Round trip New Zealand, Part 3

Wellington, located at the southern tip of the North Island, lies on Cook Strait, which separates New Zealand's North Island from the South Island. From here, ferries depart for Picton on the other side of Cook Strait, which is 22 kilometers wide at its narrowest point. The distance covered by the ferry from Wellington to Picton is approximately 90 kilometers. The ferries cover this distance in less than four hours. It is one of the stormiest straits in the world.

Ferry from Wellington to Picton

And as luck would have it, we are in luck. During our crossing, this strait lives up to its name. With winds of up to 53 knots, even a ferry with a gross tonnage of 26,904 can easily sway. In the New Zealand summer, the ferries are fully booked for weeks, even though they can hold 200 cars. So you either have to be flexible or book the ferry well in advance. We get a ferry that leaves Wellington at two in the morning and arrives in Picton shortly before six. This has the advantage that you don't notice the weather much. On the other hand, unfortunately, you don't get to see any of the breathtaking scenery. As we enter Queen Charlotte Sound, the wind slowly dies down. We have reserved accommodation in Blenheim but want to make the most of the beautiful day and therefore drive along the coast towards Nelson first. 

Havelock South Island, New Zealand

The coastal road is very winding, but the scenery is beautiful. Along Grove Arm, we arrive at Linkwater and Mahakipawa Arm. From Cullen Point, there is a phenomenal view of Mahau and Pelorus Sound. Via Havelock, we then drive through the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve to Nelson. Havelock is famous for its mussels, which are freshly prepared in every restaurant here. Nelson is a city on Tasman Bay. It is known for locally produced arts and crafts and art galleries. 

Nelson, South Island New Zealand

We continue on State Highway 6 to Kawatiri and then turn left onto State Highway 63. We reach Saint Arnaud on Lake Rotoiti. This is where you can travel from the Tasman region to Marlborough with its endless vineyards. The Wairau Valley stretches about 62 miles northeast to Blenheim and is covered with vineyards for about 43 miles on both sides of State Highway 63. In addition, there are several side valleys in the Blenheim region that are also used for wine growing.

Vineyards in Spy Valley, New Zealand

We decide on Spy Valley, where we want to visit a winemaker to taste his wine. Shortly before Rennwick, we turn off into Spy Valley. The asphalt road becomes narrower and narrower, giving way to a gravel track. A voice next to me suddenly becomes loud. “You're not driving through that!” Somewhat irritated, we stand in front of a ford across the Omaka River. According to Google, the winery is on the other side of the river. Benefiting from our experience in Fiji, I drive to the shore and carefully accelerate through the ford. The dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree. Orange triangles with exclamation marks, something red that I can't make out quickly, and slightly spinning wheels let us glide through the ford. Gaby lies in the footwell, expecting to get her feet wet. It rumbles and jerks, but the engine is running and the power transmission is still there. We reach the other side unscathed and the dashboard calms down again. It takes a little longer for Gaby, but when we see the huge Spy Valley Winery estate, all is forgotten in amazement. We do a wine tasting and enjoy a sausage and cheese platter with it. The quality of the wine is amazing. Even the red wine, which is rarely grown here, is of superb quality. We are all the more astonished that Australian wine is cheaper than New Zealand wine everywhere in New Zealand. The only explanation for this is that the quantity produced in Australia must be significantly greater. In any case, we are saving Australian wine for Australia.

Wine tasting at Spy Valley Winery, New Zealand

But we wouldn't be us if we weren't interested in shipping as well as wine. We take a hike to the T.S.S. Waverley. The steamship Waverley was built in 1882 and used as a coastal steamer. It was used to transport cargo and passengers between various ports in New Zealand. In 1913, the Waverley ran aground in Wairau Lagoon and was damaged beyond repair. Fortunately, no one was hurt. The hiking trails are well developed, and the lagoon is home to numerous bird species that can be observed.

Wreck of the T.S.S. Waverley, New Zealand

From Blenheim, we continue along the coast to Christchurch. We reach the Kaikoura Peninsula, where whales and sea lions are said to live on the coast. We don't want to miss this opportunity and set off on another hike. Following the coastline, we reach the descent to Seal Beach. Here, numerous sea lions of all sizes frolic. We are lucky and find a whole bunch of young animals basking in the sun and playing in the water like the adults. They are obviously used to humans and let you get very close to them. However, signs warn that you should not approach the animals closer than 10 meters. It is a great experience to watch the animals, even if the climb up the cliffs is very arduous.

Sea lions basking in the sun, New Zealand

Due to our stop in Kaikoura, we don't quite make it all the way to Christchurch. We find accommodation in Waipara, in an old freight car that has been converted into a sleeping car. Very adventurous, but everything we need is there. The nice thing about New Zealand is that such facilities always have a fully functional kitchen that you can use. This is essential, as in New Zealand's smaller towns, the sidewalks are rolled up at 9 p.m. In theory, you can still get something to eat until 8 p.m., but in practice, it's already difficult by 7 p.m. Beer is served until 9 p.m. at the latest. In larger cities, you can still get a beer at 10 p.m., but large cities are rare in New Zealand. So it's a good idea to always have enough provisions with you.

Railway car as a sleeping car, New Zealand

We didn't make it to Christchurch this week. We'll just have to visit the city next week. Until then, we wish you fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.