Summer 2020 NZ road trip.

[Ianab]

Only a long weekend this time. (Saving for a trip to the Islands later in the year)

So Lil thinks we should have a long weekend away with the kids (it's the Summer Holidays here). Looked at the map, and decided there was one part of the North Island neither of us had really been to. Wairarapa province is basically the South East corner of the North Island, no major cities, lots of rugged coastline, and we hadn't been there. Booked a place on Airbnb and set off with no real plan, apart from seeing the sights. 

So Thursday afternoon we drove down to Masterton, found the rental, took the kids to the playground, got some groceries etc. Decide next day the weather would be good to visit Cape Palliser, which is basically the Southern most part of the Island. Drive until the road stops. 

I had checked Google, and there was a fur seal colony near the end of the road, which I thought the kids would like to see. No fancy amenities, not even a sign, but it looked like the place. 

 

Kids looked a bit dubious at this point, "Where are the seals?"
"Go stand on that rock over there" -->
It's hard to tell from the small picture, but there are 3 seals in this picture, and about 20 visible from where Taylor is standing. 
 
Pictures from where Taylor is standing.
Some females coming ashore to feed their pups. 
 

Pups play fighting in the rocks

 

This guys just waiting for Mum to come back



While this guys had a feed, and is now having a nap with Mum.

  

Over on the East side of the rocks were even more, but harder to get close enough for a good view. The pups here had a rockpool for their "learn to swim" session, so I reckon ~14 of them in this picture. Just had to be careful as the adults don't like you getting close, especially if you are between them and the water. Generally they "bark" at you as a warning first, but they are hard to spot sometimes, and they have TEETH.

 

THEN we told the kids we were walking up to the lighthouse. All 252 steps in one hitch. 



  

They made it, and even bought painted rocks to hide, for other painted rock hunters to find. 



Then we stopped at a little beachside spot called Lake Ferry. While looking around for a place to have picnic lunch, Lil says "Hey that's my friend Margie". So we ended up having lunch with them.  Lil is like that, we can be hours away from home, and someone calls out to her. 

TBC

[thecfarm]

A nice trip. Mama's do get upset when they think their babies are in danger.
We find painted rocks here with a message on it and a number to follow the rock on Facebook. We found one at a grocery store parking lot that we will take for a ride.

[Ianab]

Day 2, different beach, different lighthouse. 



That's looking South from the point past the lighthouse. 

This is looking North from the other end of the bay, near the base of Castle rock. 


 

Apart from the hike around the ridge, it's a nice beach, and the inner lagoon was safe swimming for the kids. 

On the beach is an array of custom commercial fishing boat trailers that I thought some might like to see. This sort of beast. 

 



Another rig with the boat loaded. As you can imagine this can drive down the beach into the surf and launch load the boat in 5 or 6 ft of water. 

 

Day three, we have some trees and giant flesh eating eels 

[thecfarm]

Interesting. We build wharfs here in Maine. Have to clear the rocks first. 

[cutterboy]

That is a beautiful and interesting part of the world and I don't see many tourists. NZ is one of the countries I would love to visit.

       Cutter

[KEC]

Thanks for sharing, Ianab !

[Ianab]

That is a beautiful and interesting part of the world and I don't see many tourists. NZ is one of the countries I would love to visit.

       Cutter

These places are a bit off the main tourist trails. There were a few more adventurous ones, but no crowds. 
So day 3 we were heading home, but had all day for a bit over 4 hours drive. So we got to see some sights. 
As Lil knows someone in pretty much any place we visit, we caught up with an old family friend of hers. She's retired and lives in a Camper Van (a small RV) and just drives around the country. So we arrange to meet up at the town park. Cool place, was set aside soon after the town was established (1864?). They wanted a place to play cricket etc. The cricket oval is still there, along with football fields, a rowboat pond, a model railway for the kids, a playground, skateboard park. etc. 
One of the founders was a local nurseryman and made sure some interesting trees got planted.  So now they have a stand of "young" Redwoods in the middle of town. So none of these trees are much over ~150 years old. 

A nice Deodar cedar.

And a big Atlas Cedar, the grey coloured one.

And hows this for a White Spruce?

Or maybe a Monterey Cypress? Not a prime one for milling, but check the DBH on that thing. 

Oh, and I got roped into pedalling the boat ride.   We waited and got the old school swan boat, because it could seat 3. (and it was the coolest   )

Then we went up the road a bit to Mt Bruce wildlife centre. It's mostly a fenced reserve and captive breeding centre for native birds. Not so much a zoo, and you can walk through a forest with 100 Kiwi birds and never see one (they are nocturnal) 
But hey, another stand of young Redwoods. 

Then we get around to where they feed the local freshwater Eels.  1/2 an hour before feeding, and they are lining up for food. The biggest ones would be 5ft long, and 6" across. All the big ones are females. We have some in the stream in the back garden, but not this many, or this big. 

They get some volunteers from the audience to go in and feed them, but you have to be "under 60 and speak good English". If you don't follow the instructions, or fall over, the fish WILL have a go at you. 
Guide explains to the volunteers just much of a situation they are in. The Eels aren't captive, they will eventually swim downstream and head for some place near Tonga to breed. The young then find their way back to NZ. 

Anyway, that's most of our long weekend sightseeing. 

[Ianab]

Oh, I forgot to mention Chookie. 

She came with the rental.  If the owners were home, she was shadowed by a nice Red Australian Cattle dog. Nice unless your were a random cat stalking Chookie.... 



Check your car before you leave. 

 

[WDH]

She wants to ride.

[Magicman]

Or has been "hennapped". 

I am enjoying your holiday adventure.