North & South

Carol and Roger finally made it to Wellington, New Zealand’s Capital…on the very southern tip of the North Island.  We found it an enchanting and vibrant place…full of energy and commitment to the outdoors.

After a day of sightseeing, we hopped a ferry for the South Island.

We weren’t sure what to expect.  The North Island had proven more lush and far more scenic than we anticipated.  We knew the South Island was more sparsely settled, more mountainous, and more prone to stormy weather than where we had just been.

The ferry ride was supposed to take three hours…  

…but after only two our ferry entered the waters of the South Island.  We figured we were almost there.  As usual, we were mistaken and in for a surprise.

For an hour, we cruised past bays, sounds, and inlets…scenery that made us think we had travelled half way around the world only to end up in the San Juan Islands.

It turns out the last third of the ferry ride sailed through a long bay lined with fjord-like inlets.

Everywhere you looked was a feast for your eyes.

The inlets hosted salmon farms… 

….and commercial oyster beds.

It seemed like a perfect place for boating.  And indeed it was.  Scores of both sailboats and power boats.  It seemed there couldn't be that many people who live on the South Island.

Just a postscript….the New Zealand government has a sense of humor.  As we were driving from Christchurch to Invercargill (on the very south end of the South Island), we ended up on the road between the small town of Clinton and the slightly larger town of Gore.  Some years ago the Kiwi government decided to rename the highway…