Boats, Planes, and Automobiles

After an couple of nights back in Homestead Bay at the the top of Pelorus Sound we headed back around Cape Jackson to Resolution Bay seeking shelter from a building northerly.  We picked up another club mooring and explored around the Bay.  Shortly after we settled in, a launch came in came alonside to invite us over fort a drink once they got settled on another mooring.  Cathy and I through they knew Jan and Tony but they had no idea who they were.  We headed over and it turned out they didn't know any of us either, just thought that as we had a dinghy in the water we could come over and share a bottle of wine!  They were just out for a few days from Waikawa, where they keep his Kerry 46 called Fortuna Sunrise. He was a more or less retired farmer and had been crusing these waters for some time.  He'd taken the boat around the South Island a few times but at 80, said he probably wouldn't be doing it again!  

We had an early start the next day with Tony bringing a couple from Tasmania back to the boat around 7:30 for coffee and breakfast.  They had camped the night on shore and were heading off down the Queen Charlotte track for a few days as they worked their way back towards Picton.  A bit later we walked a very short piece of the Queen Charlotte track from Schoolhouse Bay to the Resolution Bay Cabins.  A family owned business that has been around for many years.  The have a great coffee bar along with a small store supporting the cabins they rent out.  Had great conversation with great grandma about the history and goings on around the place.  A truly great day.  

The next day brought the threat of a southerly change which would have left us completely exposed so we headed to the inner sounds and picked up a mooring at Governors Bay for the night before heading into Picton for a couple of nights to do laundry, provision, etc.  We headed back out to Mistletoe Bay for a couple of nights at anchor.  Met up again with Papillon again and Cathy made a new friend at the local campsite.

Cathy makes new friend!

After a night in Mistletoe, we made a short trip to pick up the mooring in Governors Bay as another southerly was forecast. and we needed to sort out if would be able to sail back to Wellington in time to pick up a rental car on the 24th.  The weather was not looking great!  We had booked a flight from Picton to hedge our bets and that was what we ended up doing, flying Sounds Air form Blenheim to Wellington.  We were supposed to fly out of Picton but the weather on the 24th was too overcast for them to land in Picton, so they put us on a bus and off to Blenheim.

Picked our our rental car and took a wee tour around the Miramar Peninsula stopping for lunch at Scorch O'Rama in Karaka Bay, before heading off for a tour of the Weta Workshop in Miramar.  Well worth it!  They've been creating movie magic for a long time in Wellington and are probably best known for their extensive work creating costumes and props for the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies

Great place for lunch!

Weta Workshop

Spent a lovely couple of nights with friends in Karori (Wellington) before headed north for a few days at an AirBnB in Waikenae Beach.  We spent a lot of time just walking the beaches, very good for the soul!

Wind and Waves Waikanae Beach NZ

On the beach at Te Horo

After a couple of days walking the beaches on the Kapiti Coast, we headed up to Palmerston North to spend some time with close friends there.  We met Penny and Spencer in 1996 when we first came to NZ.   The first year we were here, we spent Christmas with their family and have remained close over the years.  We had a great week with them before moving on to a holiday home for a few nights, arranged through friends of Penny and Spencer, at the south end of Lake Taupo in Omori.  We've been very fortunate to be able to access these places and get a chance to see more of NZ which is off the typical tourist route. 

Looking North on Lake Taupo from Omori

Soon we're off again to spend time on Waiheke Island and Auckland, bit more on that later.

Hopukina

Brian and Cathy