Then there was only me

Picton a nice place for a stop over, the top 10 was almost completely booked out with only a bunk room left for Pete and me, still it was very clean and tidy and saved quite a few bucks on the motel units we normally stay in. we had a bit of a wander round town looking for a suitable dinner establishment, while the Irish pub had good signage the menu didn't take either of our fancies so we ate at one of the swanky bars on the water front strip, not sure the food was any better once we had eaten it.

Unfortunately Pete's wife Alix is unwell, I pointed out that family comes first, so he's on the plane back to Auckland at lunch time tomorrow.
I'll stay an extra night and do the morning ferry crossing with a direct drive to Napier.

I was Sucked In

On our stop in kaikoura we walked past this sign outside a cafe, how could we not go in? Sure enough there was one steak and mushroom pie left in the warmer which I ordered with a flat white. The service was good and friendly, the pie was not so good and at $10 for it and the worst flat white on tour I was a bit disappointed, bit of a reality check after Oamaru.

Oamaru - Home of the best Steak and Mushroom Pies

Leaving Dunedin and going to Christchurch we had a few stops. First in Moraki where Google once again had problems locating things and then in Oamaru at the Steam punk museum, Scott's Brewery and a pie shop with the best pie this tour and also the best steak and mushroom pie I've ever eaten, and I've eaten a lot of pies.

Katiki Lighthouse

Moraki Boulders

Lentil, pear, beef, kale and Feta Pie even I was too scared to try it

A fine tasting platter I have three more riggers in the fridge for our return.

Well it was worth a quick look anyway

Back to the Mainland

Once again on our ferry crossing back from Stewart Island a maritime disaster was unfolding with a 16 ft power boat broken down and sinking just outside bluff harbor. Fortunately this time they had called a mayday in time and our ferry and the local coast guard turned up to rescue them and no one died.

Back in Bluff we took in the obligatory tourist sights of Bluff hill lookout (really bloody windy, Pete had to hold on to his glasses) and the road sign pointing back up to cape reinga 

Once again going north, NZ is shorter

Large Anchor chain to stop Stewart Island dragging in the breeze

A rather closed Invercargill Brewery

 On our way up to Dunedin we stopped in at the Invercargill Brewery, closed and looking unlikely to re-open.

Carey's Bay Hotel rather good food and beer

On-wards to the Top 10 Dunedin. On the way to dinner we drove past Emerson's but after suffering the cloudy jug of their IPA in Oban I decided  to go directly to the rather nice pub - Carey's Bay Hotel

A bit of exercise the light at the end of the Mole after pub closing.

Stewart Island Catchup

Hello Again sorry for the lack of updates but while our accommodation was much more luxurious than last time it still had no wifi

safe after finish in the pub

 After crossing the finish line Coppelia tied up next to the wharf to flush and refill her water tanks. We then dropped her off on a mooring and returned to the pub to await the rest of the finishers. No real damage except the pump on the toilet packed up, this happened early on in the leg so we had time for a new one to be brought down for repairs.

Norwegian whaler propellers

 After bit of a lie in we got up to pouring rain, Sally and Rob set off to fix the loo I settled down to doing the washing.

Next day the sun was back out and the sand flies seemed to have gone off to feast elsewhere. Rob drove us and a few of the other sailors in Coppelia around to the abandoned Norwegian whaling station, There were less bugs and more to see than our previous Stewart island stop over where we investigated Ulva Island

Slipway and boiler at Whalers repair station

Vehicle transport Stewart Island style

On our return we got to see the chorus van being loaded ready for return to the mainland.

Competitors ready for launch

Rob with boat and his winning crew

Yes Rob's boat won the cardboard boat race. Motorboat 2nd, Sally's was by far the most solidly built and most water tight however it suffered from having a large water displacement and coupled with poor paddle selection couldn't keep up.

Sail past for the locals prior to restart

Spectator fleet including most of the school chanting for motorboat, they probably couldn't hear them though due to the volume level from the stereo

Clean start and Coppelia pops her chute first to gain a temporary lead on the others.

Final goodbye as the start boat turns back for Oban

 

Things to remember for next time If your jug of beer comes out cloudy with foam on top but no fizz it is probably better to swap it for a different beer the kegs gone off.

Bloody Roosters

Stewart Island is quite a nice place really, nice pub, excellent Four Square that sells lollies I like and everything else at reasonable prices, there just one thing - Roosters they just keep cock-a-doodle-dooing all night, all day, all the time, arrrrrrrrrgh!

Invercargill - Pride of the South

Well Invercargill once you've driven around it a bit is quite a big place with some very large hardware stores. I thought their Mitre 10 was big until we drove downtown and discovered Hayes for hardware a 100ft wall of spanners and a free motor cycle museum in the same place. Plenty of Burt Munro memorabilia and a tape dispenser to reassemble the Coppelia resupply box before catching the ferry

100ft wall of tools

Offerings to the Gods of Speed direct from Burt Munro's Shed

 We picked up Kat and Storm in the morning on the way to the ferry and enjoyed a mostly smooth sailing across to Oban