Greymouth to Picton Feb-05

Last night we enjoyed a steak BBQ with a nice bottle of local wine; ate at the patio set just outside our unit cooked on the provided grill. It was still light when the bugs drove us indoors – otherwise it was a beautiful evening; just like at the cottage! We were up early this morning for our drive up the Coast to Westport. This 100k section was voted one of the top 10 scenic drives in the world and we were told to allow 2 hours for the drive even though there are no traffic lights to slow you down. Considering the amazing views seen since arriving on the South Island, we were a bit blasé about that comment. Well, we had just cleared the town boundary when we asked Tom to stop for a photo. The drive has breath-taking scenery, wild coastlines, and unique rock formations just off the shoreline, blowholes & pancake rocks! Check out www.west-coast.co.nz . We had an ideal day to see the fantastic formations formed by the pounding of the Tasman Sea. At Punakaiki we walked the 20 minute loop track to Dolomite Point for the best views of the pancake-like formations where limestone rocks are eroded to form huge stacks. The tide was out so the sprays in the blowholes were not at the level depicted in the brochures. The picture attached is one taken during our loop walk trying to capture the imagines carved in the rock.
Even though we left Greymouth around 9 am it was noon before we reached Westport. Before visiting I-site to get a place to stay on the East Coast, we picnicked at Cape Foulwind. Despite the name given by Captain Cook when he experienced particularly bad winds in March 1770, it is a ruggedly beautiful sea coast & home to a breeding colony of fur seals. An informal camper park provided an area for our picnic and our last look at the Tasman Sea before heading inland. Time was critical with a 3½ hr drive through the mountains via Lewis Pass to Blenheim on the East Coast before the end of our day; no option but to continue to the East Coast once you leave Westport.
Ninety minutes later we left the I-site. We had hoped to stay in Blenheim for 3 nights leaving only a 20 minute drive to Picton Monday morning to catch the ferry to Wellington. Blenheim was hosting a tennis tournament for the weekend and all accommodation was taken. This was only the 2nd time we had an issue with booking a motel. Dunedin was 1st when we arrived during the Golf Masters tournament. Carl, a student employee at I-Site struggled to find us a place. Nearing exhaustion, we asked about the Yacht Club in Picton a place recommended by two couples from Melbourne we had met in Greymouth. Yacht Club had the Penthouse suite a two-story 3-bedroom luxury apartment available with a view of Queen Charlotte Sound for only $325 per night. Desperate – we booked it!
Leaving Westport our first objective was Murchison, 97K away. We checked off the mile markers: earthquake slip from 1968, Longest Swing Bridge over the Buller Gorge, Iron Bridge built in 1890, 50 metres of tar-seal one-lane road with an overhanging rock about 20 feet above your head on a recommended 25 KPH bend, Wekas (birds), then finally Lewis Pass. We finally arrived in Murchison at 4:10 pm, then onwards for the 190K drive to Picton. Leaving Murchison we passed a few snow ski sites, then 100K of relatively easy driving through alpine meadows with herds of deer; Rams & females kept apart by fenced fields. By 6 pm we were in Renwick with only 10K to Blenheim & 28 to Picton; almost there and driving through wine country! Our spirits lifted reading the vineyard names & seeing the miles & miles of grapevines! 7pm we pulled into the Yacht Club at Picton giving us our first views of harbour & boats. The same view from the modern kitchen, dining & living room, not to mention 2 balconies – our reward for the drive across the island. This was the first floor; the receptionist took us upstairs to see the rest! The upstairs was beyond our expectations: 3 bedrooms 3 bathrooms & 3 balconies; the master suite with its own kitchen & sitting room with HD TV surround sound – we claimed for the driver – who was already dreaming about sleeping late tomorrow! We couldn’t wait to settle in. Dinner was beer & pizza at the pub across the road; a great way to end a VERY long day!