Lunch with Beth Robinson's Family

Today we met Beth Robinson's family at Stonyridge Winery.  The winery restaurant is surrounded by colorful vines and picturesque views.  The style of the main building is reminiscent of the south of France.

We enjoyed a wonderful lunch---------snapper, tuna, portabello mushrooms and more. 

Great company, food, and wine!!!

Below you see us with Beth's daughter Heather, Beth's sister Ruth along with Ruth's daughter Robin and her children.

Daughter Peggy on Waiheke

Peggy has spent the last two weeks with us on the island.  It has been a joy to have her with us, keeping me active and busy as Will works at the clinic.

We have been busy exploring the island taking a variety of treks.  The island is 12 miles long, but has over 56 miles of coastline, 25 miles of which are white sand beaches.  It is impressive how many well kept tracks are available in beautiful areas.

Will and Peggy have been swimming several times.  I prefer walking on the beach.

The island features over 40 wineries, so we've indulged in a couple wine tasting excursions.  You can see Peggy and I posing by the grapes that scatter the hillsides of Waiheke. 

Scientific Correction

Dear Friends and Family,

When Will and I wrote about the dolphin experience, we included inaccurate information.  Thinking back, our guide must have been talking about the Orcas which are often referred to as killer whales.  Orcas are the largest of the dolphin family.  Although our grandson was smart enough to know this bit of info, we (the wise elders) managed to mix it up on our blog post.  Sorry for the confusion!

Swimming with the Dophins

A highlight for Will while we were staying at Kaikoura(east coast of south island) was swimming with the dolphins.  We were told that if we signed up for the 5:15 departure on the boat we would have the best chance to see the most dolphins.  I went along as an observer and photographer of Will in the water.  Note the sunrise.  The second picture features Will----wet suit and snorkeling gear.

The swimmers were told to make high pitched noises to attract the dolphins.   Will claims that the dolphins were within a foot of him.  He was even able to make eye contact.  Will said that he would circle around the dolphins and then they would do the same.

We don't know the exact number of dolphins, but Will would guess that there were about 50 swimming close to the adventurers.  Will and the other swimmers went into the water twice.  Will liked the fact that the dolphins were in their natural setting and it was up to the human eye to spot them.

After the swim, we observed lots of dolphins leaping into the air close to the boat.  Will was able to get better pictures with his new camera and so when we download his pics we can include those.

We learned  from the guide that dolphins belong to the whale family.  When Will talked to Kai about this, he exclaimed, "Of course grandpa, everyone knows that!"

We were told that dolphins generally come up for air every 30 seconds but can stay under 8 minutes.   There are a lot of permanent sperm whales and dolphins that stay here because of a deep canyon in the ocean with lots of marine life and food. 

 Most of the time while the swimmers were observing the dolphins through their goggles attached to their snorkeling equipment, the dolphins were under water as well.  It was a challenge for me to get a photo when they "popped up".  (NZ word)


We were 30 minutes out to sea and on the way home spotted a whale, water shooting out of the blow hole.

 

Kayaking at Abel Tasman

The Larsons have gone kayaking on numerous occasions, but for me this was another first.  My main concern after our tipover in the one man canoe was that it might happen again.  But no problem. We spent an enjoyable time on a guided tour.  The beaches of Abel Tasman are golden.  In the first picture there is a waterproof bag for our cameras.  We stopped on the beach for hot chocolate and muffins.   We wore those rubber skirts.  Will enjoyed taking photos of the seals as we were able to get up close.

Fox Glacier

Attaching crampons to our boots and spending time on Fox Glacier was another interesting experience for us.  Enroute we stopped to get whitebait sandwiches and then spent time on the glacier in the afternoon.  The highlight is seeing the blue ice formations.   We were constantly putting on layers of clothing and and then taking them off.

Milford Sound

After the Routeburn Trek we went to Milford Sound.  We have had several good laughs over our accomodations--------- a container filled with sandflies.  We cancelled our second night.

I am including several pictures taken on the boat tour in the sound-----overall view, seals, penguins, waterfalls and the CONTAINER.

The Routeburn Track

When it was all said and done, the Routeburn Track was a highlight for the four of us.  It was 36 kilometers long.  We spent two nights in huts along the way, sleeping in dorm rooms with lots of others.  Snoring in different keys was like an orchestral symphony.

The trek was especially challenging for me as I have not backpacked, only taken day trips.  Caroline and Ron are experienced adventurers and as you know Will is as well.   There were some pretty steep stretches and we did get rained on a couple times.

Preparing for the Routeburn required more work than we anticipated-----purchasing the food, buying cheap sleeping bags and dishes, and renting a large pack for Will.  Caroline and Ron had backpacks which they brought from the states. 

Note Caroline and Will checking out the tramp and the four of us enjoying the big breakfast before the trek. Swinging bridges brought us from one side of the trek to the other.  You can tell by the pic of Will and I how well constructed the trails are.   There were waterfalls galore.  We were glad that we had our walking sticks!

Waiheke Island

Just a quick note to say that we arrived Tuesday in Waiheke Island via ferry from Aukland.  It is a beautiful island.  Weather is unpredictable------spells of rain, spells of wind, and spells of fine weather.  A person has to wear layers and be adaptable.  We have been taking a hike (walk) and exploring a little each day.

We have been staying at Punga Lodge for 5 days and will be glad to get settled in our house tomorrow.  Living out of a suitcase gets old after awhile.  Since we have a kitchenette, Will and I have been cooking most meals.  The owner of the lodge treats us with tea and homemade goodies each afternoon.

Will started work at the Ostend Medical Center on the island.  He is learning the computer system and how things operate.  I am trying to learn my way around.  It is a bit difficult driving up and down the hills and around the twists and turns.   I can get disoriented.

Next week I will tackle the job of sorting through pictures taken on our trip with Will's cousin, Ron and his wife Caroline.  They were great traveling partners.

 

Dear Friends and Family,

We have been having difficulty getting on our blog.  If you need us email us or call the Ostend Medical Center-----------09 372 5005
From the states or Thailand that would be 0064 9 372 5005     To reach our mobile phone call 0064 21 213 2098

0064 is the NZ country code.

I will try to update the blog, but be sure to send emails as we can check them.

Kath and Will