Day 8 - 10 - Marlborough

East Coast on route to Kaikoura

Kaikoura Peninsula

Mt Cook from Hokitika

Hokitika Beach Art

Living in Marlborough we could not come to New Zealand without visiting Marlborough.  It also happens to produce my favourite Sauvignon!  The plan was to fly up the east coast, across the top and down the west coast, with stops for fuel on route and two nights at Motueka. Our first stop was to be Kaikoura, just under three hours flying from GHS.  It was quite a breezy morning and we caught quite a lot of turbulence as we tracked out through the Lindis Pass to Omarama which bounced us around for about 30 minutes.  Sometimes this mountain flying can be quite hard work!  It was only once we were over the flatter coastal plain that we got in to cleaner air.  We tracked up the coast and got approval to fly over Christchurch, with the controller helpfully offering us a more direct route closer to the airport.  There was little obvious sign of the devastation that occurred from the earthquake that hit the area other than a number of large building plots to the east of the CBD.  The Cathedral, which we had heard a few days earlier was to be demolished, was tucked in amongst the trees and we could not see it.  A few miles on, in the suburbs we flew over a large residential development, that had been started some years earlier with property designs that were more resistant to earthquake damage; this is where those who lost homes will eventually re-settle.  We learnt that the slow take-up that had beleaguered this development had been reversed by people wanting to move out of the city centre to safer accommodation.

The town of Kaikoura is SE of the Seaward Kaikoura Range which peaks at 8500ft.  It is also at the end of a deep sea trench that has made the area famous for whale watching.

And more beach art

Mt Cook getting closer

There are strict rules operating in the area for whale watching. No more than three vessels (boats and planes) are allowed near whales at any one time and as the Kaikoura peninsula started to emerge it was clear there weren't any clusters of boats anywhere.  A few were heading back to port and others were turning large circles suggesting there was not much to see.  With power back we dropped down to about 1500ft and made some wide sweeping turns around the bay.  A few minutes in and we had our first success and spotted a whale with, we thought, a youngster alongside.  One of the aircraft from Kaikoura airfield that flies tourist trips over the bay picked up our position report and was soon heading out in our direction, as was a boat who assumed we had found something.  It was not easy to get clear pictures from the height we were at but it was rewarding to see whales.  After a short stop for coffee and fuel, Fred flew the next leg up to Omaka, an airfield just outside Blenheim in the Marlborough region, which houses the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre. http://www.omaka.org.nz/  The collection is vividly displayed in themed settings and includes vintage aircraft and a vast array of memorabilia.  Much of it, one of the museum guides confided, being from the personal collection of Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings director), who bought his set design expertise to the displays.  Well worth a visit if you are in the area.

Fox Glacier

From Omaka our plan had been to fly around the Marlborough Sound to take a look at the islands, but low cloud and strong winds meant we had to weave our way around Picton, Havelock and the Rai Valley in to Tasman Bay, just north of Nelson at about 1000 ft.  Because of the low cloud we planned to follow the cost around the bay to Motueka on the opposite side to Nelson.  As so often with New Zealand weather we arrived in Motueka to light winds and sunshine, only 50 miles from Blenheim!

The following day we drove back over to Marlborough through the Richmond Range and spent the day wine tasting our marvellous guide Megan, acting as driver for the day so as not to inhibit our tasting!  We managed to fit in 5 vineyards Alan Scott, St Clair, Hunters (where we stopped for lunch with two aviation friends of Megan's), Mud House and Wither Hills.  Sadly we did not get to The Ned which we buy in the UK as they did not appear to encourage visits.

'The Neck' between Lakes Wanaka & Hawea

Day 10 and we left Motueka at about 10 to fly down to Hokitika about 100nm north of Mt Cook.  The easterly wind blowing off the mountains resulted in us climbing to about 7,000ft to avoid getting caught up in the mountain turbulence.  The plus side were the views.  We had Mt Cook in the distance well before we got to Hokitika.  The fuel and lunch stop gave us a chance to walk around Hokitika which was gearing up to host the Wild Foods Festival. 

The town proclaims that is the last service centre for food, vehicles and outdoor gear for over 500kms and has the last major supermarket before Wanaka.  Certainly the road route to Wanaka is some 413 km and nearly 5 hours driving.

The strip at Mineret

The final leg took past the Fox Glacier and Mt Cook offering some stunning views.  The last time we passed  the western side of Mt Cook it felt like being pitched in to a tumble drier and the west coast was a sheet of cloud. Today although a little bit bumpy the visibility could not have been better.  We had the most stunning views of all the mountains and glaciers around Mt Cook, it was awe inspiring.  We turned inland at Haast and followed the river round to the Haast pass and then down the Makarora River to the top of lake Wanaka.  Passing some of the airfields we first flew into at the beginning of the trip.  Passing Wanaka airfield we crossed the hills west of GHS and landed at the station at the end of our last big trip.  The following day was our last with Flyinn.