Tuesday 25 February 2014

HOT AND COLD RUNNING WATER

Back at home, the nearby village of Meriden is reputed to be the center of England.  Here in North Island, Taupo on the shores of Lake Taupo is pretty much the geographic center too.  But any similarities end there as this is volcano country.


The huge Lake Taupo is the crater of a massive eruption; apparently the largest in the world over the last 5000 years.  The whole region remains active and there is evidence of geothermal activity all around.  There are a number of thermal spas and walks in the area, even the outdoor pool at our holiday park is geothermally heated and was a very pleasant 32 degrees Centigrade during our swims.

Craters of the Moon Thermal Area


Wairakei Thermal Valley

New Zealand's longest river, the mighty Waikato River drains Lake Taupo and within a few hundred metres of the lake the gorge narrows to create the impressive Huka Falls.  Options for viewing include the walking trails, roadside viewpoint and also from the river itself.  The Huka Falls Jet Boat and the more sedate Huka Falls River Cruise jockey for position and each claim the best view!

Huka Falls River Cruise


Huka Falls Jet Boat

Both boats pass the Wairakei Geothermal Power Station on the way to the falls. Superheated steam and hot water are drawn through a line of bright metal pipes from the nearby steam field.  The condensed steam and spent warm water are then discharged into the Waikato River with sulphurous odors.

A little further down stream, at the Aratiatia Dam the original course of the river has been diverted to feed the Aratiatia Hydro Power Station.  A condition of the development is that the sluice gates are opened several times a day for fifteen minutes to flood the rapids.  This is mainly as a spectacle for tourists and there are walking trails to access the viewpoints down the rapids.

Aratiatia Rapids

The hot and cold running waters of the Taupo area provided a fascinating attraction for us but they are just a sample of what is available here.  There are numerous other activities both on and off the lake.  No wonder this is such a popular holiday destination for Kiwis and international visitors alike.

Sunday 23 February 2014

NO DEPRESSION DINNER

Sometimes things just fall into place.  So it was with our visit to nearby Napier from our base in Hastings; it just happened to coincide with the annual Art Deco Weekend.


Art Deco Weekend is a festival that celebrates the town's rich Art Deco influence as the distinctive architecture style was chosen when Napier was rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1931.




With jazz, classic cars, historic aircraft, competitions and fine dining, the festival attracts visitors from all over the country and internationally; most seemed to be in period dress too.

Jazz on the Beach

Classic Cars


The main street was closed to traffic for a series of soap box car races.  Clearly parents had been busy perfecting the design of these gravity powered racers before entrusting them to their youngsters to drive.  The safety barriers were lined with spectators.  Clearly great fun was being had.

Soap Box Racers

Part of the Marine Parade was also closed to through traffic for a concourse show of the beautifully prepared vintage cars which were frequently cruising the parade with occupants in full costume.




According to one of the organisers who accosted us for a visitor survey, we should definitely look out for the Gatsby Picnic on the sea front.  Apparently great effort would be made in a "little bit of showing off and one-upmanship". Walking along the front we observed much anxiety amongst picnickers as they tried to keep their gazebos tethered and hang on to their 1930s hats in the strong winds.  We could see what our tipster meant; there were glorious displays of 'luncheon spreads' everywhere and wonderful costumes.

Gatsby Picnic Luncheon


With all the distraction in town we only briefly covered some of the pretty gardens and architecture.  Inevitably we did get drawn to the lookout point at Bluff Hill but we did not get to the Old Port, the Gannet Colony at Cape Kidnappers or any of the Hawkes Bay wineries; and we didn't get invited to the Depression Dinner.

Centennial Gardens

Hawkes Bay from Bluff Hill

Even we hadn't struck lucky with the Art Deco Weekend, Napier would still be a fine place to visit.  Unfortunately we have to leave with unfinished business in Hawkes Bay.

Saturday 22 February 2014

JUST PASSING THROUGH

It is easy to imagine that the towns PR team might claim that "there is so much more to Picton than just the ferry terminal".  No doubt it would be argued that the majority just briefly passing through on the way to higher profile locations are missing "a jewel on the northern tip of South Island".  Well they would say that wouldn't they.


With only a relatively short hop from our stay at Kaikoura, and just a brief but enjoyable distraction at Ohau Seal Colony on the way, we found we had time to check out Picton.

Ohau Seal Colony

Our base right next to the marina meant that we discovered this particular haven immediately.  A delightful and tasteful development on the short walk to the town and harbour front.  Glances into the clear waters of the marina and the harbour revealed more than just the play things of the well heeled; there were stingrays gliding silently below the surface.  Intrigued, we spent some time tracking them as they patrolled the perimeter of the harbour and marina.

Picton Marina

 Stingray in Picton Marina

Picton Harbour

Later, we decided to take on the Tirohanga Walkway which leads up the surrounding hills to a viewpoint.  It was a grueling climb in the heat especially where there was no shade from the bush.  The reward was worth it though with a stunning panorama of Picton Harbour, Waikawa Bay and the beautiful Sounds beyond.

Viewpoint on Tirohanga Walkway

If that PR team do claim that Picton is as much a destination as a port, then we wouldn't disagree.  In researching our walk we discovered that there are many others that sound just as appealing.  If we have a future opportunity we would like to stay longer and try them.

Thursday 20 February 2014

TAILS OF TOHORA AND FRIENDS

The Whale Watch enterprise emerged in 1987 as the local Maori community in Kaikoura were facing an economic decline.  According to legend, their ancestor had journeyed to find a new life in New Zealand on the back of a whale, Tohora; here seemed another opportunity for whales to come to their aid.


The business has developed to operate a fleet of purpose designed catamarans, a marina to accommodate them in South Bay and a bookings office/café/shop at the Whaleway Station in Kaikoura; a dual purpose building also serving the railway station on the Picton to Christchurch line.   South Bay is a few kilometres away on the far side of the peninsular from Kaikoura.  This explained why we had not seen any evidence of the fleet in Kaikoura itself, but we had stumbled across it on our walk around the peninsular, past the seal colony, and then to the harbour at South Bay.  Clearly a bus transfer would be part of our tour.

Whale Watch Marina, South Bay

Whilst there can be no guarantees of viewing marine wildlife, the operators claim a 95% success rate and offer an 80% refund if no whales are sighted.  Typically, there are one or two sightings on each tour.

We awoke on the morning of our tour to the promised calm weather and it looked to the layman that sea conditions might be kind to us.  On check-in, our tour was confirmed as ‘good to go’ with only a mild sea sickness warning.  We hoped that this was only a ‘safety first’ minimum warning and that actually sea conditions were likely to be pretty ideal.  At the subsequent briefing, we were advised that whales had been sighted on earlier tours and that we would initially be heading out to the deep water trench at just four miles offshore.

Our vessel, Wawahai, was immaculate, comfortable and soon had us speeding out towards the feeding ground of the whales.  Our guide explained how to keep watch but not to shout “There she blows!” as the Sperm Whales in these cool waters are all males.  He was interrupted by the excited instruction of our Watch Keeper to leave the cabin and head for the decks.  Their enthusiasm was real enough and not just because there would be no refunds needed on this tour!

Sperm Whale

Having scrambled for the decks we did not return to the cabin again for more than 90 minutes.  A succession of sightings in the area and the calm seas allowed the captain to cruise between them with us safely remaining on the decks.  Our tour overlapped with a later departure; we noted that their boat was the Tohora, named after that legendary whale that carried a Maori ancestor to New Zealand. 

Tohora

Finally after an incredible seven separate sightings of Sperm Whales we had to leave the deep waters.  On the return trip we watched out for other marine life and found Fur Seals, Wandering Albatross and the small Hectors Dolphin which are rare and unique to New Zealand.

Wandering Albatross

Hectors Dolphin

Whale Watch, Kaikoura was a brilliant experience; very professionally run from booking to tour with great enthusiasm and humour.  The couple who “Don’t do boats” thoroughly enjoyed our tour.



Wednesday 19 February 2014

GARDEN CITY RE-START

We felt a little apprehensive about visiting Christchurch, the Garden City.  Not because we were fearful of a recurrence of the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 or even a minor aftershock.  We just weren’t sure if it was right to be gawping at the damage.


On balance, we felt that tourism had been important to Christchurch before it was struck and so perhaps it was important in helping the recovery.  We set off for the city centre from our base within the northern part of the city by public transport.

Whilst we knew from the headlines that many of the picturesque buildings, such as the Cathedral, had been badly damaged, we were not prepared for what we found.  Fond memories of the city’s layout from our previous visit were dulled by the passing of fifteen years, but even so it was barely recognisable.  The scale of destruction was far greater than we had thought.  Whilst most streets were now open, whole blocks have been torn down and new foundations were being prepared.  Meanwhile countless other blocks were boarded up behind security fences whilst they waited their turn.  For a central business district we found few people around and wondered where all the jobs were now.

Cathedral Square

The rebuild of the historic Arts Centre was well underway but behind the temporary steel buttresses it is easy to see precarious masonry and distorted window reveals.  The iconic trams are at least running again but on a much reduced circuit.

Rebuilding the Arts Centre


Christchurch's Iconic Trams 


It was all quite upsetting, and in the increasing heat we headed to the Botanic Gardens to find something easier on the eye and some shade.  But even here all the original buildings such as the café, bandstand and glasshouse were closed due to earthquake damage.

Botanic Gardens

Back in town we had lunch from a pop-up restaurant as we felt we were supporting the entrepreneurs who were making the best of their lot.  And it was a great lunch too!

Pop-Up Restaurant

We then had to escape the city and head to the Gondola on Port Hills, part of the volcanic crater rim that overlooks Christchurch and Lyttleton.

View of Lyttleton Harbour from the top of Port Hills

We admire the optimism and determination of all those involved in the Re-start project.  The aftermath of the earthquakes must have been truly heartbreaking. Clearly there is so much still to be done but tangible progress is being made.  We wish Christchurch well.

Pop-Up Mall


Tuesday 18 February 2014

ELECTRIC BLUE

You may remember from a previous post that, on our way to Cromwell, we had stopped at a viewpoint overlooking Clyde Dam and hydroelectric power station for our lunch.  Whilst there, we had noted from the information graphic that one of the two pylon routes was from Clyde to Christchurch and the other was to Twizel.  It had intrigued us why there was such a significant link to the remote alpine township in the McKenzie District that was our next destination.

Our route to Twizel took us across the highest state highway in New Zealand reaching 971 metres above sea level at Lindis Pass.  Throughout our journey, the pylons followed us like the huge Fighting Machines from War of the Worlds, although they took the direct route up and over any mountains in their path.  

We understand that this stretch of road is regularly cast star in promotional films by car manufacturers.  As we had come to expect, there is a viewpoint at the summit and we scrambled up the last 100 metres to reach the carefully positioned platform providing the best view down the pass.  It is clear why it is a popular film location but what was particularly striking was the golden brown colour of the Tussock grass that carpets the mountains and hills right to their summits.

Lindis Pass

As we reached the southern approach to Twizel, there was a genuine “Wow” out loud moment as we glimpsed our first view of Lake Ruataniwha (Roo-ah-tany-fa).  The intense turquoise colour was unlike any water we have ever seen before.

We found Twizel located just off the State Highway and quite different in character and layout to the typical townships we had experienced so far.  There was a distinct centre with a pedestrian only market place and it definitely had an alpine feel about it.  Twizel positions itself as the gateway to The Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park with Aoraki/Mt Cook village itself only 50km from Twizel by road.  Just north of Twizel there is a viewpoint at Lake Pukaki with the iconic Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Tasman as the backdrop.

Mt Cook from Lake Pukaki

Later we learnt from our hosts Brenda and Willie that the township has an unusual history.  It was built to accommodate the workers constructing the complex hydroelectric scheme in this remote area.  Dams were built creating lakes from the rivers leading down from the Alps and these lakes were interconnected with canals.  On completion, the town was to have been demolished and removed from the map but a campaign by its residents saved the town.

Pukaki Canal

The hydro scheme is on an awe inspiring scale; the dam at Lake Tekapo some 50km from Twizel is linked by a canal to Lake Pukaki close to Twizel.  There are further canals and natural river beds that link to Lake Ohau, Lake Ruataniwha, and Lake Benmore.  In effect it is a giant staircase with hydroelectric stations at each of the steps.  With such enormous generating capacity, Twizel is a key hub on the national electricity grid which explains why the pylons have followed us here from Clyde.

Lake Tekapo

Church of the Good Shepherd on the shores of Lake Tekapo

It turns out that Willie is an engineer at the power stations.  When working on the external machinery, they are often asked why the water in each lake is a different colour.  He always explains that it is because the colour changes as the electricity is extracted from the water!