Evans Crossing

Last weekend we took the Taiko way to Evans Crossing for a walk to the Pareora dam. An awesome day after a good frost. We let Poppy off the lead half way to the dam - no stock visible! Just arrived at the dam and she shot through the fence into a plantation of trees... Some time later after using my whistle constantly she turned up. Either rabbits or possums!! We were both wondering about the sun going down and no Poppy.
Back at Orf Piste we had a cuppa and then crossed the ford to return to Timaru a different way. See the video link below.
Crossing the ford

Milford Lagoon

After spending ages looking for Amazon on the Thames for the pageant, which we did do by means of a still photo in amoungst all the video, we decided to go out to Milford Lagoon for lunch. Sunny Queens Birthday Monday. Was really warm and quiet. This is a great spot for kayaking as you can go quite a way up the river and see the odd trout underneath.

Trailer for kayaks

Yesterday and some of today we made cradles to take the kayaks on our garden trailer. We had spoken to a couple at Loch Laird who had bought a proper roof rack and 2 kayak accessories for their trailer and it looked easy. The chap had built his own out of wood and they had failed to keep his kayaks on! So we investigated at an auto supplies shop and left without due to the hideous cost. We tossed ideas around and have come up with something that works very well and was cheap. We gave it a good test over some serious bumps!

Orf Piste sign writing

Yesterday we took the van to Timaru Sign Writers and had her name and the blog address stuck on! Just a reminder orf piste is how our english well spoken friends from The Isle of Wight said off piste meaning in ski speak off the trails.

The Backline Road

Autumn is giving us some gorgeous weather and so what better than to go off piste again. We went to Otaio Gorge reserve and walked through the bush to the most awesome spot and swimming hole - actually it was the first place Nina swam when we arrived here in 1997! There is a DOC campsite which is pretty neat but it does say No dogs! The reserve is on the Backline road which is shingle all the way!

Otaio Gorge swimming hole

We then headed west along the road to Mt Nimrod Reserve for lunch and a walk. The bell birds are amazing there and there were these little very black and very yellow birds there. I need to check it out and see what they are. We have recorded the bird song. Great bush walk from the campsite there.

These little cups were given to us by A-Al

Click to play Bellbirds song

Check out this recording of birds in the bush at Mt Nimrod






And home past our old farm at Cannington - looks good.
The little bright black and yellow birds are South Island tomtits.

 

Moeraki for Mothers Day

Poppy to the kennels - she will get her overnighters next spring. We left on Saturday and lunched at the Oamaru harbour then visited the Steampunk museum! It's pretty awesome and definitely worth a visit. There are some really great examples dotted here and there around Oamaru as well.
Then off to Moeraki where we stayed 2 nights in the camping ground with a grand view over the harbour to Fleurs Place. It was our first go at plugging in and with longer nights we were very warm and well lit!
Cooked in the camp kitchen and only one other person there so we spread out! Next day was HOT - so jammy with the weather, and so we went to Shag Point and had lunch at Nev's Ramp and watched a couple of fishermen get their boat out in interesting conditions. Plenty of seals around but no penguins - bit early in the day.
Then we drove to Kaik. It is a favourite wee beach with funny old baches and sheds. Always an upclose thing with seals and loads of shells. The sand is yummy and golden.
Back to our spot and a wee drinkie as the sun went down and then to Fleurs for M day meal. As always it was fantastic, in fact it seems to get better and Fleur was on good form! Stephen had a whole moki and I had blue cod. Both in off the Moeraki boats.
Next day home via Kakanui where we had a good snoop for camping spots - awesome long sandy beach. Had lunch by the sea and then home.

Oamaru harbour

Steampunk museum

Moeraki Camping Ground

View to Fleurs Place

Shag Point

Kaik looking north

Kaik southward

Seal at Kaik

Complete with crockery!

Shacks on the beach at Kaik

Kaike shells

Nice paua shell

Camping ground to Fleurs

Inside Fleurs

Happy diners

ANZAC Day 2012 very off piste

A day off and another gorgeous day. We decided to go and check out Peel Forest and the camping ground there. Will camp at it in the summer and do the walks tho no dogs at this one! We then went up the road towards Mesopotamia station in search of a viewing spot to watch the rafting and kayaking. Couldn't find the spot and so embarked on a long shingle road experience up the side of the Rangitata and found Middle Earth and a track down to the river where they put the rafts in! We watched the punters getting ready and set off. Looked pretty good esp. on such a good day. Up this far in the high country is breath taking and a fantastic experience. We unfortunately followed a large sheep truck up the shingle road and with no wind the outside and inside of the van was covered in dust! We can now say that "Orf Piste" lives up to the name. Still well worth the trip. Big cleaning job coming up.

The mountains seemed much bigger and nearer there

Rafters

Headed off...

Lunch at Waihao Box

We packed a picnic and grabbed the dog as it was yet another gorgeous day. We had heard that Waihao Box, which is in line with Waimate at the coast, would be good for kayaking and so we had to check it out. In deed it is and we will do that thing in summer.
The box is a structure which was erected early 20th C to maintain free flow both ways from the lagoon out and sea in. It prevents flooding in land and is maintained by Ecan and farmers donate money towards that. 

Poppy loves Orf Piste

                    

Waihao Box

Mackenzie Country at Easter

Easter 2012 - the real thing...

Poppy to the kennels as we weren't too sure about dogs where we were headed - everyone had them and just like her!

Fantastic forecast and off Good Friday south to Waitaki bridge for coffee - they have opened out the picnic spot there and wow what a sight up that awesome river. Kurow for lunch between the 2 bridges and again beside the Waitaki in all its glory hmm no pic. On to Otematata and to Loch Laird camping grounds which have the bare minimum ie loos. Right by the water again and in amoungst fantastic autumn colours and a vodafone tower visible in the mountains...

Just because he could

 Vodafone tower between van and poplar tree...

View to where we camped - in the middle just behind the island, from top of Benmore dam. Summertime this is all packed out with boaties camping.

Beating the sun going down

Some trees had changed others getting there.

Morning mist at campsite

Morning walk and because it was such a hot day the boats poured in, above and below the dam.

Then we moved on to Omarama after lunch at Sailors Cutting and boat launching entertainment!

That was us on the left and the chap in the middle spent $500 on fuel but as he said "I haven't been into a gas station for 4 months" It made the girls at the till chortle watching the pump.

Then on to Lake Pukaki to the DOC camp site north of the bridge by the I site for Mt Cook. The day was fantastic and I am from NZ and couldn't stop saying wow right until the sun went down on Mt Cook.

Happy hour

 I walked down the unstable scree to the water and wished I had my togs on and thought about just getting in but instead I waded out to a rock and sat on it with my legs in the water!

Others also enjoying the awsomeness.

Bliss

Evening

Next morning.

We then headed to Tekapo and were to camp at the camping grounds to trial being plugged in. However it was chocka so we had lunch at the lake and watched the waterskiing etc and moved on to a river bed near Cave. We did the dump out thing at Tekapo and had another van waiting - they had owned their bus for 12 years and said to us "Have you just bought yours?" We will have to work on that newbie look...

 A typical braided river bed.  You need to know that it isn't going to rain in the hills before doing this. We were pointed out and up! It was lovely.

The next day we went to Hanging Rock to check it out for future camping but not really tho quite a nice place!

There is a picnic spot but not overlooking the river.

It does hang.

The rock hangs like this and back along in the bushes so it could look pretty neat if it was cleared.

And that was our Easter break and first real trip in Orf Piste.