1100
Log: Residing at the YMCA, Hereford St., Christchurch

21-March
0730
Log: Kiwi Experience bus departs Christchurch, bound for Kaikoura Peninsula along NZ Rt 1
The sun rises over Christchurch as our bus pulls out of the city and rolls through golden fields, river beds, and lots of sheep. Mountains form the backdrop to the landscape, and after we cross the Hundalee Hills the highway skirts the Pacific Ocean, shining and gently lapping at the shore. The town of Kaikoura is very small, just occupying the northern part of the peninsula, and is dominated by the business of whale and dolphin watches that leave from here for the fertile waters offshore. My last view of the peninsula was almost two weeks ago, from the sea, where we failed to find any whales. After checking into our hostel, I went on a walk around the peninsula, admiring the huge wave-cut terrace extending into the sea and the shear cliffs of sloping rock layers.
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Golden fields and the Kaikoura Range |
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Wave cut terrace and Whaler's Bay, Kairkoura Peninsula
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22-March
0900
Log: Bus bound for Picton, then to Nelson region and Kaiteriteri by way of NZ Rt 6.
Sneaking out of bed, I was able to catch my last sunrise over the Pacific for quite a while. The sun illuminated the far mountains, reflected brilliant colors on the clouds and off the water, and gleamed through the surf. We made a pitstop at the Ohau Point Seal Colony, proceeding then to Picton and the ferries from Wellington. With a bus-full of fellow travelers, we spent the rest of the day driving to the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park in the town of Kaiteriteri. Blink and you’ll miss it, but it has all the water-taxi services into the park, one lodge and bar, and, well, not much else really. Kaiteriteri in the native language means plenty of food. I suppose leftovers will have to do.
1030
The weather much improved, I bought a ticket into the park and walked the gangway onto the water-taxi beached by the lodge. Zooming past Split Apple Rock and granite cliffs entering the sea, the fog and clouds rise in columns from the jungle. I suppose you could call it jungle, since it has surplus of ferns, vines, moss, and trees, though temperate rain forest might be more appropriate. The local granite doesn’t stand up well to the rain that precedes a rain forest, and the iron from the rock stains the quartz grains a brilliant color, giving rise to the golden beaches that Abel Tasman is famous for. It’s a small world, because as I strolled around a bend in the trail out pops three of my shipmates! They tell of more behind them, or ahead? They’re not quite sure, but I hear of their adventures since departing the ship just four days ago. Later, I stopped for lunch at a deserted golden beach, with only rocks driftwood and fern trees for company. I eventually made my way to Anchorage Bay and a taxi back to the hostel, where I met up with my shipmates to catch up.
1100
Log: Bus proceeds to the wild West Coast and the town of Westport, through the windy roads following the Buller River.

25-March
Me at the Pancake Rocks! Limestone and mudstone layers |
