Having waited a month for availability on a ferry south across Cook Strait, we could only be grateful that the 4 hours of additional delay to our crossing was not any more protracted. Sadly this meant crossing after sunset, so we were deprived of views of the scenic Marlborough Sounds. We thus arrived tired at the Whatamango Bay DOC camp and in the pitch black. Wind gusts of around 60km/h rocked our van for a third consecutive night, and with more of the same forecast for the area, we decided to abandon our stay near Picton and left for Cable Bay (near Nelson) at first light.
Coordinates
Cable Bay
A powered pitch at the Cable Bay campsite seemed ideal to recharge both Curiosity and ourselves. Longer hot showers would be appreciated after a dip in the cool waters of the bay—our last swim of the summer. As the above image shows, a natural causeway connects the mainland to Pepin Island (Mapeihuku), which is privately owned. It formed here due to a unique combination of strong currents and a good source of rocks!
The Bay had a comfortable feel, with both the campsite and day visitor areas fairly popular. The local farm sold honey via an honesty stall—such stalls are not uncommon roadside finds in NZ. The rocky causeway was populated with swimmers, sunbathers, canoeists, fisherpeople—and even soap bubble-blowers. A stream of people trudged up and down the steep Sentinel Hill (261m) for views, which were rewarding:
You’ve got cable!
Long before the advent of digital communications, there was cable. The first international cable link between Australia and New Zealand opened at what is now Cable Bay in 1876 (and operated until 1917). The South Island was preeminent at this time, hence the link to Nelson. The system initially worked by means of a mirror galvanometer, where flashes of light were taken down by an observer and recorded by a second operator (later, recording equipment provided a permanent message record). Incoming/ outgoing cables were linked into the telegraph system; this new facility reduced the message time to England from 6 months (by letter on a ship) to just 4 hours.
🤔 Curiosity
Nelson
Nelson is the oldest city in South Island and is known for its sunshine, arts and crafts, and as a stepping stone to Abel Tasman National Park. Our first stop was a the Miyazu Japanese Gardens, which celebrates a sister city relationship and proclaims:
Like life, no pathway takes a direct route.
Although somewhat compact, the gardens were masterfully arranged and there was a lot to see. NZ natives mingled with the plants more typical in Japanese gardens; likewise eel in the pond by the tea house added local flavour:
Eel = tuna—but not that tuna!
New Zealand has three eel species: the longfin eel (native—tuna in Māori); Australasian shortfin; and speckled longfin. Pictured above is a longfinned eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii). A traditional food source for Māori, we had seen eel traps on the Whanganui River. Longfins leave their creeks to travel 5000km north in order spawn in the Pacific, near Fiji and Vanuatu. After breeding both males and females die (they don’t eat on their incredibly taxing journey). However, eel eggs have never been found—this is deduced from the presence of larvae. The larvae drift back to NZ on ocean currents, growing into 60mm long “glass eels”. Finding their way into estuaries and river mouths, they become darker and bigger (160mm) over the course of several months, before heading upstream as small eels (elva). Curiously, not all will return downstream and out to sea; those that stay inland may live for 60 years and can reach over 1.6m in length.
🤔 Curiosity
Nearby Botanical Hill is reached via the Centre of New Zealand walk and has good views up the Maitai Valley (shown below) and, in the opposite direction, over Nelson city and Tasman Bay. The walk is so named because the hill claims to be the centre of NZ, but this claim is subject to definition! As the plaque notes, it marks the point of origin for surveys in the Nelson district. Suspended directly above the plaque is a needle sculpture:
All centres are relative
The Centre of New Zealand at Botanical Hill is used by surveyors as the origin point for Nelson Land District, which is the central district among 12 others. This survey point was picked early in the settlement of Nelson (from 1841) but became an official triangulation reference point in 1877. Now we have GPS to provide coordinates instead. An alternative centre exists in the Tararua Range 11km NW of Greytown, corresponding to the geographic centre of New Zealand’s extended continental shelf: 175° 21.737’E, 41° 1.093’S.
🤔 Curiosity
Our first overnight spot in Nelson was a pub that had amazing grounds (first photo below), live ragtime music, and pub grub. It was in walking distance from a petite peninsula called Monaco, adjacent to Nelson Airport. Monaco offered an easy stroll with views to the hills above Richmond and of the smaller islands in the Waimea Inlet (Rabbit Island/ Moturoa beyond; second photo). We loved the concept of this colourful (and proportionately petite) community book exchange in the third photo:
Tāhunanui Beach is Nelson’s city beach and was popular with (dog) walkers, joggers and people doing workouts; there is quite an expanse of sand at low tide.
Nelson city itself was bigger than we remembered; the parts we saw appeared tidy and thriving, with a mix of modern and historic. Shops and services to meet all needs—however, S was disappointed by the lack of a decent loaf of bread!
Out of town in Tasman District we stayed at the golf club on Best Island (truly, some islands have no modesty). We have no interest in golf, but the clubs have become a go-to option for overnight stays, as they are generally quiet, well-maintained, affordable and safe. Once the rain let up there were fine views across the salt marshes that encircled us:
Back in Nelson, we spent an interesting hour on the free Pic’s Peanut Butter factory tour. Did you know that the peanut is a vegetable and not a nut at all? It’s part of the legume family, like chickpeas, and grows underground rather than on bushes/ trees. The Pic’s peanuts are sourced from Australia; attempts to grow them in NZ haven’t been successful. According to the ingredients label and our tour guide, the product is 99.5% peanut and 0.5% salt (nope, no butter, oil or other contaminants!). We got to ride a bicycle connected to a grinder, producing our own crunchy-style peanut butter (sans salt).
There’s more to see and do in Nelson; we plan to return, so made sure to leave something for next time.
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