Westport and Cape Foulwind

---

We had read that there was a little natural hot springs area somewhere across the Lewis Pass. There were no signs to it but it was a certain distance past the sign to the nature reserve. So we kept our eyes peeled for the sign and pulled off into the picnic area to see what we could find. It was only a short distance from the car park apparently so we headed along the river trying to avoid being eaten alive by the killer sand flies! Unfortunately due to what can only be described as a landslide all the hot pools had been filled in!! You could see where they would have been as there were wet sand rings surrounded by rocks in neat little circles! The only one remaining was right by the rivers edge and was luke warm and only ankle deep so we didn’t bother stopping.

On the way to Westport we stopped for lunch in a little gold mining town called Reefton. There are only a handful of houses around but there was a massive skate park!! We have discovered that seemingly every town / village - no matter how small has a skate park of some description. It was a very quaint little place that could have been easily missed if not paying attention.

We then headed onwards to Westport, however instead of staying in the town we went just outside to Carters beach. There wasn’t a lot to do around Westport or Carters beach except for a few walks so it was going to depend on the weather. We managed a walk along Cape Foulwind to another seal colony and then along the coast. There were a few seals basking on the rocks but it was a little disappointing after Ohau Point!! Mark and I continued to walk the cliff and came across some very friendly Wekas - the birds. They are a flightless bird and seem to like people!

As there wasn’t a lot to do in Westport we planned on heading up to Karamea. You have to come back through Westport as there is no road beyond it so we were planning on going there and back in one day as we had been told there were some lovely limestone arches and caves at the Operara basin which is just beyond Karamea. However, on discussion with Dad and Sandra we decided on spending the night up there as there were a few other walks and things around. How glad we were!! The drive to Karamea takes an hour and half so we drove up one day planning on going to the basin early and driving back the next day. Dad and Sandra decided to stay 2 nights as they didn’t like the idea of driving back to Westport after walking all day. On the way up to Karamea we stopped to do a walk to a waterfall. We were going to go all the way to the waterfall but Dad and Sandra thought it would be too far for them so we headed off and agreed to meet them up in Karamea. The walk to the waterfall was really rocky and followed the old railway line. A lot of the railway line had been damaged due to rock falls or erosion but it mainly followed the same track including the tunnels! We had been going for about an hour (the time it should take to get to the waterfall) but hadn’t come across anything yet, then found a very small trickle down the hillside and were about to be very disappointed if that was the waterfall!! However a little further on and over a rather high swim bridge we found the waterfall - which was a lot more impressive than the trickle we had seen!! We decided to continue a little further in order to find the rope bridge that was a little further along. However, after going through flat grasslands and past an old mining hut we were still to find it. Having walked over an hour and half to where we were and knowing we had the same to walk back we decided to turn around without finding the rope bridge. So we headed back through the tunnel and over the swing bridge only to find Dad and Sandra coming the other way!! Sandra was determined to make it to the waterfall as they hadn’t managed to see the one in Hanmer Springs!! So instead of them heading off to Karamea before us we left them on the walk and headed back to the van. A quick snack in the sunshine and we headed off to Karamea. When we arrived there wasn’t much there so we headed to the beach for a walk- only to be blasted by the wind coming from the Tasman Sea. Mark picked up some driftwood to fashion into a walking pole for Sandra on all the uneven ground. As we had no signal on the phone and no way to contact Dad and Sandra we parked ourselves on the main street (well the only through street really) and waited for them to arrive whilst snaking on crisp sandwiches - oh the glamour!! Eventually they arrived and we headed off to book into the only holiday park around. A quick walk by the estuary and some food saw us all in for an early night!!

The following morning we set out early on the 30 KM drive to the basin, we had been told that it was down a gravel track not suitable for buses but we were not expecting what we found!! The 16 KM’s of gravel road that wound its way up more than down through the hills with lots of twists and turns was navigated mostly in second gear with me saying lots of words that cannot be repeated here!! The problem is - once you’re on the road there is no getting off until you reach the car parks at the other end!! So lots of bounces and rear wheel slides later we safely arrived at the car parks if a little rattled. With that experience over I decided that Mark would drive back as I didn’t really feel the need to repeat that experience especially since it would be mostly downhill on the way back!!

Once we (well I) had regained composure we headed out to the Operara Arch. An hour return trip to a massive limestone arch that I think I would have missed had you not walked into the tunnel itself - or if Mark hadn’t told me to look up!! It was an absolutely huge arch and cave that ran through the rock and the river underneath. I was crystal clear waters and an intimidating sight. The photos don’t really do it justice as you couldn’t truly get a perspective on the size of it! On the way there we came across a little ‘beach’ area which had the most beautiful mirror surface. It was fantastic and because you were surrounded from the path and there was no one else there at the time it felt as if no one else was there and you had found your own little piece of the world!! Looking at the photos later we found that there are some scaring images in the reflections in the waters surface - decide for yourself what they look like!!

We also met a very friendly Robin, who danced around our feet and who at one point I thought was going to come onto my hand. When we came across another Robin later on Mark picked up a worm to feed it. They are so tame that it actually knocked it out of Marks hand in order to get it!!

After our walk to the Operara Arch we decided to drive the further 3 KM to the other car park in dads car as we didn’t really want to take the van any further than we had to. Dad went to unlock the car only to find that his battery was dead - he’d left his lights on!! So as we didn’t have jump leads (though he should have as this was the second time it had happened!) we went about asking anyone in the car park if they had jump leads (or jump cables as they are called out here). After about 10 minutes of asking and having exhausted all current possibilities I thought we were going to have to drive back to Karamea and buy some jump leads and drive back to the basin to start them! However, after I accosted a very nice Scotsman as he arrived at the basin - I was in luck. He jump started the car and we were off 3 KM down the road to the caves. These weren’t very big but were very dark and one of the caves had very large spiders that once Mark saw one he quickly exited the cave. We were going to do another longer walk to Moria gate arch but Dad and Sandra weren’t so we said our goodbyes as we were heading straight on down to Greymouth and they were remaining in Karamea for another night. The walk to Moria gate was mainly through forest and we met another very friendly robin on the way who stayed around a while. You could go both over and under the arch and although not as impressive in scale as the Operara Arch is was beautiful and you had to climb through a cave to get underneath!! So after the long walk we headed back to the van to head the horrible 16 KM’s back down the gravel track - only the van wouldn’t start. We had also left our lights on so had run the battery flat!! Luckily the very nice Scotsman’s car was still in the car park so we settled in to wait for him to return from whatever walk he may have been doing!! Luckily it was only a 10 minute wait and he kindly agreed to jump start our van! So off we headed on the not so pleasant drive down the gravel track.

We did a small stop over in Westport to look for a book and grab some food (and wine) from Countdown before heading down to Greymouth. Along the way we stopped as a deserted cove - only to find a house hidden in the trees!! Then at a lookout point on top of one of the coastal hills - as we were leaving this I recognised a car parked in the opposite car park - the kind Scot who had jump started the cars gave us a friendly wave!!

We wanted to see the Punakaikai rocks but it was getting late in the day so we stopped at a campsite just before the rocks for the night. We were also running very low on fuel so it needs to be a quick stop at the rocks and onto Greymouth for some fuel in the morning!!

---