I think the kids at the window have done this before.
It was nice that someone enjoyed the sea.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Riding the Waves Ye Ha!
I think the kids at the window have done this before.
It was nice that someone enjoyed the sea.
Friday, October 30, 2009
The Interislander, Moderate Seas, and all the Ice Cubes You Want at No Charge!
A brief walk about the church grounds, a lovely breakfast, and we were driving to Picton.
We took the scenic track and stopped to photograph the view through the sounds.
As we took the final descent into Picton, we saw a mother duck trying to get her ducklings to the water. They had to cross the road! As they ducked--what else?--several cars while we watched, we jumped in the car and drove off before we had to see something tragic.
We boarded the ferry and notice a strong smell--Lucy found out there were several cattle cars on board.
Terry wondered if cattle get seasick.
The sign at the ferry lot said that seas were 'moderate.' They had been 'smooth' for our last trip. The first hour was fine, we were in the sound. We ate and drank. Benajmin and Emily got tickets to Night at the Museum II. We got window seats at the front of deck 7. As we left the sound, and saw the rough seas ahead, the crew announce that deck 10 was closed. No one was allowed outside up there. We didn't get seasick, but lots of other folks did. "Don't go out on the side deck" one husband told his wife and kids, "everyone out there is sick." The crew ran about passing out cups of ice and trying to keep the toilets working.
After 45 minutes, the ship moved closer to North Island and calmer seas. We drove off and headed north. We were land sick again and looking forward to a good night's sleep on land.
Click here for 13 photos.
We took the scenic track and stopped to photograph the view through the sounds.
As we took the final descent into Picton, we saw a mother duck trying to get her ducklings to the water. They had to cross the road! As they ducked--what else?--several cars while we watched, we jumped in the car and drove off before we had to see something tragic.
We boarded the ferry and notice a strong smell--Lucy found out there were several cattle cars on board.
Terry wondered if cattle get seasick.
The sign at the ferry lot said that seas were 'moderate.' They had been 'smooth' for our last trip. The first hour was fine, we were in the sound. We ate and drank. Benajmin and Emily got tickets to Night at the Museum II. We got window seats at the front of deck 7. As we left the sound, and saw the rough seas ahead, the crew announce that deck 10 was closed. No one was allowed outside up there. We didn't get seasick, but lots of other folks did. "Don't go out on the side deck" one husband told his wife and kids, "everyone out there is sick." The crew ran about passing out cups of ice and trying to keep the toilets working.
After 45 minutes, the ship moved closer to North Island and calmer seas. We drove off and headed north. We were land sick again and looking forward to a good night's sleep on land.
Click here for 13 photos.
Night 6, "Do you mean THE College Station?"
We checked into the lovely backpackers and took a walk around the neighborhood.
We went up the main hill to see the church--it was a rainy day when we were there before.
We walked about and found a brew pub for supper. We were exhausted and our land sickness was hitting hard. The tables and chairs wouldn't stop moving. Our drive had added to the feeling. Benjamin couldn't finish his dinner.
We didn't know that we could pay at the bar at any time--each place is a bit different. We chatted with the waitress, who is from the U.K.
Finally, Lucy took the kids to the backpackers while I settled the bill.
The co-owner brought me the check and explained that usually customers just pay at the bar. He was concerned that we were upset--I told him that the kids were just tired.
He and I had a great chat about how much we like NZ. He's from the U.K. and is happy to be here. We talked about the youngsters not appreciating how nice NZ is.
As he handed me the receipt, he asked "So where are you from?"
Usually, I just say 'from the U.S.' or 'from Texas.'
This time I said "College Station, Texas."
He pulled the recipt back. "Where?" He looked stunned.
"College Station, Texas" I said again, a bit louder.
"THE College Station, Texas???" he asked, incredulous.
He shook my hand hard and broke into a great smile.
"I've meet someone from College Station, Texas! Oh my! Where Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett wrote the porch song! I'm a great Robert Earl Keen fan and I like Lovett too. My goodness, this is great."
So we had a long chat about B/CS and he made me promise to become a friend on his Facebook page for the bar. I did.
I went back to room. We slept off our land sickness, but we had to take the Interislander back to North Island.
Click for the Nelson Jazz Club
We went up the main hill to see the church--it was a rainy day when we were there before.
We walked about and found a brew pub for supper. We were exhausted and our land sickness was hitting hard. The tables and chairs wouldn't stop moving. Our drive had added to the feeling. Benjamin couldn't finish his dinner.
We didn't know that we could pay at the bar at any time--each place is a bit different. We chatted with the waitress, who is from the U.K.
Finally, Lucy took the kids to the backpackers while I settled the bill.
The co-owner brought me the check and explained that usually customers just pay at the bar. He was concerned that we were upset--I told him that the kids were just tired.
He and I had a great chat about how much we like NZ. He's from the U.K. and is happy to be here. We talked about the youngsters not appreciating how nice NZ is.
As he handed me the receipt, he asked "So where are you from?"
Usually, I just say 'from the U.S.' or 'from Texas.'
This time I said "College Station, Texas."
He pulled the recipt back. "Where?" He looked stunned.
"College Station, Texas" I said again, a bit louder.
"THE College Station, Texas???" he asked, incredulous.
He shook my hand hard and broke into a great smile.
"I've meet someone from College Station, Texas! Oh my! Where Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett wrote the porch song! I'm a great Robert Earl Keen fan and I like Lovett too. My goodness, this is great."
So we had a long chat about B/CS and he made me promise to become a friend on his Facebook page for the bar. I did.
I went back to room. We slept off our land sickness, but we had to take the Interislander back to North Island.
Click for the Nelson Jazz Club
Day 6, We Return to Nelson
The water taxi arrived and we piled in with the other riders. The crew loaded the kayaks and away we went. Farewell, Able Tasman! The taxi returned us to Marahau, where our car was parked for the week.
The tide was out and the beach was huge. Just as I was wondering how far we'd have to walk to reach the seawall, the water taxi lurched and its engine stopped.
We heard a wench running, then, a tractor throttled up and we went on. They drove the full water taxi right up onto a trailer and a tractor was pulling us along the sand.
We were back! (You can see another boat/trailer/tractor behind us to our left.)
We were wet. The wind was strong and cold.
The car was in direct sun--nice and warm.
We drove to Nelson. We didn't know that we were landsick. The up/down/left/right driving felt natural after spending 26 hours on water. It would hit us in the restaurant.
Click here for 4 photos.
The tide was out and the beach was huge. Just as I was wondering how far we'd have to walk to reach the seawall, the water taxi lurched and its engine stopped.
We heard a wench running, then, a tractor throttled up and we went on. They drove the full water taxi right up onto a trailer and a tractor was pulling us along the sand.
We were back! (You can see another boat/trailer/tractor behind us to our left.)
We were wet. The wind was strong and cold.
The car was in direct sun--nice and warm.
We drove to Nelson. We didn't know that we were landsick. The up/down/left/right driving felt natural after spending 26 hours on water. It would hit us in the restaurant.
Click here for 4 photos.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Day 6, We Worship Kayaking Beelzebub; Otto Returns
The water taxi took us along the red path in this photo:
We paddled back to Anchorage Bay for our water taxi back to civilization.
We had a great lunch on the beach--fresh made coffee!--and spent some time sailing the kayaks. The sailing path appears in yellow.
Our instructor, Steve, had us put the kayaks together as a raft. Ben and I had a kayak at the right end and another fellow and his friend had the kayak at the left. Lucy and Emily's kayak was in the middle and their job was to hold the raft together.
Steve tied a tarp to two paddles and the other kayaker and Terry held the paddles up while Benjamin and another kayaker held the front of the tarp down. The strong north wind drove us along and saved us a lot of paddling. We were able to return to Anchorage. Without the sailing we would have stopped short and waited for the water taxi farther north.
Then, while we waited for the water taxi, we started chatting with the German fellow who was in the 3rd kayak. "Yes, I was on Waiheke Island a few weeks ago. It is beautiful. I walked all the way from Matiatia to Stoney Batter."
"You walked," Lucy exclaimed, "my, how did you get back?"
"Well an American family picked me up" he said and then took a good look at us. "You picked me up!"
Yes, we found Otto the backpacker again and spent a day kayaking with him. He was alone at Stoney Batter but had managed to meet a woman who was now traveling around New Zealand with him.
We had to get a group photo for the blog.
Click here for 24 photos.
Night 5, The Backpackers Hotel Boat
When the water taxi collected us, we had finished walking for 33.0 miles. We have 47 total backpacking miles since we got here.
The backpackers hostel was a great change with supper and breakfast provided.
http://www.aquapackers.co.nz/index.php
After breakfast on day 6, our water taxi came to take us kayaking.
Click here for 6 photos.
The backpackers hostel was a great change with supper and breakfast provided.
http://www.aquapackers.co.nz/index.php
After breakfast on day 6, our water taxi came to take us kayaking.
Click here for 6 photos.
Day 5, Backtrack from Whariwharangi to Totaranui 7.5 km / 4.6 miles
There were more groups at the last hut than at Awaroa; however, the place still felt empty.
The German fellow we saw at earlier huts rejoined us. He had crossed the Awaroa inlet at 4 p.m. and stayed in a tent rather than rise at 3:30 a.m. like we had done.
Emily and I had started a fire--the posted instructions helped--but it looked like it would die. The German fellow opened the firebox and spray some of his cooking fuel over the wood. After that, the fire was hot enough to dry and ignite any wood that we added.
An American woman arrived very late--as we were going to sleep--and she had traveled from Bark Bay to Whariwharangi in a single day. Yikes! She was tall, a fast walker, and had a light pack.
We had to get to Totaranui by 3:15 p.m. and meet our water taxi. We wanted to see Separation Point and look for seals. We had to get going.
We started with the red path until we reached the green path to the point. The blue path brought us back to the red trail. We only had to go 1/2 way.
The Water Taxi made several stops; they picked up an Aggie couple!
Click here for 29 photos.
The German fellow we saw at earlier huts rejoined us. He had crossed the Awaroa inlet at 4 p.m. and stayed in a tent rather than rise at 3:30 a.m. like we had done.
Emily and I had started a fire--the posted instructions helped--but it looked like it would die. The German fellow opened the firebox and spray some of his cooking fuel over the wood. After that, the fire was hot enough to dry and ignite any wood that we added.
An American woman arrived very late--as we were going to sleep--and she had traveled from Bark Bay to Whariwharangi in a single day. Yikes! She was tall, a fast walker, and had a light pack.
We had to get to Totaranui by 3:15 p.m. and meet our water taxi. We wanted to see Separation Point and look for seals. We had to get going.
We started with the red path until we reached the green path to the point. The blue path brought us back to the red trail. We only had to go 1/2 way.
The Water Taxi made several stops; they picked up an Aggie couple!
Click here for 29 photos.
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