The Wild Side

Happy 1st Birthday, Elizabeth! Wish we could be there to enjoy some cake and ice cream with you!!

New Zealand's South Island's wild west side is stunning and untouched. More than 80% of the land of the West Coast is under conservancy - still a remote, untamed frontier rich in scenic beauty.

We started out the morning at Cape Foulwind – named by James Cook for the strong, wild winds and rains he encountered here in 1770. It was a bit of a cloudy, somewhat windy day – add some foul weather it would be very wild and wicked here. Too rough this morning for us to venture out along the rocks to the seal colony and lighthouse.

Along the Buller River Gorge we stopped to walk across New Zealand’s longest swingbridge. The Buller Gorge Swingbridge is 360' long, suspended 55' over the turbulent Buller River. A muddy nature walk along the far side took us across the fault line & the epicentre of the 1929 Murchison earthquake, a high-water marker showing the exceptionally high flood levels of 1998 and 2010 and a small settlement where gold diggers panned over 120 years ago - including the interesting history and life of Bridget Goodwin, “Little Biddy”, a small 4’tall Irish gold-digger and her men.

We crossed the Owen River (sorry, Owen, Gpa was driving too fast - only got a picture of the sign), stopped in at the Wairua Hop Garden – a former dairy, now large hop farm and processing facility - and on to Nelson with more breweries - McCashin’s Brewery with a really good Stoke Dark, and we went to church again at The Free House (an Old Reformed church) and its Flavourtorium nano-brewery.

Working our way back to Picton, we returned to the Marlborough Wine Region and stopped at the Saint Clair Winery. Fell in love with their award winning 2021 Pinot Noir. Visited the Return to Eden Art Gallery. Returned to Picton in time to watch some youth launch their small boats and sailing class. And Gpa had a chance to try the popular Whitebait Fish sandwich - basically eggs holding a bunch of small fish together sandwiched between a couple pieces of white bread. Gpa claims it was Soooo Gooood! Pretty sure would not be a Gkids' breakfast favorite.

Early to bed, Early to rise to catch the early ferry back to Wellington / North Island.

Have a Good Night,
XOXOXOXO
Gma & Gpa