Wellington to Picton (aka North Island to South Island)

We woke up early (for us) at 6:50 AM so we could be in line at 7:45 AM for the ferry to South Island (Picton).  The advisory from the ferry company said to be inline an hour before departure, but a lot of people, at least 70% of the ship, were already in line when we arrived.  These ferrys are huge!

They pack you so tight together on the pier we actually clipped the mirror on one of the RV’s in the above photo.  He was a bit over the line…his fault….my story and I’m sticking with it!

The Wellington skyline on the way out.  Those are some baby container cranes….they don’t need the big ones since they don’t get the big ships.

Here is the approach to South Island.

We are headed up to Motueka for a tour of the Abel Tasman National Park, and google wanted us to drive inland and avoid the Queen Charlotte Drive route along the coast.  Don’t do it!  Queen Charlotte is an excellent route….the twistiest road I’ve driven on in ages, but truly excellent lookout points spotted throughout with beautiful vistas onto the various bays dotted along the coast.  The very first stop is a nice overlook of Picton.  That’s our ferry still unloading in the foreground.

Queen Charlotte Drive reminded us of the Road to Hana in Maui.  Just as twisty and the most dense tropical forest I’ve seen since we did that tour.  Right before the road ends at Havelock, there is a short hike to Cullen Point.  It affords you a nice view of Cook Strait.

Would have been nice if they had perhaps put up a panel explaining who Cullen was and why a point was named after him.  All you see at the end is a survey marker.  Left to my own devices, I surmise Cullen was a cook on Captain Cooks ship who didn’t salt the local New Zealand pork to the crews liking and was hoisted up by his neck on this point to warn those that the pork must always be spiced appropriately!  That’ll teach him!

We are staying tonight at the Equestrian Lodge in Moteka.  It’s really a beautiful spot, but I see no sign of horses.  Can’t even smell a horse.  Perhaps I should be thankful?

Tomorrow we are on a 3 day tour of Abel Tasman National Park.  We will be without internet during that time.  Three days without the internet!!!  Can you imagine?  I might have to actually read a book.  I hope they have candles.