New Zealand 21/02/26

Stewart Island 

A great stay at Bluff Lodge for the last couple of days, well fed, rested and ready for more adventures.

Bluff Lodge

I caught the ferry to Oban, the only town on Stewart Island, a rather bumpy one hour crossing.

Not much of a view from inside the ferry 

The weather was good when I arrived but I thought it best to go to the campsite and set up my tent before I did anything else just in case!

Oban campsite 

Lunch first in a nice café before heading to the museum which was worth visiting but not exciting.

A 'bomb' harpoon 

I then went for a walk around the area to see the sights. I didn't have to go far before I was in the bush.

Golden bay

Good paths around Oban

Oban, Halfmoon Bay

I found a sea kayak place and may well try it out after my three day walk. There is also a stone carving workshop, looks interesting.

An interesting bit of information at the museum (click on the picture to enlarge)

New Zealand 19-20/02/26

Bluff

I spent the day relaxing, reading and washing all my clothes before visiting the maritime museum.

Royal visit in 1953

A very interesting museum with a lot of information about the local area as well as ship and boat displays.

Nice old 'colonial' house 

There are a lot of painted walls around Bluff

Bluff developed around the harbour and oyster fisheries and is still a major port for the export of timber and container traffic.

Ocean Beach meat processing plant in its prime 

The present harbour area was constructed, starting in 1952, on a man made island which was built on a shallow area just off the coast. There is a big aluminum smelter on the other side of the inlet as well that uses electricity from the Manapouri power plant and bauxite imported from Australia to produce some of the best quality aluminum in the world and employs a large number of people although that is liable to close within the next ten years.

A Norwegian Praam dinghy in the museum 

The enormous Ocean Bay slaughter house and meat packing plant closed in 1991 with the loss of 1450 jobs, which obviously contributed in a big way to the decline of the town.

One of the steam engines from the tug 'Awarua'

Oysters continue to be a big seasonal industry in the area. In

More timber for export

There is fascinating artists shop/studio called Jimi Rabbitz which was never open when I was there but let contains a lot of papier mashe figures. I was told that the artist rarely opens the shop and she doesn't really like selling anything.

A good meal in the restaurant and I'm off to Stewart Island in the morning.

Te Araroa 18/02/26

Day 150, Bluff to Stirling Point (3058, THE END)

  It was still a grey morning but at least there was no rain and visibility much better than yesterday.

Timber and wood chips at Bluff

I had to walk out of Bluff back to where the trail turns off the road to go round the West Coast before climbing over the hill and dropping down to Sterling Point.

West coast of Bluff hill

It got brighter and warmer as the morning progressed but the sun didn't appear. There was no wind and only small waves breaking on the shore.

Calm Tasman sea

The climb up and over the of the hill is on a good gravel path through the bush with steps in places, rather different to the Longwoods!

Steps up the hill

The hill was used for coastal defences during the last war and there are some remains left.

Old gun emplacement 

I soon arrived at Stirling Point at the end of the trail and also the end of state highway one. Lots of people and campers, very different to Cape Reinga at the start. 

At the end

There was a French cyclist at the sign who had also done the whole route and we took each other's photos as all the Aisians were too busy taking selfies.

The sign

The sandflies were having a nice time so I nipped into the overpriced cafe to escape. I did have a nip from a rather nice miniature of New Zealand Whisky, that I bought yesterday, to celebrate before going in.

Celebrating with El Tejido 

I met Pete and Dean in Bluff later in the day and we all celebrated in the evening. Charlie, Megan and Eve also finished today but somehow I missed them, very annoying.

Te Araroa 17/02/26

Day 149, Invercargill to Bluff (3050)

It was a miserable day, drizzle, poor visibility and cold. The walk was on a cycle track that follows the salt flats along the shore and then beside the road all the way to Bluff.

Salt marsh and mist

The walk through the salt flats would have been more interesting if there was any visibility but all there was to see was the sewage farm and the distant outline of a milk factory.

Black swans 

Milk factory 

Thank goodness the cycle track was separate from the road as there was a surprisingly large amount of traffic, mainly timber trucks and containers for the port at Bluff.

Heavy trucks on the highway 

Welcome to Bluff 

I considered going on to the finish at Stirling Point but thought that it would be much better delayed until tomorrow when the weather is supposed to be much better and I can enjoy it better.

Bluff wall art

Bluff itself is rather run down since the demise of the fishing industry and the subsequent closure of the processing plant, rather reminiscent of some of the Scottish fishing ports.

Bluff art

There has been an effort to try and improve the town and there are some beautiful old buildings including the hostel where I'm staying.

Bluff Lodge backpackers hostel 

I had booked a room for two nights but as soon as I saw it, and the weather forecast, I booked it for two more. A perfect place to celebrate the completion of the walk tomorrow.

Te Araroa 15/02/26

Day 148, Invercargill.

A rest day in Invercargill today spent wandering around the town. I went to the outdoor shop and found they had a sale on Topo shoes which seem to be similar to the Altras that I have been wearing. I decided that I would buy a pair and consign my old split ones to the bin, hope I don't regret it!

Rather a big split 

I then used most of the day to visit a huge motorcycle museum with a fascinating display of old bikes and some cars.

Just one section of the museum 

Some nice sidecars as well

An old JAP Morgan

Visitors bikes outside 

Racing cars built in New Zealand also featured.

Begg Daimler V8 (2.5 litre)

After lunching in the cafe there I went to Haynes hardware store which is not only the best hardware store I've been in for a while but also has a collection of motorcycles as well.

Including Bert Munro,s 'worlds fastest Indian '

It had a streamlined casing for the record runs.

A quick visit to an art gallery with a couple of interesting works.

Interesting 

Made from gorse wood

Made from a solid piece of rock 

I also had a look in what was advertised as the world's largest gun shop before it was time to head back to the campsite where I met Pete, Dean and Paddy. Sometime was spent reminiscing over a meal in the campsite kitchen.

Racks of rifles