Sail the strait

On our way to the tip of the south island, I was still undecided as to whether I should circle the south island or stop the southern discovery trip and pick it up back later after covering some ground in the north. While considering that we covered a lot of very scenic coastline and stopped for morning tea at another picture perfect spot (not even a town) called Kekerengu which had one of the perfectly architectured buildings sitting right on the coast amongst the rocky shoreline with a steep mount lining the coast on the other.



So onward we go, and here I have to decide if I'll travel with some of the nice people I've met or split about half the group and catch the ferry to the north. I opt for going to Wellington and pay the extra price for a standby ferry rate ($53 instead of $45). Just sitting on the top deck of the ferry awaiting to sail, we are again surrounded by spectacular green mountains that go off into the distance for at least the next 45 minutes of our cruise. Weather is slightly overcast, so didn't make for great photography. As we headed out into the straight it became extraordinarily cold out in the open, and only the bravest wintered the chill. I noticed a familiar face out there where I learnt several new words of the next few days, one of which was "nesh", and as Sarah put it, she was "not nesh" and quite liked the freezing conditions. I was quite amazed as it always seems that those from the colder countries were always complaining about the cold, but not Sarah, a smart bright professional and one of the many from the UK who was on her way towards Auckland to continue her journey around the world. Birds of feather flock together and sure enough two more wonderful friends of Sarah's I met on the way over were Dean and Julie.


Skies clearing as we leave the northern tip of the south island.