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Saturday 3/4/17 and the skys are dark and we are in for another weather bomb. So we opt to hunker down in Richmond for a few days before heading off to French Pass
Tuesday 6/4/17 finally we are on our way to French Pass in the Marlborough Sounds. This was on our list the last time we visited the area but we hadn’t realised it was a long weekend and there was no room at the camp so we didn’t get there. The road out is windy and long from Elaine Bay. A little narrow in places and as they have widened the road there are some Power poles virtually on the road so you need to be careful in large vehicles or towing. A fellow camper arrived the next day at camp with his brand new Traillite Motorhome awning half ripped off. He pulled over too far to let a car pass and hooked his awning on the power pole. People complain about the road being dangerous it is ok and certainly not the worse road we have been on. If you take your time, there are places to pull over if you meet other vehicles. The stunning views
on the road out are really worth the trip. French Pass DOC camp is a very small DOC situated right on the water with gorgeous views along the beach and out to D’Urville Island. The camp was rather sodden after the rain of the previous few days but we managed to get a primo site (room with a view) on the waterfront. We spent our days here soaking in the idyllic scenery and basically chilling. You can watch sharks and large stingrays cruising along the foreshore here. Believe me they are not afraid. Attracted by fisherman dumping their fish waste the sharks one of which was 2+ metres longs swim right into the shallows and virtually beach themselves. We watched one tourist put on her wetsuit and head down to the beach. A couple of locals on the beach warned her about the sharks and we thought she may still go in until she actually saw them cruise past😊. There are a couple of walks from the camp up the hill 1. Pelorus Jack Lookout a short walk up to a statue of the famous White Dolphin Pelorus Jack. Here there is a story board of Pelorus Jack and how
he met the ships and guided them through this dangerous stretch of water. 2. Further up the hill is the track that leads you to a viewpoint over French Pass, where the tide rushes back and forth like a river. This is pretty amazing, but very treacherous looking. The whirlpools are rather large, with the biggest called Jacobs Whirlpool which forms as water is driven down into a 70 metre deep channel after flowing across a 6 metre bar. Fact of the day: When the tide changes here it can be strong enough to stun a fish😊. We spent a little time here just watching the water flow and some fisherman in a boat driving into the whirlpools and fishing until they got pushed out of the whirpools by the force of the water. Not sure I would be too keen to fish there. Backtracking up the track there is another slippery track down the other side to a small deserted beach. Miraculously I made the last section dropping down to beach without ending up on my ass. Wear decent shoes this beach track is not well maintained.
Friday 9/4 and its time to move on from this beautiful
spot. A quick stop at Okiwi Bay for a cuppa and to admire another scenic spot. Next stop is Pelorus Bridge. We stopped here last time but did not do all the walks. Today we walked over the bridge and onto the swing bridge track. It’s pretty cold here today but some very picturesque views to stop and admire. I can only imagine how cold it would be here in the middle of winter. From here we head nto Havelock for lunch at the The Mussel Pot café (yum). Due to timing we will have to leave the Pelorus Sound Mail Run that runs from Havelock out to Forsyth Island (A place where my grandad farmed). A shame but it’s still on my list for next time we are in the area😊. Last stop for the day is Picton, parked up at Parklands Marina Motor camp (our go to when we stay here).
Sat 10/4 Washing done and we head to the Marina and off to do the Queen Charlotte Mail Run. What a great afternoon calling in at beautiful bays delivering mail. Managed to get a close up view of some pretty cool baches/houses and a large pod
of dolphins. We also called in at the exclusive Bay of Many Coves Resort (Where the rich and famous stay). The highlight for me was watching/listening to some of the locals coming down and collecting their mail. There dogs waiting patiently for their dog biscuits from the skipper. You just wonder what it is really like to live out here and what they do to entertain themselves. (I'm pretty sure Lance and I would enjoy it😊). Great day and worth the money, make sure you book through the Bookme site as these trips are often heavily discounted.
Sunday 11/4 early morning ferry crossing back to the North Island to catch up with family and friends, so it’s time to sign off and formulate a plan or 2. We may be back😊.
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