On February 13th, we moved to the Lower Hutt Top 10 Holiday Park, to prepare ourselves and the camper for the scheduled February 14th sailing to Picton, on the South Island. In the early afternoon came the email from Interislander ferries--"It is as I feared," Gandalf would have said--our sailing was cancelled. Cyclone Gabrielle was hitting imminently. All ferry sailings were cancelled. We immediately sprang into action, Vicki on the phone, me on the internet, and at length snagged ferry reservations for February 22nd and March 12th, respectively. We were only somewhat relieved, as we are required to turn the camper back to Jucy, in Queenstown, South Island, by March 20, so our South Island visit would be considerably shortened in either case.
We weathered cyclone Gabrielle as it passed to the north the next two days, reading of ever more weather-related disasters and cancellations elsewhere. On the 16th we moved to a beautiful free campsite on the west side of the peninsula, Ngati Toa, and spent the night there, the wind and rain lessening. On the 17th, persistently scrolling, Vicki found a Bluebridge ferry cancellation for 2AM on the 18th, which she immediately pounced upon. With hopes renewed, we drove back to Welly, parking at Te Papa, planning to have dinner, take a walk, and then catch a few winks before the 1AM boarding. And not believing our spectacularly good luck. Further emails advised that the boarding would be delayed until 5AM, so we indeed got a few more winks before decamping and driving to the Bluebridge ferry terminal and entering the long but hopeful que. Our story continues...
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| Our ship, the Bluebridge Straitsman, comes in |
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| It's well after 6AM before we are settled on deck |
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| Wellington at daybreak |
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It's a short cruise--less than 4 hours--but we figured a cabin would
be worth it for the opportunity for more sleep, plus not masking,
plus getting showers... |
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In such comfort, we never went on deck, indeed got some sleep,
and only once felt the ship as much as roll slightly...after the storm,
the seas apparently were glassy, most unusual for this part of the
world |
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| When I awoke, we were already in the Queen Charlotte channel |
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| Passing by some of the marine farming |
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| Approaching Picton |
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| The Saturday morning sailing classes well underway |
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One of the Interislander ferries still in action (the New Zealand
ferry situation got incredibly worse; we were incredibly lucky) |
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| Parthian shot of the Straitsman |
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| Picton |
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| Picton story...founded by the Picts in 589BC...wait, no... |
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We proceeded on to Havelock, the green shell mussel capital of
the world, and to my favorite South Island restaurant, the Mussel
Pot; still pinching ourselves at our good luck |
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Moi, examining the menu; note the grapes to my right: they're
real, plump, and tempting...this is Marlborough country, very
great sauvignon blancs, and more |
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| I had my greenies in a green Thai sauce, hence the Speight's (beer) |
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| Vicki's steak/frites; note ketchup served in mussel shell |
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I think the greenies have gotten too large now...
eating one is reminiscent of 10th grade biology;
but, hey! we're on the South Island! And heading on
to Nelson, to crash there before proceeding on to the
Abel Tasman... |
