Zealandia

It was the birthday girls chance to suggest what we did and so on the last day before work began (and after a couple of days of gardening, cleaning up and going to movies - Tin Tin, We bought a Zoo, Fall of a City (weather was a bit wet and stormy) we decided to go to Zealandia for the day.  On the web it was described as A paradise that took 80 million years to evolve and was almost destroyed in the last few hundred...We had a long walk around the lake and up onto the hills with stops to admire the takahe, saddleback, kakas and tuis.  A good day out - but a tad expensive for the average local to go often.

We also had a little detour to see one of the oldest homesteads in Wellington. A cute little house, where we wandered the garden - but it was closed so we couldn't go in (every time I pass it - it is closed!!). It is the city's oldest building - built in 1858 by William and Catherine Wallis - recently married - what a way to spend a honeymoon - seventeen weeks on a ship with lots of other immigrants. They liked the Nairn Street site (saw before buying which apparently was quite unusual I think) because there was a stream - they'd heard about the earthquake in the Wairarapa three years early which had created tidal waves that swamped Wellington town's water supply causing pollution and the spread of typhoid.

Farewell Spit

I caught the ferry on Saturday morning - wet and windy with the promise of 2 metre swells.  In the back of my mind was the thought that southerlies usually mean a reasonably good trip across the Strait and so with this optimistic thought I wandered onto the  Kaitaki - my first ferry ride in NZ in a number of years. It's a relatively new boat, not crowded (just like coming back) and so plenty of room to put up my feet, snooze and drink cups of tea - they even offered ice to help ease the queasy tums and sick bags (which I didn't need to consider).  Then it was a couple of bus trips with lots of stops to Marahau.  I learnt lots from the drivers who enjoyed chatting about this part of the country ...

• Kiwifruit is now grown on high rise wires rather than horizontal - I guess that utilises space better and also it is easier to pick as the fruit hangs down.
• There is a local controversy over the colour of the bird protection nets as some rather large gardens are covered in red and white which some consider conflicts with the green landscape - I must admit having seen them from the lookout I would tend to agree -  green is more in keeping as long as they don't choose flourescent.
• Blenheim has some burgeoning wetlands - after being taken over by willow many decades ago - it is now a place for indigeneous trees, plants and creepy crawlies to live.  It will take a while but will look great after a few more years.

I met everyone at Marahau after numerous attempts to send them a text to say that I would arrive on time or I could go on to Collingwood.  No cell phone reception anywhere they were.  We travelled windy roads over the Takaka Hill, negotiated slips on the road to Collingwood and Pakawai, had a yummy dinner at the cafe before pitching the tent for the night (in the rain).  Early to bed (and it was New Years Eve). Fireworks a bit too close to the tent, some not very melodious singing, a very thin mattress that slipped on the tent floor - but we slept o.k.  Six o'clock get up call!!

Farewell Spit is on the 'Original 101 Must Dos' for a Kiwi http://www.aatravel.co.nz/101/original-101-must-do-list/page/10/.  I have a feeling I might try and talk Harry into doing more on the top 101 list.  The spit's  original name was Onetahua (meaning 'heaped up sand') which seems a really apt name to describe this 35 kilometres of pure golden sand - it is afterall the longest natural sand bar in the world. Its an important place for seals (lots sitting and flopping across the sand), birds (albatross, godwits, gannets, canadian goose, oyster catcher, seagull) and is now a protected Wetland of International Importance.  And it wasn't just wildlife that have hung out here in the past - once upon a time 3 lighthouse families lived in a dip in the dunes - possibly less exposed than some of the houses on the UK coastline but not much.  Boats bought the food so when the weather wasn't good I guess they pretty much lived on fish and birdlife.

The next photo,  is of the godwit - prouncing around with its royal stance.  These birds are amazing - according to scientists monitoring their migration  habits over the last few years.  There has been some research carried out by some New Zealanders about the flight patterns of these birds.  They fly around the pacific rim virtually non-stop.  Well a couple of stop overs for food and rest.  They've discovered this by attaching satellite-tracking transmitters to some of them.  They travel from Farewell Spit or the Firth of Thames to Alaska via eastern China or Russia, have a few eggs, rear their young and then fly all the way back to NZ.  Little E7 (I think she should have had a bit more of an imaginative name than that) flew from NZ to North Korea (non-stop - approx 10,000 km, for 7 days 13 hours at an average speed of 56.5 kph).  She spent about six weeks refuelling and then flew a further 7,000 or so miles (another 7 or so days) to Alaska - before making the more direct trip back to NZ.

 We wandered around Cape Farewell (most northern spot on the South Island and about same latitude as Foxton), went to a lovely beach around the coast (except no good for swimming) before heading back to the campsite and another meal at the little cafe.  That night bonfires were lit on the beach and we sat talking to the guy who helped us pitch our tent in the rain.

Next morning we packed up the wet tent and headed to Collingwood (originally called Gibbstown but renamed after Nelson's second-in-command at Trafalgar). The town grew during the gold rush of the 1850's and at one stage it could have become the capital of NZ but that didn't happen - the gold ran out. Today, Collingwood is a mixture of old and new. Modern buildings include the general store, hotel and memorial hall, while rather special buildings like the old court house and post office have become cafes and  backpackers - a quaint reminder of the past. We wandered up to the old cemetery - where many of the first settlers arriving in the 1840's are buried. One rather rare sight was a grave stone for Tamati Pirimona Marino - the first Maori grave stone we've seen in an old European cemetery.  So, I read a bit about him...He was the Chief of the Collingwood District Nelson, preferred to keep on the right side of the Europeans although he had been involved with some of Te Rauperaha's conquests in both the North and South Islands. During the goldrush period he fed many hundreds of Maori miners.  There's lots more on the web...

Abel Tasman

After an early start to catch the ferry we were off on our adventure to walk the Abel Tasman track from Totaranui to Marahau. We were supposed to walk from Whariwharangi, with our first night at the Whariwharangi hut, but due to the heavy rain that covered the area before Christmas the track between Totaranui  and Whariwharangi was closed.

This meant a night in the tent at Marahau before setting off a day later than originally planned and started at Totaranui. We got to the start by water taxi, these supply the park with regular services as it is possible to walk just parts of the track as a day walk with drop off and pick up by water taxi.

The first day involved getting to Awaroa where you have to wait till at least 1.5 hours before low tide to be able to cross the inlet. This was a leisurely day as low tide wasn't till  6.00pm. The tidal rise here is about 4 metres so it was with great interest that we arrived a bit early and had to wait before it was safe to cross and so watched as the water drained away!

We did do one thing that made our walking easier and that was to have our big packs taken to each hut each day, by water taxi and therefore only had to carry a day pack with our lunch and clothes essentails.

 The weather up until now had been good, but on the second day it was a bit overcast, although it only rained lightly a couple of times for our walk from Awaroa to Bark Bay. The Bark Bay has a lagoon that is also tidal and we went for a swim in the rain while the tide was still in, later we walked out to the island we had earlier swum out too.

The third day saw the weather take a turn for the worst and it rained all day with it quite persistent at times. When we arrived at Anchorage hut we were absolutely soaked through to the skin with every bit of gear wringing wet. The hut was busy with everybody trying to keep out of the weather by sheltering on the verranda. We at least had dry packs and were able to get into dry gear and try and dry some of our stuff.

On the way we took a detour to Cleopatra's pool, which involves walking along side the Torrent river, however at one point we had to cross the river and it lived up to its name by being a torrent and impassable  so we had to turn round and go back with out seeing the pool. 

The last day and it was still raining but it was only light drizzle but it persisted all day. We finally got back to Marahau where we enjoyed some hot chips and a hot chocolate while we waited for Denise to arrive on the bus from Picton.  The 4 days of walking was very enjoyable and it was great to be walking through lots of native bush, as most of the park was never cleared for farming and it has been left in its natural state. The long golden beaches and bush make for a very enjoyable environment.

Massey Memorial and Somes Island

Boxing Day - a leisurely start and then Harry and I took a picnic lunch and headed towards the Massey Memorial (aim was to find an uncrowded picnic spot around the harbour) and then a gentle walk somewhere. We found both - ate left overs and then wandered up to the Memorial - a huge marble structure on the top of a hill over looking the harbour. The only memorial of that size we can think of in Wellington. It was built in memory of William Ferguson Massey (and his wife), the Irishman who started the Reform Party and became New Zealands 19th Prime Minister in 1912. In those tumultous years he became well known for quoting "All we are and all we have is at the disposal of the British Government". Besides that he is remembered for his interests in our rural economy probably as his parents were tenant farmers who also owned a small property. They moved to New Zealand in 1869, although Bill stayed in Ireland for a bit longer to finish his studies. Although the bush walk up to the memorial and the structure itself is well looked after the walk up to the gun emplacements above was very overgrown and weedy. We agree with Peter Jackson - it is time to return the land to the people of Wellington so we can make it into a natural reserve for everyone to enjoy (we think it is owned by the Ministry of Defence like the buildings in Shelley Bay which seem to be falling into disrepair).

The next day I waved goodbye to Harry, Jim and Margot as they drove off to the ferry to begin their walk.  The floods had closed the first hut but they had managed to get a campsite at Marahau for the first night and so the walk started just a day late.  I had come to the decision just before Christmas that to walk the track would not be a sensible decision for me due to its condition (lots of slips), and catching the water taxi every day wouldn't be much fun - so in the last week I booked an appointment with the knee specialist for January and some later ferry tickets so I can meet up a bit later on and go to Farewell Spit. So, Harry will do a separate blog of his travels when he returns... It was another stunning day and I decided to go to Matiu-Somes Island (named originally by Kupe after one of his daughters Matiu more than 1000 years ago, and then renamed after the Deputy Governor of the New Zealand Company, Joseph Somes). Just a few years ago it was given the double barrelled name in recognition of its bicultural heritage. It is now a scientific and historic reserve and a regular visit is a must for me.  The island was made a reserve in 1995 and about 14 years later was included in the Treaty of Waitangi cultural redress for Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika A Maui - three inner harbour islands were returned to iwi. The island is still protected by reserve status, accessible to the public, and managed by DOC. It has heaps of history and I remember a little bit more each time I go.  The island has been:

• a human quarantine station - where many immigrants arriving on ships were cleared or hospitalised here and either recuperated or were buried. The little hospital is now a visitors centre where before it nursed those with typhoid, smallpox and scarlet fever.  One of the first things immigrants had to do was to sit in a smoke house, in chlorine, potassium nitrate and sulphur fumes, for 10 minutes to get rid of lice.  What a welcome!! One of the saddest stories is of a Chinese fruiterer, Kim Lee who they thought had leprosy.  He was isolated on Mokopuna Island, just north of Somes in 1903 and lived in the cave on the little island using packing cases for furniture and shelter. The lighthouse keeper delivered food and water to him by boat, or by flying fox when the sea was too rough. Lee died in 1904 after six months of exile and it is now thought he did not suffer from leprosy after all. 
• an animal quarantine station from 1889 - where animals lived their first couple of months in Kiwiland. They were quarantined on the island for 30-60 days to check they were free of disease. In the early 1970's a new maximum security animal quarantine station was completed and for the first time exotic breeds such as elk, red deer, alpaca and llama where imported from a range of countries rather than the standard sheep and cows from Britain, Australia and Canada. As the need for quarantine stations declined (due to importing of ova and embryos rather than live animals) the station eventually closed.
• an internment camp - and a memorial now stands looking across to Wellington in remembrance of the Italians interred there during the second world war - around 300 enemy aliens were shipped to the island together with their families and businesses.  
• a military defence position - where sheep now graze amongst the gun emplacements. 

The little lighthouse stands proudly on the south coast of the island - lighting the path for ships coming into the harbour since 1865 (well the old one was removed and is now in Timaru so it is nearly the original). I enjoyed the walk around the island, sitting watching the kakariki flit around, the gulls squawking and the lizards scuttling away as they heard my footsteps. The red and yellow flax were flowering and so was the toetoe (which is native to NZ - the larger pampas grass which is very similar was imported and we saw lots of it in Europe) and the blue gum hebe (which is actually purple). I am still yet to see a tuatara bathe in the sunshine, but did see some wetas in their manmade motels.

In the evening Sharon and Aaron came around to tidy up the rabbit hutch. We did a great job, until we lifted the floor and discovered a nest of bumble bees. I must admit I had never thought where a bumble bee lived - it is always wasps nests one finds. So, Astro isn't using that for her holiday home and after reading more about bumble bees we might follow the advice I found on http://www.bumblebee.org/faqNests.htm

"What do you do if you find a bumblebee nest? Really the best answer to this question is Do nothing! You can, of course, look forward to enjoying watching the bees come and go. The farmers who grow tomatoes under glass pay a fortune for bumblebee nests, yours is free, and at the end of the nesting period you will have a bumblebee nest to look at and examine. You can try following the bees to see if they all visit similar shape and colour flowers. In fact you should consider yourself quite lucky. However I realise that you may be worried about where the nest is located and what might happen. You may not feel lucky after all. Firstly I must reassure you that bumblebee nests are not like honey bee hives, they last only a few months, and are usually small enough to hold, and bumblebees are not as ferocious as wasps. The bees are fairly placid and are unlikely to sting unless they feel their nest is threatened. So if the nest is under the house or shed it is best just to leave it...Some of the bumblebees which make smaller nests, do sometimes chose strange places to nest. Their nests are small and in the case of B. pratorum are usually very short lived. So again, I would say leave the nest alone. If this is impossible, for example if the nest is under your rotary lawnmower that you forgot to clean last year, or in the pocket of your gardening jacket that you left in the shed at the end of last summer. You may feel that you have no choice. Well you can try to move the nest to somewhere more suitable, or even better, remove the lawnmower." If the bees are the ground nesting kind things are more difficult. The tunnel to a nest can be two metres long. This calls for quite a lot of digging, and really they are best left alone."
Sharon went and bought a new holiday home for Astro and we are taking the advice for the good of the bumble bees (and cos we don't want to get stung). And just because - here is a poem by CJ Heck who I think might be youngish. 

Today I saw a bumblebee. 
He was on a pretty rose. 
I leaned in to look at him, 
and he stung me on my nose! 
I wasn’t gonna squish him, 
only watch and see … 
but I’ll never get THAT close again 
to a grouchy grumble-bee. 

The next day we went to see the bridesmaid dress material, I had lunch with Mike and then after a bit of a lazy afternoon said goodbye to everyone before they head over to Sydney for new year.  Thursday was a trip to Otaki to take a look at the shops (in case I see something to wear for the wedding - which I didn't) and in the evening I went to see The Iron Lady - although a good movie I found it was a bit disappointing as the life of this great lady was seen through the eyes of an old person - which is an interesting story but always entwined with sadness.  Though, I guess old age comes to all of us lucky enough to see it.  The weather turned wet, windy and cold on Thursday evening (just like the weather forecasters predicted) and so I didn't get up early on Friday and only ventured out to do a bit of last minute shopping and to feed Astro.