On My Feet or In My Mind

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2013-02-01T18:24:00.001-05:00

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Erik Smith

I've Moved!!!!!!

2012-11-11T19:34:00.000-05:00

I have this site set up to redirect to my new self-hosted site. If you can see this page at Blogger, there is some sort of error. The new address is :

http://www.onmyfeetorinmymind.com

Please join me over there.

(If you are able to access this, please leave a comment below and tell me what country you are in, since I think that is where some of the redirecting issues lie.)

New Zealand's South Island in 10 Words

2012-11-05T11:00:00.001-05:00

Since I've finally finished my posts on each of the 18 days I spent on New Zealand's South Island, I figured I needed to find a way to summarize the experience in a shorter post than the ones I wrote for each day. So, here's the South Island in 10 Words (with a few more of explanation thrown in...)

Hopeful-

: Re:Start Mall, Cashel Street, Christchurch

Coming back from a natural disaster like 2011's devistating earthquake isn't easy (or quick), but Christchurch just made Lonely Planet's 10 cities to visit list for 2013. While that may be a little overoptimistic, I have no doubt the Kiwis will rebuild the city to it's former glory.

Blessed-

: Sunrise on my first full day in New Zeland

On an island where the ocean is never more than a 2 hour drive away, sunrises and sunsets over the water are not in short supply, when the weather cooperates.

Adorable-

: Hector's Dolphins

Hector's Dolphins are the world's smallest dolphins, and I had the opportunity to swim with them near Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula, a little more than an hour outside Christchurch.

Sporting-

: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

The Kiwis love their sports, and my friend Andy is no exception. We were able to take an impromptu tour of Dunedin's state of the art new Forsyth Barr Stadium, home to Rugby's Highlanders. It was one of the only indoor natural grass stadiums in the world.

Undiscovered-

: Waipapa Point Lighthouse, The Catlins

On an island of dramatic scenery, The Catlins, located in the obscurity of the southeastern corner of the island, continue to fly below the radar of most tourists. The area is full of remote lighthouses & coastlines and some of the most beautiful waterfalls anywhere.

Verdant-

: Plentiful precipitation make for fern-filled forests

As I mentioned frequently in the posts about the South Island, this is one of the rainiest spots on the globe. The upside to all of that moisture is the amount of green everywhere, both in the fields and forests.

Expected-

: Lake Te Anau

There is no way any visitor can make it to New Zealand with reading (over and over again) how beautiful Fiordland National Park in the island's southwest corner is.

Cheeky-

: A 'cheeky' Kea

Ok, so it's not really a word to describe the island, but I heard it used so often to describe the Kea, a high-altitude parrot with a propensity for mischief, that I just had to use it. I bumped into this one near The Homer Tunnel on the Milford Sound Road.

Blissful-

: The quiet calm of West arm off of Doubtful Sound

I found the serene beauty of Doubtful Sound and it's inlets to be one of the most calming places I've ever visited. The area is so remote that the lack of development keeps in a one of a kind nature experience.

Exhilarating-

: Standing in front of Mount Tasman

Getting the opportunity to fly over the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers and to do a snow landing in front of Nee Zealand's second highest peak, Mount Tasman is an experience that still gives me goosebumps thinking about it today.

It's onward to the North Island in my next post!

Photo of the Day- Fort Union National Monument, New Mexico

2012-11-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

Sacred Smoking- Pipestone National Monument

2012-11-04T15:26:00.000-05:00

The Native American tribes of Central North America have long held the smoking of ceremonial pipes as a sacred ritual. The preferred type of stone for carving the pipehead is known as catlinite, the soft red stone also known as pipestone. Pipestone National Monument, located in Southwestern Minnesota preserves a number of quarries that were sacred to the Souix in the area, specifically the Dakota, Lakota & Yankton.

The remarkable thing about these particular quarries is that pipes from this stone have been found over an exceptionally large geographic range. Tribes from all over the midwest would travel to the 'red quarries' to acquire stone from this place, because of it's special quality. The visitor's center walks the visitor through the story of ceremonial pipes, their uses and types.

In most cases, only the pipestem was made of the stone, since it was the most sacred part of the pipe. It was also only handled by certain members of the tribe. The stem was most often made of either a tree branch or a porcupine quill.

The 282 acre site comes alive during the summer months, when demonstrations are given on the traditional carving of pipestems and native craftwork. Native American groups also are allowed to come in and actively quarry for pipestone, as long as they use traditional implements.

The site's main trail (3/4 of a mile in length) winds alongside Pipestone Creek, by the quarries and through the park's prairie, which has specifically been restored to resemble the prairie as a looked at the time of the first European settlers.

As typical of many of the National Park Service's parks, Pipestone is a little heard of gem, worth a visit whether you are passing through the area or are staying within a few hours.

Photo of the Day- Cafeteria, Alcatraz, San Francisco, California

2012-11-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

Photo of the Day- Auckland, New Zealand

2012-11-03T11:00:00.000-04:00

Postcard Friday- Monaco

2012-11-01T11:19:00.000-04:00

State of the Blog- October 2012

2012-11-01T11:10:00.000-04:00

I recently announced in a post yesterday (Goodbye Blogger, Hello Wordpress (or The Fear of Change) ) that I am making the switch from Google's Blogger to a self-hosted wordpress site (if you didn't get that from the title...). While I don't want to rehash that post, I will say the continued success of the blog in October did cause me to think about the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" logic, but I still know the change is best for the long term.

Sunrise over Lake Te Anau, New Zealand

That said, I had an amazing month. After jumping almost 20% in September, October saw a jump of almost 15%. I had over 7,600 views, the first month over 7,000. I slowed down near the end of the month, because on the 12th, I was on pace for over 9,000 views. That kind of jump would have been unprecedented here, and would have also been a little suspicious, since specific page views and comments did not rise that much during the first 12 days of October.

As far as specific posts go, I made it a point this month to get an extra couple of New Zealand posts done, for a total of 6. I did a couple of photo essays as well, and a video post. My last post on New Zealand was the last one on for the South Island, an I'm working on a summary post for my time of the South Island next, then moving on to the North Island. I'd hoped to have these done by Christmas (as I still have posts on my trips to Florida and Chicago to write) but now it looks like February before I'll finish with the new Zealand posts. Hopefully, by then, I'll have some 2013 travel plans lined up, because, as of right now, I have nothing planned and it is driving me insane. I'm excited to get to the North Island posts- although I will freely admit I liked the South Island a little better, the best 'day' of the trip was one on the North Island and is one I've been dying to write since I got back.

Janeen & I with Calypso the Dolphin from our visit to Discovery Cove last month (post upcoming...sometime)

It's amazing to me that a year ago, I had a 100 view day as what defined a good day, and this year I'm a little disappointed when I get less than 200 views in a day. No doubt that last 12 months have been great for the blog.

Thanks so much for stopping back keeping up with this blog. The first 22 months here on blogger have been quite an adventure. I hope you'll join me at the new site for a brand new adventure.

(p.s. Sorry for the lack of an new pictures from this month. I was surprised when I checked the camera to find out how few I took. It was a tough month in out personal lives with a sick dog...)

Erik Smith
October 31st, 2012

Photo of the Day- Ice Festival, Plymouth, Michigan

2012-11-01T11:00:00.000-04:00

Photo of the Day- Yuengling Brewery, Pottsville, Pennsylvania

2012-10-31T11:00:00.000-04:00

Photo of the Day- Elijah's Cave, Haifa, Israel

2012-10-30T19:17:00.000-04:00

Goodbye Blogger, Hello Wordpress (or The Fear of Change)

2012-10-29T19:58:00.000-04:00

All great changes are preceded by chaos. -Deepak Chopra

To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly. -Henri Bergson

22 months ago, I started this blog on a whim. I knew very little about the writing a blog. (Some would say I still do.) I started by picking on of my favorite photos from the previous year's trip to Israel that of my sitting on a stone wall overlooking Nimrod Fortress a mountaintop structure located in the Golan Heights, within eye distance of Syria and Lebanon. I liked the picture as my banner for many reasons- it had a distinct sense of adventure to it, and in it, I have a contented look on my face that is brought on by traveling. I's been thinking about the title for a long time. In the end, I wanted a title that truly expressed my travel obsession, and while I've heard many times how confusing the title is- I do think it sentiment is still the perfect way to describe my travel passion; If I'm not actively traveling (On My Feet) than I am bound to be planning it or dreaming about it (In My Mind).

Me and my nephew Jackson- September 2012

Well, that should be the end of my sappiness for now. The reflective look back comes from my major announcement that in the very near future, I'll be leaving my comfy home here on blogger and moving over to my fancy new wordpress site. As my loyal readers know (all 5 of you), I've been contemplating this move since last year. I really do like blogger- it's been a simple format that allowed me to get my feet wet in the blogging world and to find out if this was just a whim I was going to lose interest in or if was to become something that I could keep my passion level for. I've been shocked at how much I have enjoyed it. I've loved watching the audience grow (and been incredibly flattered by that). I've met many, many kindred travel souls in this community, people I hope to meet in person someday and people I hope will be friends for years to come. I've had the outlet I sought to fill the gap from trip to trip. I've had a reason to work at becoming a better and more creative writer & photographer. In short, this blog has provided blessing I could have never imagined when it began.

Me at Huka Falls, New Zealand (post upcoming)

But, as the introductory quotes state, there is a time for change. As much as I do like blogger, and as scary as the idea of change is, the upside and opportunity for a more stylish, less limited blog at wordpress is a change I have to take. The decision to change is extra scary right now, as I am finishing another month (2nd in a row) where my overall readership jumped nearly 20%.

Before being approached by Cez & Agness from the blog etramping.com, I'd hired one web guy to do the change (that didn't work out) and almost hired another (that one was my fault for not having enough time to provide direction). Cez, through his company bloginstallations.com, gave me the best opportunity yet- He did the change quick, so I wouldn't have a ton of time to second guess myself, and didn't need a ton of input from me, which isn't always possible with my work schedule, and the price for the switch was more than reasonable. Within 48 hours, he had the impressive working framework of the blog up for me to see. The finishing touches are being put on it right now, but my guess is it won't be more than a week at most before the complete switch is complete. I hope you'll join me at the new site.

Thanks to everyone for their kind words and expressions of support that have helped me finally summon the courage to go through with this.

I'll have at least one more post here- my monthly State of the Blog post on November 1st- but that will likely be the last non-Photo of the Day post here.

New Zealand- Chapter 18- We're Looking For the Whales

2012-10-29T11:10:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the formatting on this post- I cut and pasted it from On My Feet or In My Mind 2.0, my new wordpress site, which will debut later this week. I guess if your here, you can check out the post on the new site here.

For my last day on the South Island, I headed to the East Coast town of Kaikoura, known for it's whale watching. Due to my desire to visit Abel Tasman National Park on the island's northeast side the day before, I'd had a long drive to connect the two points.

I left my hotel in Havelock around 6 A.M. I had my whale watching cruise scheduled for 10:00 AM, and the drive was supposed to take about two hours.

Just south of Havelock, I passed through the town of Blenheim. The area around Blenheim is the heart of New Zealand's famous Marlborough Wine Region. I was passing through in the dark of the early morning, but knew a further exploration of this area is a must on a future trip. I made it out to the Pacific coast shortly after sunrise to find dark storm clouds hovering just offshore. I'd read on the day's forecast that showers were a possibility, but I wasn't letting that scare me off, I had one day to get this cruise in.

I stopped at the Ohau Point Seal Colony, north of Kaikoura. I had been told about this specific colony by a girl I'd met on my cruise of Doubtful Sound 10 days earlier. The reason she'd been so taken by this particular colony was the young seals who spent time frolicking in the rock pools which filled with water during high tide.

Video: Young Seals playing in Tide Pool

Of the three seal colonies I visited, It was soon my favorite. I was really glad for this suggestion, as the many adorable videos of the young seals playing attest.

I was shocked at how beautiful the area the mountains surrounding Kaikoura were. I knew going in to the trip, due to the way I had planned my route (South from Christchurch and then northward up the Island's West Coast), that if I did visit the area, it would be a quick trip like this just to do the whale watching excursion.

My first stop was to check in at Whale Watch Kaikoura, where I was informed that, due to rough conditions caused by storms further out at sea, my departure time of 10AM wasn't going to happen. The nice ladies at the desk said they were hoping to still get out, but in the end it was the capitan's call and it didn't look good. They said I could get a refund if I didn't want to wait, but I told them I was going to wait it out and hope for the best.

The frustrating part was that it was a nice, bright sunny day as I walked around killing time in the cute little downtown area of Kaikoura, and the shore near Whale Watch's office didn't seem rough at all as the surf gently lapped ashore. I could see the mountains northwest of town were getting some snow near their peaks, but it also didn't look as if that system was going to effect us.

: Hector's Dolphins in the harbor

Upon returning to Whale Watch, I was told that the boat would be heading out after all. They were warning people who had health problems or were prone to motion sickness that they might be better of canceling due to the rough seas. I've been on some pretty rough boat trips, so not going never occurred to me. They showed us a brief video, then had the whole group board a bus to take the 10 minute drive to the harbor. As we boarded, the crew asked that the rear of the boat be saved for those especially prone to seasickness and that people who this wasn't a problem for should sit near the front. Being confident I could handle it, I picked a seat right in the front row.

On the trip out, we were given a brief informative lecture on the types a whales we might get to see and how best to spot them. They also explained how a deep water trench located right offshore made this a popular area for sighting whales. In the rest of the world, most deep water trenches are located further out to see making them less accessible by day trips.

It sure was a beautiful day as we left the relative calm of the sheltered harbor and headed for the open sea. I wondered why so many stern warnings had been handed out before we left.

Then we found out why. The captain warned us of rough seas upcoming, the young man giving us our information lecture sat quickly, buckled himself in, and made sure everyone knew where their seasickness bags were located. I remember even chuckling a little to myself, then the rough seas showed up. For the next 20 minutes, the boat would seemingly ride up a wave and then just as quick be dropped straight down. The best feeling I can liken it to was the drop you feel when a roller coaster goes quickly downhill. I felt like my body was being dropped straight down, and then my stomach was being allowed to follow. It couldn't have been more than a few minutes and half of the passengers had used their barf bags. I sat straight back in my seat positive I was going to need one as well. I remember the old axiom of picking a fixed point and staring at during times of rough sea, so I used the tips of the mountain peaks a few miles away onshore. This worked pretty well except for the moments when the boat rocked so bad that the peaks weren't visible through the windows of the boat.

Whale Watch Kaikoura has tremendous success on their excursions, and the use a number of different methods to aid in first sighting the whales, then getting close enough to view them safely. They rely of the historical data on the pattens of certain types of whales, as well as reports from other boats and the many helicopter flights that are overhead as well. As with all nature-related tourist excursions in New Zealand, the make taking care of the environment their number one priority.

We had a number of close call sightings of the giant Sperm Whales in the first half an hour. We kept getting unlucky as we'd spot them in the distance, hurry to get closer, only to see them dive as we approached. I'd come on the trip hoping for one of those signature photographs of a sperm whale tail fluke as the creature dove toward deeper water. I did get a picture of the third whale's tail fluke, just not a pronounced as I had hoped. The rocky conditions at sea made it hard to get many good pictures, so I just kept shooting and hoping some of the images would turn out.

At each sighting, the number of people heading out on deck to look for the whales was decreasing. More and more people were choosing to come out for a quick look or just stay in their seats to ride out the motion sickness until we could return to shore. I'd gotten some good pictures of the whales as the grazed the surface of the water, and I'd even gotten some good images of them blowing water out of their blowholes. I was starting to accept that I wasn't going to get that signature shot, and I was fine with that- it had still be exhilarating to be this close to the ancient and peaceful creatures.

: The Signature Shot

Finally, the last whale obliged the group and I was able to capture the photo I had hoped to get. I was shooting in burst mode, and almost as soon as the whale had dove, a large wave jolted the boat. I didn't even bother to check my viewfinder until I returned to my seat. It goes with out saying that I felt a long string of goosebumps ripple down my back as I saw the shot.

And that was really it for the cruise. I'd focused so hard on not throwing up on the way out, and had experienced such an adrenaline rush at each sighting, that, despite the tossing and turning of the boat, I was actually able to nod of for a bit on the way back. I also spoke with a number of my fellow passengers (both on the boat and on the bus ride back) and it seemed pretty unanimous that everyone, even those who had gotten seasick, felt that Whale Watch Kaikoura had done an exceptional job, in spite of difficult conditions. Everyone, including myself, had high praise for the captain (a real pro) and the crew and staff. Whale watch Kaikoura has one of the top reputations of any tourist based activity I visited or read about, and I can see why.

After being dropped off by the buses back at Whale Watch Kaikoura's main building, I need a short walk on the beach to help me stop the swaying I still felt from the boat ride. I took some pictures of Kaikoura's gorgeous surroundings, so glad that I had made the long journey to get here.

I headed back north on Highway 1 toward Picton. I had about a 2.5-3 hours drive and I wanted to make it in to Picton before sunset, but i had enough time to stop at an iconic Highway 1 stop, Nin's Bin. This small caravan has been serving some of Kaikoura's famous crayfish for many years.

Crayfish, which look (and taste) much like lobster, is a signature dish in the South Island, but especially around Kaikoura. I like seafood for the most part, but have never been a huge fan of lobster. Nonetheless, I stopped and ordered a reasonably sized one, and paid a few extra dollars so I could have it heated and served with lemon and garlic butter.

I ended up eating half there, and I had the other half wrapped to I could enjoy it later by cooking it on the burner in the campervan. It was really quite delicious. I didn't write many blog posts while in New Zealand about something I'd done on the day I did it, but this was one I had to share.

I arrived in Picton just as the sun was setting. Picton is home to the two ferries that take people and vehicles between the North & South Islands. I had my ferry booked for the next morning.

I was able to take a drive to one one of the many scenic viewpoints that overlook the sound. While waiting for the final bit of light to drain from the sky, I was able to see one of the Interislander ferries as it sailed into port. It was at that moment that I was hit with two wildly conflicting emotions. I was sad that my time on the South Island had come to an end. I allowed myself a moment of reflection over all the incredible things I'd seen in the past eighteen days, before becoming frightened that the magnitude of the experience would break my brain, so I moved on to the second dominant emotion. That emotion was excitement- the North Island from all I'd heard would be a different adventure, different but exciting.

***************************************************************************************************

Day Eighteen photo gallery- Facebook Flickr

Other Links:

Whale Watch Kaikoura

Sperm Whales (DOC)

Sperm Whale (Treasures of the Sea)

Blog post about Nin's Bin

The New Zealand 2012 Series:

New Zealand 2012 by the Numbers

Chapter One: Christchurch in One Word: Broken

Photo Essay- Sunrise outside Christchurch

Chapter Two- The Banks Peninsula & Hector's Dolphins

Chapter Three- Washed Out at Tekapo

Photo Essay- Moeraki Boulders Sunrise

Chapter Four- The Secret of Dunedin

Photo Essay- Speight's Brewery Tour, Dunedin

Chapter Five- The Otago Peninsula

Photo Essay- Otago Peninsula Wildlife

Chapter Six- The Edge of the World in the Catlins

Chapter Seven- Southern Scenic Route

Chapter Eight- Cruising Doubtful Sound (Pt.1)

Photo Essay- Lake Manapouri Cruise

Chapter Eight- Cruising Doubtful Sound (Pt.2)
Chapter Eight- Cruising Doubtful Sound (Pt.3)
Photo Essay- The Two Faces of Doubtful Sound
Chapter Nine- The Milford Sound Road
Chapter Ten- Milford Sound and The Hollyford Road
Photo Essay- Milford Sound Cruise
Chapter Eleven- Onward to Queenstown
Chapter Twelve- In, Above & Around Queenstown
Photo Essay- Sunrise over Queenstown
Chapter Thirteen- A Soggy Drive to the West Coast
Chapter Fourteen- Above and On the Glaciers (pt.1)
Photo Essay- Glacier Scenic Flight
Chapter Fourteen- Above and On the Glaciers (pt.2)
Chapter Fifteen- Meandering Up the West Coast
Chapter Sixteen- Through the Buller Gorge to the North
Chapter Seventeen- The Longest Short Walk in Abel Tasman NP

Photo of the Day- Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

2012-10-29T11:00:00.000-04:00

Photo of the Day- Black Bears, Yosemite National Park, California

2012-10-28T11:00:00.000-04:00

Photo of the Day- Queenstown & The Remarkables, New Zealand

2012-10-27T11:00:00.000-04:00

Postcard Friday- Tel Aviv, Israel

2012-10-26T11:00:00.000-04:00

New Zealand- Chapter 17- The Longest Short Walk in Abel Tasman NP

2012-10-25T11:10:00.000-04:00

For the first time on my trip, I could tell the exhaustion of pushing myself from before sunrise to after sunset was beginning to get to me. After spending a long day of driving the previous day, I slept restlessly. So how did I address this situation? By getting up for sunrise and climbing out on a rocky headland before the day really got started, of course.

My campground in the small town of Kaiteriteri, just outside the Eastern boundry of Abel Tasman National Park, was right across the street from the beach. When I'd gone to bed the night before, I figured I was going to be able to get up and walk right over to the beach and snap off a few quick and easy sunrise photos.

What I found was, that to actually see the sun rising, I would need to hike out and around the small, rocky headland that blocked my view. This looked easy enough, but turned out to be much further away and much more difficult climbing than I had expected.

The sunrise was worth it, but I realized as I walked back to the campground that the extra time it had taken me to climb around on the boulders of the headland would mean I had to rush in packing up the campervan, getting showered & packing a lunch before meeting the boat I had booked to take me out to my scheduled hike in Abel Tasman National Park a few minutes before 9 A.M.

I hate feeling rushed, but I did manage to get everything I needed to do before I saw the boat pull into the cove. Overtired, and a little crabby, I was not pleased to see a busload of middle school aged kids pull up in the parking lot. I kept thinking "Please Please Please don't have them be on my boat", but those pleas went unanswered. I stood at the top of the beach debating whether or not, with my current temperament, if I could take an hour boat ride with a bunch of screaming preteens or not. I even went as far as to ask the nice lady with who I had booked this boat ride a half an hour earlier if I could get a refund if I elected not to go. I knew this was my only chance to see Abel Tasman National Park- I had a whale watching cruise booked in Kaikoura the next day and the ferry to the North Island the day after. A nice Australian couple and the woman I booked with kindly also gave me some gentle encouragement, and, with more than a little trepidation, I boarded the boat.

The scenery on the way out was lovely and the weather, so often a factor in New Zealand, was not just cooperative but pleasant.

The kids on the boat weren't bad kids- in fact, all things considered, they seemed to be nice. The ones I talked to were friendly and, to my surprise, not very curious about me as an American as kids I've met around the world tend to be. I shouldn't have been surprised, though, with how many tourists New Zealand gets, I'm sure they meet plenty of foreigners.
The kids were nice and polite, but they were, as children of this age would be anywhere in the world, incredibly loud and rambunctious. I love boat rides, and had looked forward to taking pictures on this one, but I often found myself being jostled around and run into as the kids freely roamed the boat. Their chaperones and supervisors tried to keep the under control, but soon became aware they were fighting a losing battle and gave up.

The highlight of the trip our, besides the gorgeous skies overhead, was the stop by a small colony of New Zealand fur seals. I'd seen these adorable little creatures the day before at Cape Foulwind, but their posing and lounging never gets old.

We arrived the Totaranui Campground stop after about an hour to let the kids and the rest of their group off. I had about 15 minutes to look around the area and use the restrooms while the kids unloaded a week's worth of food and camping gear.

Kayaking the waters around Abel Tasman is one of the park's most popular activities and I was able to see one of these groups in action as we left Totaranui.

The boat dropped us off in Bark Bay, a few kilometers east of Totaranui. The hike east from Bark Bay could be to either of the boat's pick up times later in the day- 6.4 km to Torrent Bay, or 12 km to Anchorage. Not sure how I'd handle the hiking, I figured I would take my time and just shoot for Torrent Bay.

The hike began out of Bark Bay with a nice uphill stretch, which, less than a kilometer in, had me questioning my ability to even hike the 6.4kms to Torrent Bay.

Upon reaching the top of the rise, however, I was rewarded with a sweeping view of the bay and the park's famous turquoise waters.

And so I walked. And walked. And walked some more. Every little while, a landmark would present itself, such as Falls River (pictured above) and the accompanying suspension bridge.

Mostly, though, I just walked. Sometimes I walked with people, and we'd talk about our respective trips. I enjoyed these times and met some really nice people, all of which loved New Zealand just as much as I did.

Most of the time, I walked alone. There were many views of beautiful coastline, but most of the hike was through the dense, almost primordial feeling rainforest I'd come to know quite well during my time in New Zealand. There were stretches where the trail went sharply uphill (these I didn't care for at all), but the tramping was mostly easy. When I'd left Kaiteriteri in the morning, there had been a chill in the air, and I was even a bit chilly on the boat on the way out. I'd made the decision to wear jeans to stay warm, and I'd packed a pair of shorts as a backup in my daypack. When the pack got a little too full, however, I decided to leave the shorts (as well as a second t-shirt) behind, figuring I would just tough it out.

I faced a bit a dilemma when I reached the overlook above the tiny community of Torrent Bay. I'd hiked the 6.4 kms in a little under 3 hours, and it was another 5.6 kms to Anchorage, the second of the two pickup points for the return boat. As I mentioned, I was wearing jeans and had gotten comprehensively sweaty during the hike to Torrent Bay. Had I been able to change in to shorts for the second leg to Anchorage, and had the trail been shorter due to low tide (during low tide, hikers can walk across the inner bay and cut 4 kms off the hike), I would have carried on to Anchorage. As it was, I decided to relax on the beach, soaking my aching feet in the cool waters of the bay and watching the birds as they waddled up and down the beach looking for food.

High Tide at inner Torrent Bay- Look for the markers that show where the trail leads during low tide

Calm, peaceful Torrent Bay

I sat on the beach at Torrent Bay for almost two hours, one of the first times on the trip where I had truly just relaxed. It felt weird not to be in motion, and I actually had to force myself to try and relax. I enjoyed watching the oystercatchers, a black shorebird with red eyes, as they moved up and down the beach in search of food. I also, much to my surprise, fell asleep for an hour in the late afternoon sunshine, something I would later be thankful for, since I had a couple hours drive that evening after I got back to Kaiteriteri.

The boat finally returned, blessedly free of the throngs of noisy children, for the short ride back to Kaiteriteri.

Nelson in the distance

I talked to the people I'd hiked with during the day and found that the trail from Torrent Bay had been easier than the one from Bark Bay to Torrent Bay, meaning I probably would have made it for the rendezvous with the boat no problem. I didn't regret my decision though, I'd needed to rest and was thankful that, for the first time on the trip, I'd chosen to do what my body was telling me to do, instead of listening to my brain's constant quest to see more.

Upon arriving back in Kaiteriteri, I didn't linger. I had a reservation the next morning for a 10:45 A.M. cruise in Kaikoura, 330 kms and 6 hours drive away. When I'd planned these last two days on the South Island, I knew this long drive at night was going to be unpleasant, but necessary if I wanted to squeeze these last two destinations in. My goal for this evening was to drive as far as I could, to shorten the drive the next day. I ended up driving for 3.5 hours and making it as far as the YHA Hostel in Havelock, a little more than halfway. I knew I'd be up early to complete the trek to Kaikoura, but I knew what awaited me was one of the largest mammals on the face of the earth....

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Day Seventeen Photo Gallery- Facebook Flickr

Other Links:
Abel Tasman National Park
Abel Tasman Sea Shuttles
Torrent Bay
Oystercatchers

The New Zealand 2012 Series:

New Zealand 2012 by the Numbers

Chapter One: Christchurch in One Word: Broken

Photo Essay- Sunrise outside Christchurch

Chapter Two- The Banks Peninsula & Hector's Dolphins

Chapter Three- Washed Out at Tekapo

Photo Essay- Moeraki Boulders Sunrise

Chapter Four- The Secret of Dunedin

Photo Essay- Speight's Brewery Tour, Dunedin

Chapter Five- The Otago Peninsula

Photo Essay- Otago Peninsula Wildlife

Chapter Six- The Edge of the World in the Catlins

Chapter Seven- Southern Scenic Route

Chapter Eight- Cruising Doubtful Sound (Pt.1)

Photo Essay- Lake Manapouri Cruise

Photo of the Day- Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece

2012-10-25T11:00:00.000-04:00

Photo of the Day- National D-Day Memorial, Virginia

2012-10-24T11:00:00.000-04:00

New Zealand- Chapter 16- Through the Buller Gorge to the North

2012-10-23T11:10:00.000-04:00

As with so many of my mornings in New Zealand, I woke up on day sixteen to grey skies and foggy conditions, but I could tell, as it got lighter, that the skies were likely to clear. I was still running a couple days ahead of my intended schedule, so, for the second day in a row, I was able to explore some sights that I may have had to drive by had I been forced by inclement weather to wait in Franz Josef Glacier for my scenic flight over the mountains & glaciers. After about an hour of driving from Punakaiki, I puled off onto some side roads and parked in the southern lot for the Cape Foulwind walkway.

This point was first named Rocky Cape by Abel Tasman on his visit to New Zealand, but was renamed with it's current descriptive name by James Cook almost 100 years later when he was blown far off course by a prevailing wind.

The seal breeding grounds at Tauranga Bay is Cape Foulwind's most popular attraction. The well maintained boardwalk leads from the parking structure to a couple of spots that overlook the seals below. I was able to view a number of seal pups, which spent lots fo time flinting around and annoying the older seals, who were mostly trying to catch a nap in the early morning sunshine.

I thought for a while about hiking the whole trail through to the lighthouse a few kilometers to the north across some fields, but I didn't want to have to take the time to hike it back.

Instead, I headed back to the parking lot to drive over to the parking lot for the lighthouse, a few kilometers to the north. Along the way I took the time to stop and take pictures of the many bird colonies that had gathered along the beaches to the south.

On the pathway out to the lighthouse, I was greeted by a curios Weka, one of New Zealand's signature flightless birds.

The hike to the lighthouse was a short, uphill one, and after snapping off a few pictures, I decided it would be best to get back on the road, since I could see some darker clouds building in the distance, and I knew the road to the North Coast ahead of me was going to be a winding mountain road, and I figured it would be best to start northward.

True to form, the weather changed quickly as Highway 6 headed into the Buller Gorge. I stopped along the Buller River to make lunch, and by the time I'd finished eating twenty minutes later, it had started raining.

It wasn't raining very hard, but the current precipitation, combined with the rain the previous few days led to a number of landslides along Highway Six as it headed east. No one these completely blocked the road, and there were road crews already out attempting to stabilize the weak points and clear the road of rocks and debris.

I'd expected to do this route during the late afternoon or early evening, with the possibility that it would have to be done in fading light or complete darkness. I was glad this wasn't the case, not just because the slow, twisting road, but also because the gorge and it's environs were absolutely gorgeous.

Rain & Sun (Typical New Zealand Weather)

As I drove, the weather alternated from heavy downpours to light drizzle, cloudy skies to mostly sunny skies. Due to this mixture, I was able to see a number of rainbows, something that I'd already seen on a number of days so far on my trip.

The open area around the small town of Murchison was especially pretty.

Two and a half hours into the drive, I reached the turnoff of Nelson Lakes National Park. The park encompasses two beautiful lakes, Rotoiti and Rotoroa, and also the surrounding valleys. I had read quite a but about the park, but since it is a largely a hiking and camping park with few roads, I knew the part I would see was bound to be only a sliver of the park.

Even knowing that, I turned onto Gowan Valley Road and drove to the shores of Lake Rotoroa. It was a remarkably peaceful setting, with swans, complete with adorable chicks in tow swimming in the lake's waters. The lake also reflected the beautiful skies, creating a number of signature photos.

I didn't get to spend very long in the park, but I could tell that this was a special place. This time of year (early winter) the park was almost abandoned.

Highway Six continued north for a while, the I turned on to the Motueka Valley Highway and headed north. I had entered one of the countries many wine producing regions. The highway passed alongside many vineyards and small wineries most closed for the season, the others closed this late afternoon. The area was so beautiful I know, despite not being much of a wine drinker, that I will need to return to this region in my next trip to New Zealand to explore it better.

I finally arrived at my destination of Kaiteriteri, on the Bass Strait, as the last of the daylight drained from the sky. I checked in at the Kaiteriteri Motor Park across the street from the beach, and had a delightful conversation with the park's proprietor.

I was treated to a beautiful sunset as I strolled the beach. I made dinner in the campground's community kitchen, another in a string of excellent campground kitchens, while talking about my trip with an Australian couple who was just at the beginning of their month-long trip around the South Island.

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Day Sixteen photo gallery- Facebook Flickr

Other Links:
Cape Foulwind Seal Colony
Cape Foulwind Lighthouse
Nelson Lakes National Park
Kaiteriteri Beach Motor Camp

The New Zealand 2012 Series:

New Zealand 2012 by the Numbers

Chapter One: Christchurch in One Word: Broken

Photo Essay- Sunrise outside Christchurch

Chapter Two- The Banks Peninsula & Hector's Dolphins

Chapter Three- Washed Out at Tekapo

Photo Essay- Moeraki Boulders Sunrise

Chapter Four- The Secret of Dunedin

Photo Essay- Speight's Brewery Tour, Dunedin

Chapter Five- The Otago Peninsula

Photo Essay- Otago Peninsula Wildlife

Chapter Six- The Edge of the World in the Catlins

Chapter Seven- Southern Scenic Route

Chapter Eight- Cruising Doubtful Sound (Pt.1)

Photo Essay- Lake Manapouri Cruise