And Just Like That... We Parted Ways

Mar 26
3 min read

Wednesday 4 March

An emotional morning as we said farewell to our travelling companions of the past 6 weeks as they head back to Manapouri to tackle the Milford Track this weekend. It was a beautiful dawn with golden light on the ranges and flecky clouds across the sky. We took our last selfies - happy because it happened, sad because it was over - then waved adieu to the Fernandivan.

Meanwhile we started off on the long route back to Ōtautahi Christchurch - via Alexandra, Cromwell, Tarras, Lindis Pass, Omarama, Twizel and on to our camp for the night, Punatahu or The Pines at the base of Lake Pukaki. It was cool driving up the lower reaches of Lake Dunstan and spotting all the challenges of the cycle trail we had ridden a short while back - the suspension bridge, the gulley with the switchback ladder, the clip-on cantilevered sections and of course the bacon butty boat! Obligatory stop at Tarras - Louis got his traditional pastrami pretzel sandwich and I treated myself to one of their awesome ginger crunch slices. Saw a hitch-hiker with a sign saying Geraldine - funny name for a bloke!

We arrived after lunch so had missed the front row parks as there were already a dozen or more camper vans squished in enjoying the epic view. We found a fairly flat spot further back and just under the hill with the view! Still pretty epic place to demolish our Tarras snacks...

I’d slept on the journey so was fresh & raring to go, but Louis needed a siesta, so while he snoozed, I set off along the lakeside to the outlet to watch the lake water flooding through to the Pukaki Canal which feeds into the Waitaki Hydro Power system. Autumn sunshine had encouraged a bunch of swimmers to brave the chilly lake waters down at the beach, I was quite impressed.

The stillness of the lake and the blue, cloud speckled skies above came together to create some beautiful imagery. It was hard to align this calmness with the tempestuous fury of the waters flooding out of the lake and into the canal at the outlet. Amazing watching the power of the water hurtling through the outlet gates - the roar was phenomenal.

Icy blue waters were crashing through the gates, smashing against the walls, creating so much spray then flowing fast and fizzing down the canal - absolutely mesmerising!

Stopped in at the info centre & overpriced “salmon farm” then walked back to join Louis. On the vast picture windows at the info centre was a beautiful whakatauki for a stunning view

"Ki te tūohu koe, me he mauka teitei ko Aoraki anake"

"if you must bow your head, let it be to the lofty mountain Aoraki"

There was a sculpture of a Himalayan Tahr - a monument to the Dowager Duchess of Bedford who championed these strange beasts! Epically framing Aoraki!!!

By the time I was back at the camp it was absolutely sweltering in the Alpine sunshine. Only one way to cool off - we slipped into our togs and had a chilly dip in the lake… very refreshing but not freezing.