Heading West

---

Cloudy with occasional sunny intervals. Showers turning to rain later

Packed the campsite and headed west along highway 6, without any real idea of a destination for the day (or even for the week). Perhaps inspiration will strike along the way. The road started along a broad valley, cultivated with vineyards on the valley floor and with forested sides.Gradually the valley became narrower and 'wilder' and the boulderyshallow Buller river became visible meandering about the valley floor.

Reached the small town of Murchison in time for coffee - I suspect it's always really just catered for travellers - and then carried on along Highway 6, through the Buller Gorge now - a narrow valley with a river that's grown in size. When the decision point came, I headed along Highway 6 towards Westport, further north along the west coast than the alternative Greymouth.

Got to the coast and, noticing the seal colony signs for Tauranga Bay, went to see some seals. A shortish walk along a boardwalk from the beach took you to the lookout point, although you could smell them from much further back along the beach. Wekas were a continual hazard along the path, one going as far as to start pecking my foot, which hurt. I suspect that kicking protected wildlife is not encouraged.
Quite a few of the fur seals were lounging around on the rocjks, some with pups suckling. A few of the pups, however, were screaming for their mum, who had understandably gone off fishing to get away from them.

There was a wide beach with some breakers in which the local surfguard club was doing their Sunday surfguarding practice. However, I was after lunch, so looked for some food. The only available place looked highly upmarket, so carried on southwards down the coast, passing the sign saying no fuel for 87 km (fortunatly I've got lots). The next town, Charleston (about 3 houses, 15 km down the road) had a suitable pub for lunch - homemade burger with a massive salad.

The guidebook mentioned something about rocks and blowholes down the coast, so carried on towards them. The road went through some flat eroded limestone areas (although roadside cuttings showed sandstones and coals as well). Then the inland limestone cliffs drew closer to the coast and the road hugged the shoreline. With rocky points, islets and wild sandy beaches it was reminiscent of the Californian coast around Big Sur. After half an hour or so of this, got to Punakaiki rocks - pancake rocks. They consisted of lots of thin (10cm) layers of limestones with thin eroded bedding in between - at least 100m thick in places. Apparently these are 35Ma, but the processes causing the bedding are unknown. The sea had eroded them in places, causing enormous blowholes. These are only active at high tide - around 10.30p.m. - so nothing at the moment.

Then serendipity came into play. 200m out to sea from the blowholes, 2 or 3 pods of Hector's dolphins came into view, playing and leaping out of the sea. They were surfing into the beach as well, which must have been worrying for the lone surfer when his wave was taken over by a wall of grinning dolphins. I took it as a sign that this is an interesting place.

The start of the rain confirmed that I should stay around here and watch the blowholes at high tide in the morning. The local pub, the Punakaiki Tavern, has space available so I abandon the tent for a wet night and spend a dry night indoors instead. Had a pleasant walk along the beach before dinner in the showers, but the dolphins have disappeared.

It suddenly hit me that there's only 2 weeks to get around the rest of South Island to Christchurch.It seems like a very short time to see lots now - hope it doesn't make me miss the best bits.

Heavy rain forecast for tomorrow, clearing up late afternoon, but Metservice NZ doesn't seem that reliable so I'll make plans as the weather develops.

---