Exploring New Zealand From the Left.

luthj

Engineer In Residence
A long defunct stream bed with strange mushroom formations. Even here, dozens of small sinkholes drop into the abyss. This is seriously not a good place to wander. I am reminded of the sand pit monsters from Star Wars…
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As so many adventures begin, we came to a crossroads in the forest. At this point our friends from the night before caught up to us. The weather had cleared a bit, and they were going to try for Mt Arthur hut as well.
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Whenever I see a time range this large, for a distance this short, I realize it will be a challenge.
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We spent the next hour threading our way through misty forest, sidling around whimsically shaped blocks of limestone and treacherous tree roots, with plenty of sinkholes and fissures as well.
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e.
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
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Some strange plants call the forests of NZ home.
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And so we crossed into the alpine herbfields once more.
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Wet snow became more common. To our surprise a weka has passed this way a few hours before. For at least 4km it followed the track. Tough birds.
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Soon the wind reached gale strength along the ridge. Despite the blowing rain, we were still mostly dry and warm from the 800 meter (gross) ascent. So we decided to push on, thinking we were closer to Mt Arthur. As we climbed up Gordons Pyramid, the rain turned to sleet, and clouds closed in. Apparently our weather forecast did not survive our ascent into the alpine. Also, $24 Amazon special direct-from-Malaysia rainpants are not waterproof in 90kph winds. I would say they are water resistant, or maybe just water frustrating. Good thing I was wearing wool thermals. For those not-in-the-know, hollow fibers such as wool retain substantial insulation value even when soaking wet. Good thing we packed the hand warmers; Jen was using them for feet and hands!
At the summit of the Pyramid, the ground was coated with freezing rain, and signs still bore a coating from the night previous. Notice Jen’s jacket on the side of the picture. Not an accident, this was the only way to keep the driving rain out of the camera! I firmly believe that these distances are not accurate. I suspect these signs were put up by the tramping club long before GPS…
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At this point we realized just how far we had left to go. Already too late to turn back, we trudged on in the wind and rain. As did a bird friend as well. This one seemed a bit large and might be a kiwi's track.
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As we descended to the other side of the range, the cloud cleared some, and the rain stopped. It was actually colder on the other side of the saddle! Starving, we found a spot out of the wind to make some quick warm soup. Only then did we discover that I had forgotten to pack the lighter. No problem, I had an igniter on the stove. It broke on the second click… No problem, I got this, spare matches. After 5 matches break, I discover that the sandpaper friction material on the box has worn off! My hands too cold to hold the matches, we give up and settle for a snack bar. After over 400km my boots waterproofing chose today to give out. With the snow frozen to my boots, my toes are numb and soaked. Wool only does so much!
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Chilled from the long descent, we are starting to reach exhaustion, we start the climb to the ridge leading to Mt Arthur. To the right is a 40-minute slog to the summit, to the left is a warm hut. At the center of this photo is Mt Arthur rising into the clouds. Obviously we take the route to the hut. Just before the hut, we pass some hunters climbing up. (It is fairly mild and sheltered down here.) They are wearing shorts, chaps, and rubber boots. I hope they didn’t go too far west!
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Sitting in the hut trying to warm my feet up, a couple come down from Mt Arthur. Apparently they had to stop before the summit due to meter-deep snow drifts. So much for that warm and clear forecast! Looking east over the valley it is sunny… So mountains do indeed make their own weather!
Here is Mt Arthur from near the Hut.
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After finally eating lunch and warming our feet, we decide to walk the remaining hour back to the car park. The hut is near capacity, and our warm foam mattress is calling. With the snow cover, climbing Mt Arthur would not be enjoyable, even if the clouds did clear.
And so we ended our outing. We have had very good weather this summer in NZ in general. There is a reason that people die in the back country here every year. At higher altitudes, it can drop below freezing any time of the year. Windchill and exhaustion can kill. Had we been hiking without the right gear, this hike could have been dangerous. Thankfully it was just a bit miserable.
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
Marlborough Sounds–French Pass and Mt Stokes

With good weather in the forecast, and some minor maintenance taken care of, we traveled North to the Marlborough Sounds.


Even on the edges of the sounds, the wind and tides from the recent ex-cyclones have left their mark.
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With a few hours on our hands we walked part of the Cable Bay walkway.
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From there we drove out to French Pass. Located between the entrance to Pelorus Sound and a nearby Island, this narrow gap varies from a few meters at high tide, to a rocky reef at low tide. The captive tide waters rush through changing direction with the peak and low tides. While treacherous to sailors, it is amazing to watch.
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This small yacht went from over 15 knots to a near standstill as it pushed against the tide.
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The beacons on the left and right mark the main channel. The left one is built on a rock only above water for about 30 minutes at lowest tide, when the current is at its fiercest.
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luthj

Engineer In Residence
A concrete base had to be poured by hand, with workers' boats slingshot-ed by a tow vessel, and grabbing hold by hand! After each concrete pour from buckets yielding about 6 inches of concrete, only 2 inches would survived the rushing tide (despite being covered).
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The standing wave upstream is over 2 meters tall.
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Here is the lighthouse. The Keeper's house is located farther uphill. A local family has had three family swim crossings of the pass, starting in 1927. I guess rural isolation and the extreme kiwi self-reliance result in great stories.
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During the spring tides, the torrent of water rushing over the reef makes a vast sea of foam that completely fills the bay beyond.

The drive out to Admiralty Bay and French pass is a winding and narrow road across the top of the ridge between the sounds.
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The next day had a forecast of clear skies in the afternoon, so we started to walk up Mt Stokes. The highest point in the sounds at over 900 meters, it is the only location in the sounds with alpine vegetation. It also has a commanding view of the sounds from all directions.

Unfortunately we had to get our of our camp site first. With several days of cool temperatures and rain, the ground was a bit muddy. As any off-road driver knows, wet grass over hard clay can be as slippery as any ice. So when backing out of our camp spot, the back of the van drifted downhill, and slid along a ditch. Normally not a big deal, but a couple of trees were in the way.
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At least it wasn’t raining too hard. So we broke out the MaxTrax (the locks weren’t rusted stuck this time!). I aired the tires down and dug a guide channel for the front wheels. The Sven saw made short work of the offending branches.
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A little corrective steering and a three-point turn had us out. Elapsed time, about 15 minutes. Of course, it took longer than that to clean the mud off the gear and from the driver's floor.
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Of course I had left our winch in storage on the North Island. Otherwise it would have taken about 5 minutes to get us out. With all the trees around (Australia never had trees when we needed them!), an off-angle pull would have done the trick. Without the tree, we could have gotten free with a bit of wheelspin and a rock or two, but breaking a window or the awning was not gonna fly.

Clear of the mud, we drove to the Stokes Car park, which was just a three-way junction in the woods… Our hike ended up being a wash, with the mountain making its own cloud cover (and gale winds). This was about the best view we got at about 1/3 the way up.
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luthj

Engineer In Residence
Queen Charlotte Sound and Blumine Island


With our departure from the South Island approaching, we were trying to knock items off our lists. Jen had a stronge desire to see the very elusive and endangered Yellowhead and Orange-Fronted Parakeet (native birds). So we arranged for a Picton-based nature tour boat to drop us off on Blumine Island for a hour or two (predator free and home to these birds). Most of the time is spent on a boat going up/down the sound. Fairly rich with wildlife, they are a worth a visit.

Some seals on the hunt.
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Cormorants (shags).
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Here is a king shag (largest species) which is found only in the sounds.
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Australian Gannets. Check out that blue eye shadow.
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A few Hector's dolphins made appearances, but they are way too fast for us.

On the island, several trees were fruiting, so a large number of Kereru (wood pigeon) were going about their business.
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The largest member of the pigeon family, these birds play a critical role in native forests. The seeds of most podocarps here are too heavy to disperse in the wind, and too large for most birds to pass them undamaged. With the Moa hunted to extinction, only the Kereru can spread the seeds of these trees in its droppings.
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A few weta boxes were along the track. Members of the weta family (something akin to a cricket) are the heaviest insects on the planet. These smaller members are sleeping the day away in their man-made holes. Predation by introduced mammals has dramatically reduced their numbers, but on predator-free islands like this one, they can be found in just about any dry nook or cranny.
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These guys are about the size of my thumb. Pretty beefy for an insect.
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We saw a good variety of other native birds, but the Parakeets and Yellowhead evaded us. With our ride on its way, we headed back to Picton.
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On the ride back were offered some local wine and mussels. Neither of us are wine drinkers, but we did try some vinaigrette-soaked, smoked, green-lipped mussels. These mussels are a NZ delicacy, and are grown in farms all along the sounds. They have a different flavor, and the smoking method made them a bit chewy for my taste. Jen couldn’t handle more than a nibble, I managed a whole one.
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luthj

Engineer In Residence
Not Just a Fluke

By Jen.
Since I was bound and determined to see these sperm whales that are regularly off the coast of Kaikoura, we made our way back to the peninsula for our third attempt. This time, learning from previous lessons, I scheduled us in the afternoon (didn’t want to be the guinea pig) and asked about the success of the day before I got our tickets. At noon, it was looking good and we were out on the water by 1:30pm. On our way out, they spotted an orca. Surprisingly (unlike the 2 other times we had been out), they made a detour to get us up close and personal with them.

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It was looking like a beautiful day!

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There was a male-and-female pair. I think this was the female (shorter dorsal).

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I think this was the male (taller dorsal and slightly bent).



The spotter thought perhaps he was mating, as he was behaving erratically.

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Landing albatross nearby.

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They were cool! But, now I was afraid that our main target (orcas can be seen everywhere) was no longer going to be in the vicinity. Supposedly, the orcas had scared off all the marine mammals on our last two trips out. We went out to the location where the whales had last been seen, and sure enough, there was no sign or sound. Just as I was mentally preparing my spiel on why I should be reimbursed 100% and not 80% this time around, our spotter let out a big yell. She and I had already come inside and were preparing to leave. We caught the tail-end of a sperm-whale breach just off the port side of the boat! I didn’t get to see it in the air, but the waves it sent up were massive! Whale spotted!

Not our photo, but here is what is looks like when 40ft of whale exit the water.

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There were two of these gentlemen in the vicinity. Both were snoozing quite a bit.

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Sperm whales are unique with their spouting, as instead of a hole on the top of their head and centered, it is forward and off to the side. See how the water is coming from the left side of his head (viewing from behind)? It also is at a 45 angle (see below).

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Watch this beauty deep dive!

After he dove, we drove away to see the other whale, but apparently he missed the crowds, as he decided to do a breach to bring us back! This was followed by another breach. Sadly, all I ever saw was the aftermath, which itself was impressive (water as high the boat).

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They had some interesting rippling on their backs. Not sure if it was muscle or scar tissue. These giants’ favorite food is squid, especially the giant squid in the deep darks of the ocean. The giant squid fight for their lives with tentacles and claws.

It was time to head back in, and we were behind schedule. But, as we approached the harbor, we passed the marine mammals that stole first place in my book. Hundreds of dusky dolphins were on their way back out to see and doing amazing antics! There were so many doing such fun feats that it was difficult to know where to focus.




Check out those backflips!


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No photoshopping or trickery here! Literally a 2-3m jump! Maybe more! The dolphin is about 2m in length.

Dusky and common dolphins. The common are fairly rare here and have a yellow-ish underside, which are the group at the end of the video.

Dolphins swimming right next to the boat.



I had sent my oldest nephew a postcard with these fellows on them doing an impressive jump. I thought it was probably a bit deceiving, though (use of angles or photoshop, etc). But, boy, was I wrong! These impressive little guys can do some aerobatics. And, they were fast. You could tell that they wanted the boat to go faster so they could use the waves better. They were a lovely end to the day.
 

sg1

Adventurer
Thank you for that wonderful trip report. It is perfect timing because we will start our 7 week trip through NZ in January. Like you we will use a Sprinter van, in our case a rented 2017 2wd camper van.
Regards Stefan
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
Changing Islands

By Jen.
It is finally here. We have finished our South-Island adventures. We have done everything we wanted to do that we could do with the weather and time available. There are a few more things that would have been nice to cross off the list, but they will just have to wait until our next visit. Maybe by then most of the earthquake damage will have been repaired and the things we couldn’t see because of that will be available. For our last day on the island, we visited the northern coast along the Cook Strait, specifically Marfell’s Beach.

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If you look closely, you can see the hills of the North Island in the distance.

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Then, on Saturday, April 21, we got on the Bluebridge Ferry and crossed over. This time, the ferry was larger and newer, which probably helped. It was also a calmer day. We watched a free viewing of “Daddy’s Home 2” on the way, and by the time it finished, we were almost to the North Island.

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View from the ferry.
We had some mail sent to us here, but as it was a weekend, we would have to spend 2 nights in Wellington area. It was just as well, as there were plenty of things to see, and I only have so much energy for in-town visits. Our first stop was the Beehive, NZ’s Parliament building. We found the war memorial on the way over to be interesting.

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The Beehive.
Second stop was the Te Papa Tongarewa museum. Their building is earthquake proof! The pillars are set upon some sturdy rubber-steel-lead pads that allow the earth to move under it while dampening the movement above it.

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One of the pads under the foundation.

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A pad’s cross-section construction. The horizontal slats are steel. The vertical shafts are filled with flexible lead.

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Evidence of an earthquake since installation. Doesn’t look like a big one, though.
The museum did a good job of showing how much human habitation has changed the islands. Both natural and human history was well represented.

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There was an very entertaining display about kakapo (critically-endangered, flightless night parrot) and the recovery program. These tools were (unsuccessfully) used to try to gather data about kakapo semen. They had a semen collecting hat and a faux female.

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The Polynesian navigators that populated NZ 800 years ago used coconuts to find their way back to an island! Apparently they would take a coconut or gourd and poke a couple of holes in it. One for the eye on one side, on the other side a designated star at its zenith. There was also a ring of holes near the bottom so that when they would fill it with water, it would create an artificial horizon so that you would not be using the wrong angle. Once you got lined up properly with the star, you were on the island’s correct latitude. Now you just had to go east or west along the latitude to get back to the island. Crazy, huh?

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Jonathan liked the bike.
For lunch, we drove up to Mt Victoria lookout.


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Afterwards, we walked along the boardwalk to the art museum. Passing by a gelato place, I decided to treat ourselves with some. It was delicious.

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We saw this bridge on the way in and I definitely wanted a picture.

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The star of the show at the art gallery was this Maori-themed piano.
By then, I was exhausted, so we called it a day. Though, we did go to a movie. Decided to watch Ready Player One, which was quite fun. Apparently while we were out, someone tried to take our spot at our campground, but thankfully our neighbors defended our spot and we were able to continue our touring the next day.
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
Wellington and Cape Palliser

Some fun weather facts about Wellington:

Rain: 125 days a year, totaling 1240mm (48 inches)
Wind: 64 days a year with gusts over 96kph (60mph)
Temperatures: Average daily between 8-20C (46-68F) with minimal seasonal variation.

Some 98% of the native forest on the Wellington Peninsula has been cleared for farming/industry/housing. Of the remaining 2%, about half is in the hills above Wellington proper and is a large park and bush reserve. So naturally we had to visit. We navigated the steep-and-sometimes-narrow residential streets (maze-like sometimes) up the rolling hills above the city, and snagged a parking spot (never a guarantee here).

Shortly after entering the park (which was mostly empty of people), we stumbled on a very laid back young kaka hunting for grubs in an old tree. Jen was flabbergasted that we had managed to find one in an urban area on the North Island after we had scoured the South Island to see only 1 overhead and Stewart Island only to see 2 up close and several from a distance.
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Our goal was to hike a few km back into the park, where an 800 year old rimu tree grows.
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At over 60ft tall, it's a big one! This tree was well established by the time Maori settled in this region.

Nearby some different locals had left their mark in a fern tree trunk.
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To our surprise, the bizarre lancewood tree, actually grows into a tree! It just takes a few decades for them to get tall enough. To the right are the young ones, the taller tree-like lancewood is at the center.
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luthj

Engineer In Residence
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This one is known as a "kaka's beak."
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From here we headed south around Cape Palliser. The soft rock here makes for some interesting formations as water erodes.
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This is a California Quail (obviously not from NZ!).
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A few hundred steps brought us to another great lighthouse vista.
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I was feeling the burn about step 180.
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luthj

Engineer In Residence
South Island by the Numbers

This will actually cover both South Island and Stewart/Ulva Islands, as we are too lazy to separate them out. So, here are some interesting statistics about travels through NZ's southern half.

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For an interactive map, visit this link: https://goo.gl/maps/qTYf8yXgF7n
  • Time
    • Time zone:
      • UTC+12:00
      • DOES participates in DST.
    • Day entered: 26-Dec-2017
    • Day left: 21-Apr-2018
    • Total # of days: 116
      • Nights slept in van: 107
      • Nights slept in tent: 3
      • Nights slept in hotel/etc.: 6
      • Nights paying for lodging: 21 (does not include places where purchased passes were used)
  • Distance
    • Driven: ~15,455 km (~9,659.5 miles)
    • Hiked: 424.1 km (290 miles)
      DateLocationDescriptionDistance (km)Distance (mi)
      12/27/2017​
      Nelson Lakes NPPinchgut & Paddy's tracks
      9.4​
      5.875​
      12/28/2017​
      Nelson Lakes NPMurray Creek Goldfield Tracks
      11.7​
      7.3125​
      12/30/2017​
      Arthur's Pass NPAvalanche & Scotts Tracks
      6.2​
      3.875​
      1/1/2018​
      Cave Stream Scenic Res.Loop Walk
      0.9​
      0.5625​
      1/1/2018​
      Cave Stream Scenic Res.Reserve Lookout
      0.11​
      0.06875​
      1/1/2018​
      Hatarake Conservation ParkMt Sunday Summit
      1.5​
      0.9375​
      1/2/2018​
      Rakaia GorgeLower Gorge Lookout
      3.4​
      2.125​
      1/3/2018​
      Lake TekapoMt John Summit Circuit Track
      3​
      1.875​
      1/4/2018​
      Ruataniwha Conservation ParkBen Ohau Summit
      10​
      6.25​
      1/5/2018​
      Clay CliffsWalk
      0.6​
      0.375​
      1/13/2018​
      Cullen Point Scenic Res.Lookout
      1.1​
      0.6875​
      1/13/2018​
      Kaipupu Wildlife SanctuaryLoop Walk
      2.5​
      1.5625​
      1/16/2018​
      Pelorus Bridge Scenic Res.Totara Walk + River Access
      1​
      0.625​
      1/17/2018​
      Pelorus Bridge Scenic Res.Elvy Waterfalls
      3.5​
      2.1875​
      1/18/2018​
      KaikouraKaikoura Peninsula Walkway
      3.4​
      2.125​
      1/19/2018​
      OaroHaumuri Bluff
      10​
      6.25​
      1/20/2018​
      Mt FyffeFyffe Track
      8​
      5​
      1/22/2018​
      Lake Sumner Forest ParkHope Kiwi Track
      14​
      8.75​
      1/23/2018​
      Lewis Pass National Res.Lewis Pass Tops Track
      5​
      3.125​
      1/25/2018​
      GoldsboroughGoldsborough Track
      3.5​
      2.1875​
      1/25/2018​
      GoldsboroughTunnel Terrace Track
      1​
      0.625​
      1/25/2018​
      Arthur's Pass NPDobson Nature Walk
      1.5​
      0.9375​
      1/26/2018​
      Cave Stream Scenic Res.Cave Walk
      1​
      0.625​
      1/26/2018​
      Kura Tāwhiti Cons. AreaKura Tāwhiti (Castle Hill) Access
      1.4​
      0.875​
      1/27/2018​
      Mt. Thomas Forest Cons. ParkSummit & Wooded Gully Tracks
      2.8​
      1.75​
      1/29/2018​
      Peel Forest Park Scenic Res.Big Tree Walk
      0.8​
      0.5​
      2/2/2018​
      DunedinTunnel Beach Walk
      2​
      1.25​
      2/2/2018​
      Catlins Coastal AreaNugget Point/Tokata Lighthouse
      1.8​
      1.125​
      2/2/2018​
      Catlins Coastal AreaJack's Blowhole
      1.48​
      0.925​
      2/3/2018​
      Catlins Rain Forest ParkCatlins River Track (Frank Creek to Wallis Stream)
      7​
      4.375​
      2/4/2018​
      Catlins Coastal AreaPicnic Point
      1.2​
      0.75​
      2/4/2018​
      Catlins Coastal AreaKings Rock
      3.32​
      2.075​
      2/4/2018​
      Catlins Coastal AreaSlope Point
      1.6​
      1​
      2/6/2018​
      ClifdonCaves
      0.2​
      0.125​
      2/7/2018​
      Fiordland NPLookout Bluff
      2.9​
      1.8125​
      2/8/2018​
      Fiordland NPMt Burns Tops
      5​
      3.125​
      2/9/2018​
      Fiordland NPCircle Track
      6.9​
      4.3125​
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
2/11/2018​
Mavora Lakes Cons. ParkMavora Walkway
4​
2.5​
2/12/2018​
Caples Conservation AreaCaples Track: Greenstone Car Park to Mid Caples Hut
9​
5.625​
2/13/2018​
Caples Conservation AreaCaples Track: Mid Caples Hut to McKellar Hut
22​
13.75​
2/14/2018​
Greenstone Cons. AreaGreenstone Track: McKellar Hut to Greenstone Hut
18​
11.25​
2/15/2018​
Greenstone Cons. AreaGreenstone Track: Greenstone Hut to Greenstone Car Park
12​
7.5​
2/17/2018​
Mt Aspiring NPRob Roy Glacier
10​
6.25​
2/18/2018​
Mt Aspiring NPBlue Pools Walk
1.5​
0.9375​
2/22/2018​
Southern Paparoa RangeCroesus Track: Smoke-Ho Creek Car Park to Ces Clark Hut
8​
5​
2/22/2018​
Southern Paparoa RangeCroesus Track: Smoke-Ho Creek Car Park to Ces Clark Hut
8​
5​
2/23/2018​
Southern Paparoa RangeCroesus Track: Ces Clark Hut to Moonlight Track
10​
6.25​
2/28/2018​
Buller Gorge SwingbridgeLoop Walk
1.5​
0.9375​
2/28/2018​
Buller Gorge SwingbridgeForest Gold Walk
1​
0.625​
3/1/2018​
Cape FoulwindWalkway
3​
1.875​
3/2/2018​
Kahurangi NPMoria Gate/Mirror Tarn Loop Track
4.1​
2.5625​
3/2/2018​
Kahurangi NPOparara Arch Walk
2​
1.25​
3/2/2018​
Kahurangi NPBox Canyon & Crazy Paving Caves
0.2​
0.125​
3/6/2018​
Abel Tasman NPCoast Track: Totaranui to Waiharakeke
4.4​
2.75​
3/7/2018​
Abel Tasman NPCoast Track: Waiharakeke to Onetahuti Bay
5​
3.125​
3/8/2018​
Abel Tasman NPCoast Track: Onetahuti Bay to Observation Beach
19​
11.875​
3/9/2018​
Abel Tasman NPCoast Track: Observation Beach to Marahau
10​
6.25​
3/11/2018​
Paparoa NPInland Pack Track: Fox River Mouth to Ballroom Overhang
15​
9.375​
3/11/2018​
Paparoa NPPunakaiki Cavern
0.26​
0.1625​
3/11/2018​
Paparoa NPPancake Rocks
1.1​
0.6875​
3/12/2018​
Hokitika Gorge Scen. Res.Hokitika Gorge Walk
1.3​
0.8125​
3/12/2018​
Westland Tai Poutini NPKā Roimata o Hine Hukatere Walk
5.4​
3.375​
3/13/2018​
Westland Tai Poutini NPŌkārito Wetland Walk
1​
0.625​
3/13/2018​
Westland Tai Poutini NPFranz Josef Valley Glacier Access
3.88​
2.425​
3/13/2018​
Westland Tai Poutini NPFox Glacier River Walk
1.2​
0.75​
3/13/2018​
Ship CreekSwamp Forest Walk
0.7​
0.4375​
3/13/2018​
Ship CreekDune Lake Walk
0.95​
0.59375​
3/14/2018​
Mount Aspiring NPHaast Pass Lookout Track
1.36​
0.85​
3/16/2018​
Fiordland NPBorland Nature Walk
1.6​
1​
3/17/2018​
Fiordland NPGreen Lake Walk (lost boots after)
5​
3.125​
3/22/2018​
Fiordland NPThe Chasm
1​
0.625​
3/23/2018​
Fiordland NPKey Summit
7.24​
4.525​
3/23/2018​
Fiordland NPLake Marian
3.96​
2.475​
3/24/2018​
Fiordland NPGertrude Saddle
8.6​
5.375​
3/26/2018​
Oban (Stewart Island)Ackers Point
7.54​
4.7125​
3/26/2018​
Oban (Stewart Island)Bathing Beach
6​
3.75​
3/27/2018​
Rakiura NPUlva Island
4.05​
2.53125​
3/28/2018​
Mt Aspiring NPInvincible Gold Mine Track
4​
2.5​
3/30/2018​
Mt Cook NPBlue Lakes Track
0.84​
0.525​
3/30/2018​
Mt Cook NPTasman Lake Track
2.84​
1.775​
3/30/2018​
Mt Cook NPHooker Valley Track
9.82​
6.1375​
4/7/2018​
Lewis PassLake Daniells Track
16.8​
10.5​
4/8/2018​
Takaka HillHawkes Lookout Track
0.4​
0.25​
4/8/2018​
Canaan Downs Scen. Res.Harwoods Hole
4.4​
2.75​
4/9/2018​
Farewell Spit & Puponga Farm ParkFarewell Spit Viewpoint
0.2​
0.125​
4/9/2018​
Farewell Spit & Puponga Farm ParkBeach walk
2​
1.25​
4/9/2018​
Farewell Spit & Puponga Farm ParkWharariki Beach
2​
1.25​
4/9/2018​
Te Waikoropupū Springs Scen. Res.Te Waikoropupū Springs
0.705​
0.440625​
4/10/2018​
Kahurangi NPPupu Hydro Walkway
6.42​
4.0125​
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
    • 4/10/2018​
      The Grove Scenic Res.Walkway
      1​
      0.625​
      4/12/2018​
      Kahurangi NPTableland Circuit: Flora Car Park to Salisbury Lodge
      14​
      8.75​
      4/13/2018​
      Kahurangi NPTableland Circuit: Salisbury Lodge to Mt Arthur Hut via Potholes
      10.4​
      6.5​
      4/13/2018​
      Kahurangi NPTableland Circuit: Mt Arthur Hut to Flora Car Park
      3.6​
      2.25​
      4/15/2018​
      Marlborough SoundsCableway Walkway: Glenduan Loop
      4.1​
      2.5625​
      4/17/2018​
      Marlborough SoundsMt Stokes Track
      6​
      3.75​
      4/18/2018​
      Blumine Island Scen. Res.Oruawairua Track
      2​
      1.25​
      4/20/2018​
      Marfell's BeachCape Campbell Route
      2​
      1.25​
      Totals:
      424.1
      290
    • Fuel fill-ups: 31
  • Money
    • Total spent: $5,555.80 USD ($7,610.69 NZD)
      • Consists of the costs of traveling full time in the South Island, Stewart Island, and Ulva Island
      • Does not include gear or van conversion costs
      • Does include 1 ferry crossing
    • Average cost per day: $47.89 USD ($65.61 NZD)
    • Average cost of diesel: $1.238 NZD per liter ($3.420 USD per gallon)
  • National Parks visited: 9
    • Nelson Lakes
    • Arthur's Pass
    • Fiordland
    • Mt Aspiring
    • Kahurangi
    • Abel Tasman
    • Paparoa
    • Westland Tai Poutini
    • Rakiura (Stewart Island)

Interesting observations about the South Island:
  1. Although it is the largest island (more than half of the total landmass), the South Island has less than a quarter of the population, only having about 1.116 million residents.
  2. The population density is about 7.4 /km2 (19.2 /sq mi).
  3. It is the 12 largest island in the world.
  4. It houses 8 of NZ’s 14 national parks, and Stewart Island houses another.
  5. It has all 15 of NZ’s fiords (glacier-carved valleys that run into the sea).
  6. It is also home to the tallest mountain in NZ (39th in the world): Aoraki/Mt Cook (3724m or 12,349ft above sea level).
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
Rivendell, Car Museum, and Manawatu Gorge
By Jen.

After refreshing ourselves in the rural cape, we decided to head back into town. On the way, though, I spotted a sign that said “Rivendell.” So, after verifying that it was the actual Rivendell site from the LOTR movies, I had Jonathan turn the van around and we went for quick stop. Of course, it looks really nothing like the movie, with all the props and sets removed. Plus, the waterfalls and such were filmed elsewhere and added via CG.

C013_NZ NI Rivendell_2018-04-24_DSCN8883

C011_NZ NI Rivendell_2018-04-24_DSCN8881

Our next stop of interest was at the Southward Car Museum. Jonathan and I both like cars, just very differently, so we thought this might be a fun diversion that wasn’t our typical outing.

C018_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8888
We were of course greeted by a racecar filmed in Top Gear.

C021_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8891

C023_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8893

P04_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_JML_IMG_20180425_091350

C030_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8900
Let’s not forget Back to the Future’s DeLorean.

C031_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8901
Standard old car? Think again. Steam-driven.

P07_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_JML_IMG_20180425_092344

C047_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8917
The original back-seat driver.

C050_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8920
3-wheeled rollover hazards.

C054_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8924
Think electric cars are a thing of the future? They are also a relic of the past.

C057_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8927

C066_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8936
Custom-made copper car!
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence

C070_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8940

C077_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8947
A Philippino.

C083_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8953

C097_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8967
Second-generation Toyota Corolla. This model has been selling for over 40 years, with an average of one very 40 seconds!

C104_NZ NI Southward Car Museum_2018-04-25_DSCN8974
A very early motorcycle.
After that, we made our way to Palmerston North to pick up some mail. They have one of the few rivers in the world that runs across a mountain range (instead of down/perpendicular to it). So, we thought we give it a look.

DSCN8983
This is the Manawatu River flowing through the Manawatu Gorge. The gorge road is currently closed while they stabilize the walls to prevent landslides.

DSCN8984
Nikau palms; the most-southerly growing palms. These are probably hundreds of years old. The ones that just barely have a visible trunk can be older than I am.

DSCN8986
Apparently standard tree rings don’t apply to the pepper tree that they have here.

DSCN8994
It has a mountain range on both sides of the river.

DSCN9006

DSCN9016
A native passionfruit vine. I tried them; they are not as good as commercially-available passionfruit.
Fun Fact: The vehicle registration system is a public database here. So, when you call in to a towing service or go into an auto parts store, etc., they ask for your vehicle's registration #. They plug it in and it fills in all the stuff they normally ask you (VIN, Year, Make, Model, etc.). Very helpful!
 

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