Momorangi Bay

Yesterday in Blenheim we had a visit from Jenny and Robin of Romany Rambler blog fame (Jenny also has a quilter’s blog – she is a very crafty woman!) The cheese scones were a hit, thankfully, even though I had burned their bums a bit – didn’t check the underside when I declared them a success. However, the crunchy texture was yummy!

Robin, David and Jenny - drinks and food have already been served. I think that glass in the foreground belongs to me, but I went round to sit in the passenger seat, after saying 'I shall be sometime'. No snow though, so clearly not a valid threat ...

I am not sure there is enough food ...

Jenny and Robin are long-time caravanners, and passed on to us lots of information and advice and it was all gratefully received. They told us about places they have liked to stay, good places to eat out, they also told us of a multiple sets of roadworks that we will encounter – needs must when the devil drives and the excessive rain over the last few weeks has caused a number of slips in the mountain ranges that line this island. In addition, because of the November 2016 earthquake which closed State Highway 1 with massive slips, the roads that have been the main mode of reaching the east coast from Picton to Kaikoura since then have been hammered through being used far more than ever before. As the railway track along the eastern coast was also lifted/covered/destroyed it too was closed; so many more trucks have had to be deployed, and as we know trucks are particularly destructive to roading …

Now we are prepared for making our way on the inland route to Kaikoura – Cyclones Fehi and Gita both caused more slips on the SH1 route which was re-opened before Christmas – not at a fully sealed, totally repaired, will-last-forever piece of roading, but a huge effort made by all the contracting companies to at least open Kaikoura up again to tourists and locals, so the lifeblood of the town and its surrounding areas could start to flow again.

At Shakespeare Bay - a viewing place on the Queen Charlotte Track

 

Shakespeare Bay -  a logging operation

David looking like he is on holiday at Shakespeare Bay look out

 

He was hungry (no brekkie - mean wife) so was eating nuts ...

The timber wharf info

Just so you know, these are known as interp ... I learned this when I was working for DOC back in 2016/7 - best job of my life, in case I haven't told you so before.

 

This sign made us laugh! Very NZ humour in play.

We’ll probably make that journey in a couple of weeks’ time. At the moment, we are wandering, in the general direction of the West Coast via the Queen Charlotte Track, Havelock and Nelson. Of course, based on Jenny and Robin’s recommendation, we plan to stop at the Trout Hotel in Havelock.

But for now, here we are in Momorangi Bay in the Marlborough Sounds, at a DOC campsite. It is simply beautiful – we are parked up pretty much at the water’s edge facing the bay. We booked for one night, but immediately decided we will stay again tomorrow night. I can already see that 5 weeks for this holiday is just not long enough!

Our view from the front windows

I totally agree - chardonnay is much safer! I have never seen fish in chardonnay!