Another early start – up by 5 for our Uber ride to the Wellington Ferry Terminal for our ferry from the North to South Islands. Our vessel is the ‘Kaitaki’, part of the Interislander line. It’s a good-sized ship that carries motor vehicles & carrier trucks in addition to passengers.
We snagged a perfect spot on the outside observation deck (level 10). It’s a beautiful morning – low 80’s with little swell so the passage is easy. Although the South Island is always visible, the trip still takes some 3-1/2 hours to complete. What a great ride. Lighthouses, shockingly blue waters, and mountain vistas for the entire route. About a half hour outside of Wellington, a blue penguin was spotted swimming along the ship. Later, a large pod of dolphins passes by.
Our ferry docs in Picton, a small coastal town that is the gateway to the South Island’s Marlborough region. I’ve been looking forward to the scenic drive from Picton to Havelock along the Queen Charlotte Drive. It’s a windy road with many lookouts over the Charlotte Inlet. Gorgeous. Havelock is the ‘Green Shell Mussel Capital’ of the world! How cool is that! After research at the ‘Mussel Pot’ in Havelock, we concur.
Mary is getting geeked up as we are now in ‘Sav Blanc’ country – no place better.
Dick
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The ferry ride is very interesting. We are one of the first on, so we grab two primo spots on the upper observation deck for the journey. The sun is extreme here, so we lather up with SPF 50+ for the 3 plus hour trip.
We are soon joined by a group of about 6 young adults (mid 20’s) who are from various places in Europe; Denmark, Sweden, Germany, who have met as part of their various backpacking excursions in New Zealand. They are a fun group and provide some entertainment for the ride.
The terrain is quite interesting and the contrast between the North island and South is extreme. The South Island looks like it rose straight up from the sea, breathtaking.
After disembarking, we get our car and drive up the Queen Charlotte scenic drive towards our destination of Renwick. We stop in the small town of Havelock, the home of the green shelled mussel and check out their reputation, well worth it.
We arrive in the small town of Renwick, in the heart of Marlborough – Sauvignon Blanc capital of the world. I am very excited. Dick picked an excellent spot for us to spend the next 3 nights, the Hillsfield B&B, they only have one guest at a time in a private house on the property.
We drive around to get our bearings and there are wineries everywhere, definitely a target rich environment. We have dinner at a small place in Renwick (the Cork and Keg) and return home.
While relaxing after dinner, I feel the earth move – hmm. Next, there is a knock on the door and our host enquires if we had just noticed the small earthquake and are we ok. Of course, we are, but that makes things interesting.
Mary