birds, about the size of a chicken.  When they run, they often spread out their little stumps, I suppose to give them balance.  They are also quite quick when they run.  The birds weigh about two pounds and are said to poop their body weight each day.  They are omnivores, eating fruit and bugs and the occasional lizard.  They are also thieves.  They prefer shiny objects and will steal them to look them over.  Thankfully, our little visitor was well mannered.

When we awoke the next morning, we discovered two adult Wekas in our camp.  After breakfast, David and I took a short hiking trail near our camper and discovered our little Weka friends had a surprise for us.  They had two baby chicks hidden in the marsh grass about fifteen yards from our camp.  The chicks were very shy and headed back into the grass if we made any sudden moves, but I was able to take a few photos of them.

Weka chick

Weka and chick

We continued south this morning and saw further damage along the road side.  Crews were removing trees from portions of the road where the great slide had crossed.  It is suppose to begin raining again on Sunday, so we will head north before then in case there is further road damage.  Our ferry to the north island is scheduled March 3.

Washout along the roadside

Tonight we are camping at the Okarito community campground across the lagoon from the Heron Sanctuary.  Hopefully we'll see a heron fly over.  We've already taken a short hike to the Tasman Sea and a trek along the marshlands.

David at the Tasman Sea

The weather is cool and sunny.  Our camp hosts tell us a kiwi lives in the area and often comes into the campground at dusk.  Wouldn't it be fantastic if we could see him?

The Land of the Long Grey Cloud

Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

We didn't realize how lucky we have been with the weather here.  Most mornings we have awakened to misty rain, but the clouds have mostly dissipated by late morning, breaking into sunshine.  During our last WhatsApp call, Liz and Walter, our Aussie friends, told us that New Zealand is known as the "land of the long grey cloud."  A lady working at the Fiordland National Park told us it rains an average of 263 days a year here.

Now we have spent three days in rain... solid days of rain.. windshield wipers going full time rain.  The rain makes it more difficult to do anything and everything.  Negotiating towns is more difficult.  Camping in this tiny camper is more difficult.  Maintaining our sunny dispositions is more difficult.

We finally reached our first national park on the South Island and were delighted.  After all this farmland and pastures, sheep and cows, we had been searching for remoteness and knew we would be finally able to enjoy here.  We were wrong.  We must have traveled behind a dozen tour buses, all heading to Milford Sound, the end of the national park road.  And still the rain continued until the rivers began to overflow.  Every divot in the mountains surrounding us became a waterfall, all leading to the rivers.

Every divot became a waterfall

We tried stopping at one of the tracks (New Zealand for hikes), but it was raining too hard to even attempt the trail.  We did, however, find a Kea, a rare mountain parrot, living in the parking lot, mooching food.  Only 5,000 of these birds remain.  The rain was pouring so hard and the light so low, the photo is blurry.

Kea in Fiordland National Park

I wish I could explain how treacherous the streams and creeks and rivers became.  The visitor center folks had warned us of flooding issues in some of the campgrounds.  As the deluge of rain continued, we decided to camp in town to stay as far as possible from flooding.  If you can view this short video, you may be able to get a feel for one of the park's raging rivers.

We drove out of Te Anua the next morning, hoping for sunshine further down the road.  We found none.  We had met several folks who told us that Queenstown, a ski resort, was a must see.  In Liz's words, it was a fizzer.  We drove into the city... and as quickly as we could drove out.  It was crowded, with cramped roads, too many tourists, and too little space.  We continued, traveling into the mountains.

We laughed and told ourselves that the scenery would have been spectacular in the sun.  Instead, we drove mountain roads in hard rain and low clouds.  Even creeks that we crossed had turned treacherous.

We finally found a spot to camp. It was secluded and lovely.  Just the kind of thing we had been hoping to find since we arrived.  Although the rain continued, it was a special place, and it felt wonderful.

By morning, the rain had stopped.  It felt glorious to see the sun peeking through the clouds.  We even found a rainbow... certainly a good omen.

Rainbow over Lake Wanaka, New Zealand

Less than a half hour into our continued journey to the west coast, however, we found the road closed, with barriers across it.  So close and yet so far away.  We turned around and found a nearby shop.  The caretaker told us that the heavy rain had washed out a bridge, and the road was closed indefinitely.

Time for Plan B.  We followed our route back... and the advancing rainbow.  My great navigator found a way to zig-zag back across to the east coast of the island then reach the west coast via another route.

That is what we have done today.  Because we couldn't find the free camping site, we are in the town of Geraldine, hooked up to electricity and WiFi at the local holiday park, taking showers, and preparing for another run at the West Coast tomorrow.  News reports say this is one of the worst rains they have had on the West Coast in years.

For us, it has been a day of sunshine and beautiful mountain vistas.  We passed a turquoise, glacial-fed lake we never would have seen without the rainstorm.  Life is, indeed, good.

Lake Tekapo, New Zealand

Please forgive the poor resolution on these photos... WiFi is very slow here, so it is the only way I can upload photos.

Albatross and a Search for Sunshine

David had circled the Otago peninsula in red on our map, and that was today's destination.  It is home to the only known mainland albatross rookery.  We were fortunate to arrive in time for the 3:30 tour.  We watched a brief video about the albatross, then made the short trek to view several albatross chicks and watch juveniles in practice flights.

Royal albatross chick, Otago, New Zealand

Juvenile albatross, Otago, New Zealand

It was fascinating to learn about these birds.  Like the penguins, their parents teach them nothing about foraging for food.  And unlike the blue penguins who may fledge two sets of two chicks each year, the albatross hatch only one chick once every other year.

Albatross chicks are heavy.  They weigh nearly 14 kilos or 30 pounds, when they fledge.  They empty their stomachs and take a leap of faith.  Some don't make it.  And because their parents teach them nothing, they must learn to fish and survive on their own.  Chick mortality is very high.

If they survive their first flight, all albatross fly to South America to winter.  They follow the trade winds there.  Because they would need to fly against the wind on the way back to their nesting grounds, they circumvent the southern hemisphere to return to their birthing site.  It may take a juvenile five years to find a mate before they lay their first egg.

Black swans

As we left Otago peninsula, we found a flock of black swans.  I had never seen so many gathered together.  They were, indeed, beautiful.

We spent the night at a freedom camp near the Clifden suspension bridge.  The bridge was officially opened in 1889 and was certainly an engineering achievement.

Clifden Suspension Bridge, New Zealand

Our wake up call was a resident rooster.  He began before dawn and stood in front of each rig to announce the day.

Our wake-up call

Further up the road, we found sheep herders and their dog moving sheep across a narrow, one-lane bridge.

Sheepherders in New Zealand

It had begun to rain.  In fact, it had begun to rain in earnest.  We were heading to the west coast and hoping for less traffic and more solitude... fewer pastures and more wildness.  Surely it exists in New Zealand!  And now, we are also hoping for sunshine.

The Blue Penguins

We spent the night in another free campground last night.  Traffic remains heavy along the roads.  The problem is that the camper is so top-heavy that I drive about 80 to 85 kilometers per hour, about ten clicks under the speed limit.  I try to pull over whenever possible to let other vehicles by me, but it is not soon enough for some, making the day stressful.

We are slowly adjusting to the time change.  I am happy to report that we are staying up until nine in the evening now.  We are also adjusting to the tight quarters of the camper.  It's funny that our compact truck camper now feels huge in comparison.  It's not because there is more space... it is just better utilized.

Today we traveled on to Oamaru, the blue penguin capital of New Zealand.  These wonderful little creatures are the smallest penguins, standing only about ten inches tall.  Their feathers are blue on the top and white on the bottom to camouflage them from predators while they fish.  The penguins leave their breeding grounds early in the morning and spend most of the day at sea.  Around dusk, they return to their burrows to rest.

At the penguin visitor center, we signed up for the evening penguin watch.  The center is devoted to conservation efforts to help maintain their thriving population.  About 250 blue penguins reside here, living in tiny nest boxes provided for them.

Nest boxes for the blue penguins at Oamaru, New Zealand

We strolled around the grounds and found more silly fur seals and gulls.

Upside down fur seal

Curious sea gull

Afterwards, we found a campground and something to eat.  We ended up staying at the Harbor Tourist Park.  It was clean, had great showers, and was a mere 15-minute walk from the penguins.  During our afternoon stroll downtown, we discovered a wonderful little restaurant serving roasted meat.  You could order roasted ham, pork, or chicken.  It was served with steamed vegetables and potatoes.  After days of eating canned tuna and chicken, it tasted like a meal fit for a king or queen.

We stopped by the grocery store for a few items.  During our time there, they had a two-minute moment of silence for the Christchurch victims.  It was very touching.

We went back to the campground and took showers.  Around seven that evening, we walked fifteen to the penguin visitor center.  We passed a dock lined with shags, another type of waterfowl.  The entire dock had been closed down and designated as a shag roosting area.  It was completely covered in shags and their poo.  Even nearby boats had nets covering them to keep the birds from roosting and pooing on them.

Over 7,000 shags roost on the Oamaru Pier

The doors to the evening penguin viewing opened at 7:30.  Around 8:15 in the evening, the penguins began to return to their nest boxes.  We weren't allowed to take photos.  Below is a pic I took of a photo at the visitors center so you could see what they look like.

Photo of a photo in the Oamaru Penguin Visitor Center of a Blue Penguin

In total, 46 penguins arrived during our watch.  They came tentatively, hopping up the rocks from the sea, bypassing a few sleepy seals.  There was a small grassy area directly in front of the viewing stands that the penguins darted across until they reached the cover of a boardwalk.  From there, they found their individual brood box.  Six to eight penguins arrived at a time.  It was fun to watch them scoot across the grass.  Oh, how my finger itched to take a photo!

After all the penguins were nestled in their burrows, we strolled back by the dock and found most of the shags had left, probably gone out to sea for the night.

All in all, it was a great day... lots of wildlife, some wonderful food, and a quiet place to spend the night.  We are, indeed, blessed.

A City in Mourning

Christchurch in mourning

We arrived in Christchurch needing gasoline.  We drove into city centre and while  trying to find a parking spot, we saw the memorial.  Nearly a hundred people stood in front of the botanical garden wall... some sobbing in grief, some placing flowers, and all touched deeply by the tragic shootings of innocent victims.

The array of flowers went on for nearly one hundred yards.  It was difficult not to weep with those who mourned.  Perhaps these photos will help you understand what we saw...

In our brief moments here, we learned that Christchurch is a city in trauma.  Eight years ago a 7.1 earthquake rocked this quaint English village, destroying 30 percent of its buildings.  They lost 185 residents during the earthquake.  The city is still in the process of rebuilding.  Then, in November of 2017, the Kaikoura earthquake cut off a major road into Christchurch.  And now, this horrific, senseless tragedy.  As a shopkeeper said, "Why here?  Why the bastard chose Christchurch is a real bugger."

Hate in all of its ugliness has darkened the lives of every person in this lovely community... and around the world.  We leave Christchurch in its mourning and join it in its sorrow.  All we can do is pray.

We turn to New Zealand's South Island

Wellington, New Zealand

We arrived at the Wellington to Picton ferry terminal around 5:30 am.  The last boarding call was to be at 8:00.  Neither of us, however, could sleep, so it seemed the best thing to do.

After literally hours, we boarded the Islander ferry.  Our journey took us over open water for about two-thirds of the three-plus hour trip.  The remainder of the voyage, we traveled narrow passageways until we reached the port in Picton on the South Island.

Passageway to Picton, New Zealand

Picton, New Zealand

We arrived on the South Island a bit after noon and began our journey southward to see what we could see.  There was much more traffic than we expected, and we weren't able to see the shore as much as we expected.  Both of us were tired from our short night.  We also encountered lots and lots of construction, detours, and one-lane traffic, slowing our journey.  A fellow we met on the ferry told us the Kaikoura area had received a 7.8 earthquake in November of 2016, causing major road damage.  It took construction crews nearly a year to rebuild the train track.  They were still working on the road damage.

Soon we began seeing our first wildlife... seals along the shoreline.  We stopped to take a few photos. The seals were cooperative, even posing occasionally.  Most looked sleepy and were snoozing among the rocks.  

Further up the road, we pulled into an overlook area to view a seal colony.  We watched mothers leading their babies over the rocks, seals swimming and frolicking in the waves, and others sleeping.  It's amazing how comfortable a seal can look sleeping on rocks!

Seal colony, South Island, New Zealand

Towards evening, we found another free campground and stopped there for the night.  By the time we took a stroll down to the ocean, every available space was taken.

Free camping, New Zealand

On our stroll to the beach, we watched as waves came crashing over small stones rather than sand.  As the waves receded, the stones churned, sounding much like a Native American rainstick.  I tried to capture it on film.  Hopefully you can upload this short video to hear it.

A group of young men dared to stand against the strongest waves...

It was an absolutely beautiful evening.  The sound of the waves, a gentle breeze blowing, a glass of wine, and thou... what more could we ask for?  

In Search of Mount Doom

We are missing our Morgan today.  Near the place where we camped last night, we discovered a redwood forest.  This morning we stopped by to hike one of its trails.  The Whakarewarewa Forest national park is known for having the longest living tree walk, traversing about a half mile through this beautiful redwood forest.  Morgan plans to live in a tree house one day.  We do miss her sweet face!

Entrance to New Zealand's longest tree walk 

New Zealand's Whakarewarewa tree walk

While we didn’t take the tree walk, we did meander through the redwood forest.  The trees here are much like those along the Pacific West in the U.S., however, the forest floor is not so lush and tropical as ours.  The trees, however, are just as lovely.  It felt great to stretch our legs.

We drove straight through the middle of New Zealand’s north island, along its geothermal corridor.  We passed geysers and steaming fissures.  Because of our time crunch to make the ferry, however, we didn’t stop to see much. 

We had discovered in one of our travel brochures that Mount Ngauruhoe with its volcanic landscape was portrayed as Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  The skies were heavy with clouds, but we did manage to catch a snapshot of most of the mountain. 

Mount Doom from the Lord of the Rings trilogy

Tonight we sit in the free Simpsons Domain campground, just north of Hunterville.  It is little more than a parking lot with an outhouse, but the scenery is lovely and the temperature welcoming.  We feel truly blessed.  Tomorrow we drive on to Wellington to spend the night before our early morning ferry crossing to the south island.

Our New Zealand home-away-from-home camper

Free camping... New Zealand style