Back across Cook Strait

Picton Marina, looks like a calm crossing.

Heading north after 3 months down south we travelled on the Interislander this time so Honey and Gypsy Rover were inside all locked up.  No problems and no photos.

We had planned to stay in Lower Hutt for a couple of nights to catch up with relatives and friends. We arrived at the Petone Working Mans Club after 7pm (our planned stop) and were lucky to get a parking spot on power.

In the morning it was over the hill to Wainuiomata to visit my Dads final resting place before heading up to Maungaraki for lunch with rellies. Back to the club for the night as we were having morning tea with fellow Heretaunga Club members Pam and Don, before heading for Carterton over the Rimutaka hill on Friday to join the rest of the club for the weekend.

Next day home for a couple of weeks for me before flying to the UK. The boss is staying home to look after Honey.

Honey was so good during our travels and I will miss them both while I'm away.

Yealands Winery for lunch

As we had a lovely fine day again today, and the laundry all up to date, John and Elizabeth suggested we have a picnic for lunch.  We headed south towards Seddon on the now closed SH 1, although it is still open as far as Clarence more than 50 km’s south. Arriving at the huge Yealands Winery, we registered at the reception and viewed an introductory video from Peter Yealand on the history of the world award winning winery.

Views south overlooking the ocean from the top of the winery.

Looking north towards the north island.

Looking down the steep cliff towards the beach.

Grapevines for miles beautiful straight lines.

Lunch in the grounds alongside the lake.

Driving down into Seddon with Awatere Valley views.

Ward Beach where the land rose 2 metres in the 18th November 2016 Earthquake

Lake Rotoiti–Nelson Lakes

Leaving Wakefield yesterday morning we travelled on a back country road towards  Lake Rotoiti for lunch, before carrying on to Blenheim for a couple of nights.

Lovely autumn colourings lining the route.

The camera doesn't do the leaves justice.

Tree felling above the road we were held up as some of the trees landed on the road. Dangerous if you were travelling underneath.

Beautiful Lake Rotoiti on a lovely calm day.

A black swan and several ducks enjoying the sunshine.

Underneath the jetty we were very surprised to see several eels in the water.

Hard to photograph but one ventured out into the sunshine.

A fisherman arriving back at the jetty as we left.

With such a wonderful view we sat and enjoyed our lunch, accompanied by the local policeman in his patrol car beside us having his. This is a lovely doc site with lovely clean toilets alongside the lake. There were several tourists in their small vans enjoying the view but there were signs prohibiting freedom camping in the area.

Higgins Heritage Park!

It was time to meet up with our travelling companions from Blenheim again and attend a Nelson and Tasman NZMCA rally. John and Derek are both keen steam enthusiasts and as the rally was at a  steam museum, how could we resist?  John and Elizabeth arrived at Spring Grove on Thursday night all ready to drive a few km’s to Wakefield on Friday morning.  We were made most welcome by Doreen and Phil who we had met out at Pohara a couple of weeks ago.

Higgins Heritage Park, Wakefield. A hidden gem off the beaten track.

They have two of these in working order.

Fifty seven vans attending the week-end with about half staying over an extra night on Sunday.

This plank cutter could cut up to 8 planks out of a trimmed log.

The vintage truck museum is one of six organisations within Higgins Heritage Park. All of the trucks had a history in and around Nelson.

It was the steam machinery’s open week-end so the boiler was fired up to run most of the machine’s.

This is a replica horse drawn ambulance capable of carrying 3 patients and a nurse.

The stretchers in the back of the ambulance.

Austin’s, Ford’s, Chevrolet’s and International’s were all in the line up in the truck museum. Another steam machine in great working condition.

The main boiler supplying the steam for all the machines.

Back to Motueka!

With the weekend over and fine weather forecast for the next couple of days we opted to head back to Mot to let the boss have a play with his fishing rod again.

Sea shuttle coming into at high tide to go on the dry dock for work.

Saltwater baths on the foreshore at Motueka, often under water at high tide.

Almost high tide, we didn't feel like a swim.

Pink colouring of the sunset reflected in the Motueka estuary.

Another shuttle heading in on high tide for the dry dock.

Dinner for Honey again! Where’s mine?