Thursday 6 March 2025

A very chilly, if not nippy start to today - 6C. Off to Nelson via Picton at 10.00 am this morning. A beautiful drive across the top of the North Island, with a little picnic lunch stop in Havelock.

Our digs in Nelson (58K population) are wonderful. The bottom half of an old house, with a working kitchen. The brief walk about the CBD produced a Free House for a couple of pints and a bag of crisps and a great cheese shop for cheese, salami and chutney. That’s dinner tonight after the 5 pm GnT’s.

Friday 7 March

After some late research, we headed back 1.15 hrs to Havelock, to catch the Mail Ferry around the Marlborough Sounds. Perfect early autumn weather, 20’s and blue sky. The 15m, twin diesel catamaran, clips along at 27 knots and takes about 80 passengers as well as mail and other supplies, while it visits a number of the outlying, isolated and tiny settlements that dot the shores of the Sounds.

Hard to describe the stunning beauty of the volcanic/seismic created waterways (sort of Lakes), with thick forested plunging hills into the blue Tasman and believe that there are people living off the grid in the bush - and some others in very expensive resorts and batches as well.

We met locals collecting their weekly mail and supplies, along with an entertaining pet pig and two pet dogs and the private owner of one of the islands. We also met Fred Dagg. Well, he could have been a reincarnation of him. Gumboots, shorts, a polo top and the ubiquitous bucket hat. There are a lot of them about. The Kiwi blokes do love their shorts.

We had a remote beach all to ourselves for the lunch stop. Wine in a glass glass! Take it on shore? “Of course, why wouldn’t you? Remember to bring it beck.” No nanny state here in the Sounds. Flashy of course, is loving the excents bro. The skipper said over there by the nik. Eventually, we looked port to see the neck of land he was referring to.

A full day on the water and very entertaining. Flashy was a bit envious when he heard the skipper say the locals living out in the Sounds do OK. There’s deer and goats in abundance, fish and crustaceans in the sea and veggies grow blood well here. Ah for a rifle and a rod, eh?

Shorts, gumboots bucket hat missing
A friendly welcome
Nice day on the water
Hairy MacLeary's brother




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