Across Cook Strait, 1

On February 23rd, InterIslander ferried us across Cook Strait, a largely uneventful voyage, despite 3m swells, a bit beyond my comfort level for a 6k ton vessel, but OK, until the interestingly eventful landing and debarkment in Wellington (next post).

All my life I have been waiting for this

At an NZ camping association campground...

Tow-car of my sometime dreams

A BlueRidge ferry departs (much smaller boats)

Among the early boarders, we found excellent seats

Sounds scene

Our vessel; London registry?!

Picton harbor

Largest lens ever, so far

Aquaculture

Maneuvering

Small fry

On to the open sea

And the arrival of the scones trolley

Into the Strait

Ferry traffic

South Island coast

And big mountains

Quaint, Curious, Quirky, Kooky, Questionable, Kiwi, 3

"Long Drop Lodge...Short Stay Only"

My first mussels of the campaign

Young people comprise the majority of tourists on South Island

And Chinese

Hedge wind-break with door

License plate decor

Department of Conservation warning signage

Quilts and 4x4s...his and hers entrepreneurship

Looked like the entrance to a place of interest

Maybe not

If you don't have a swastika or Rebel flag, I guess the Stars and
Stripes are the next best thing these days

At a privately-owned freedom camp

In beautiful Nelson

Torpedo fishing...strictly Kiwi...look it up

Up close

Among a number of interesting signs

Quaint, Curious, Quirky, Kooky, Questionable, Kiwi, 2

Beautiful river walk in Blenheim; a day later, after the cyclone,
it was all under water

Art Deco scattered all across New Zealand, here in Blenheim

Ground level rock climbing

Every town in NZ has public toilets

Mobile hair salon in Wanaka; not a bad idea

The Great Bra Fence of Cardrona

Art Deco in the middle of nowhere

Sheep blind

Helpful reminder in the middle of nowhere

Extraterrestrial alien from outer space

Wind

Kiwi camper

Think about it

Not the only bookbinder shop we have seen