B and G in New Zealand

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Gulf Harbour/Tiritiri Mantangi Island 2016

Our flat in Gulf Harbour was very close to the Tiritiri Matangi Island ferry pier.

Tiritiri Matangi Island Ferry

We visited a great Farmer’s Market and Tawharanui Regional Park on our first day in New Zealand in Matakana which is about an hour north of Gulf Harbour.

The market was one of the best we have been to: with live entertainment (a Kiwi bluegrass band singing about Kentucky), fresh juice bar, sushi, coffee, cheeses, breads, chocolates and veggies. We even found lemon grass and Chinese water spinach. Tawharanui Regional Park had a predator free fence that cars drive through.

Great recycling

Kiwi blue grass band singing about Kentucky

We visited Tiritiri Matangi Island 3 days. With just a 20 minute ferry ride you arrive at this scientific reserve, a wildlife sanctuary and one of New Zealand’s most important and successful conservation projects. This 545 acre island was once cleared for pastures. Many species lost their homes and left the island. Since the land became a sanctuary, some of the rarer native birds, including the saddleback, stitchbird, kokako, whitehead, little spotted kiwi, takahe, North Island robin, brown teal, North Island fernbird and the rifleman have been reintroduce to Tiri. Also successfully introduce are the giant weta, Duvaucel’s gecko, and shore skink.

The bird we were most interested in hearing and seeing is the kokako. We had no luck the first day. though we were able to see many saddlebacks, hihi and the takahe. The second time we went after lunch another visitor spotted one near the visitor center. We were able to get great pictures, but the kokako made no sounds. On the walk back down the hill to the ferry we heard what we had been waiting for. The kokako gave us a great show.

The hiking on the many tracks around the island was beautiful and well maintained by DOC.

G walking the track

Crossing over Ridge Road with lots of bird action

Saddleback parents

Saddleback chick

Kokako

Kokako (hear him in video below)

North Island robin

Hihi/Stitchbird

North Island Dotteral

Morepork (owl)

Kereru/New Zealand Pigeon

Lighthouse Tiritiri Matangi Island

B bringing G tea

Takahe and chick

Shakespeare Regional Park

Friday, March 13, 2015

Tasman - 2015

One of the great things about being in Tasman this year is owning our own bicycles. The off road Tasman Great Taste Cycle Trail has great paths with great views. Our favorite part of the trail is on Rabbit Island.

Pit stop on Rabbit Island

Rabbit Island views toward Mapua

Tasman Great Taste Cycle Trail
Waimia Estuary - Great for viewing shorebirds

B biking on Rabbit Island

Tasman Great Taste Cycle Trail in Richmond

Tasman Great Taste Cycle Trail near Nelson

We are enjoying our second year in Wisteria Cottage. The fantails and bellbirds sing and entertain us outside the cottage. The sheep in the paddocks around the property have enjoyed the tractor loads of hop leaves brought in several times during each day of the hop harvest. The sheep on the hills come running down bleating making sure they don't miss out on their share of the hops.

"Here's looking at ewes!"

Black fantail out our cottage window

Ewes come running to get their feed of hops.

When we were in Fiordland, we met a young couple from British Columbia. Ioana and Kyle are in New Zealand on a 1 year work visa. They are traveling around NZ seeing all the sights and working when they have to. When they made their way to the Nelson area, we got together and enjoyed an afternoon and evening with them.

B and G with Ioana and Kyle

Nelson Lakes National Park has some great hikes. You do need to remember Goodbye Sandfly, an herbal insect repellant, as the sandflies are relentless near the shore of the lakes.

Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes National Park

Lake Rotoiti with immature lancewood tree

Falls on Braeburn Walk

One of the new cafes we have tried is the Jester House in the town of Tasman. They have created wonderful gardens with an area for children with several wooden animals. The elephant was our favorite. They also have tame eels that one can feed.

Tame Eels at The Jester House Cafe

Floppy eared elephant at The Jester House Cafe

When we went to Tinline Bay on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track we hit it at a very low tide. This enabled us to explore around the rocky shore where we found another nice beach.

Cave at Tinline Bay

Beach near Tinline Bay in Abel Tasman NP

Inline Bay at low tide

We went to two shows at the Theater Royal in Nelson. This 19th century theater has been completely renovated to look as it did 100 years ago - although they put in more comfortable sitting. We saw a London Westend theater troupe perform The Buddy Holly Story. We also saw a local theater group perform a 1930s play called Glorious. We enjoyed delicious Thai food at Chokdee's across the street before the shows.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Golden Bay 2 - 2015

We ventured out on a couple new hikes this year in Golden Bay. We hiked both ends of the Kaituna Track. From the Aorere Valley we hiked to the river fork through native forest following a river. From Whanganui Inlet, we hiked to Knuckle Hill, a steep hike with spectacular views of the inlet and Farewell Spit. For those wondering about G’s knees, they seem to be improving.

Bridge to Kaituna Track

View on Kaituna Track

Nikau Palms on Kaituna Track

River Fork on Kaituna Track

From our house we enjoy the California quails that feed along the perimeter of the lawn, the Australasian harriers circling the sky looking for the many rabbits in the cow pasture, the separate cow and bull paddocks far below and the amazing views of the valley and mountains of Kaurangi National Park.

Australasian Harrier in the cow paddock

Much needed rainy day with its silver lining

Dusk on the farm

Biking on the Great Taste Trail in Motueka

We tried a new section of the Abel Tasman Coastal Walk from Totaranui to Anapai Bay. Even though a rain shower tried to ruin our day, the sun came out before we left the beach. Like us, the pied shags got dry and were revitalized by the sun.

Hiking to Anapai Beach

Tree fern frond

Anapai Beach

Pied Shags (comorants)

Pukekos

Knuckle Hill in the distance (1 hour 50 minutes walk to top)

Obviously worth the steep hike

Relaxing on Knuckle Hill

Knuckle Hill view

View walking back from Knuckle Hill

Instead of crossing over Takaka Hill, one day, we went to the top to see two sights. We visited Hawke's Lookout with the eroded marble and views over Tasman and the Ngarua Caves.

Looking down the hill at Riwaka Resurgence

Hawke's Lookout toward Motueka

Eroded marble

Walking to Kaihoka Lakes

Kaihoka Lake

Kaihoka Lake with many nihau palms

Ngarau Cave

Coming out of Ngarau Cave

Made it out

3 second scene at the end of the last Hobbit movie

Look for the dead tree in the last Hobbit movie

View of Abel Tasman National Park and Tasman Sea

View of the stars in the back yard - Clouds of Magellan
on upper right side

We always enjoy the lifestyle of Takaka with its farming community and youthful Bohemian groups who occupy the village green and parks making jewelry to sell, music and just hanging out. There are 3 cafes that have a good selection of vegetarian and vegan options. The beaches nearby are lovely for swimming and walking.