West to Kawatiri

Friday 23 October

Storm behind us…it was time to pack up and head to the West Coast. We hitched up Banjo and popped in to say goodbye & thank you to Linda & Bob, but they were out... and we spotted them out walking Razz as we drove off down Bridge Street so were able to say farewell there instead.

First stop in town was the dump station where we were also able to fill up with fresh water and empty our rubbish bin. This area of the West Coast region is really camper friendly with lots of signs showing where freedom camping is encouraged, heaps of public toilets and special rubbish bins which actually say they are for people on the move... often local street bins have angry signs saying "no household rubbish" and you have to sneak your wee bag of caravan trash in when nobody is looking!

We had to swing by Steptoe's Tearooms for a pie and cheese scone for Louis and I struck up a conversation with Missus Steptoe about all her lovely china and mainly Victoriana collectibles... I was fascinated by the pink nipply buttons in an old mini milk bottle - turned out they were milk tokens used to pay for milk deliveries in place of cash.

Fully loaded, we set course for Westport under mainly blue skies. The route through Inangahua was open again but somehow the map directed us back past Matai Milking POP so we waved as we drove past! Loved seeing the two guys in a white 4WD taking their dogs for a walk by letting them run down the road behind the ute!

Still lots of roaring brown water hurtling down the rivers, waterfalls cascading down hillsides and lots of rocks & tree detritus cleared to the side of the roads but at least we could get through. Coming along past the Buller Gorge we had a chat with a pair of hunters who were keen to shoot the local wild goats, but it was too wild to cross the river. They were telling us that a few days previously when we had detoured to Reefton the water had spilled onto the road on the bend there, and a few years earlier had been over the railings and up to the nasty rocky overhang above the road!!!

Arriving in Kawatiri, Westport, we set up camp at Charlie’s Place on the beach side of the town, using PennyCard which is a helpful app & card system. Great little spot with toilets, shower, laundry, spa & sauna on site and walking distance from the beach. Oh, and a bossy weka who insisted on helping Louis set up then tried to steal our Mukmat!

Louis went into town for a swim and to collect a parcel; I collected my scrip from the pharmacy, accidentally fell into an op shop then used up our food budget at New World, restocking Banjo.

Before dinner we wandered down to the beach which was stunning and wild, dark grey sand & pebbles and strewn with driftwood and a new thick bank of wood that had washed downstream and been deposited back on the sand in the storms. We met a couple who were gathering firewood from the latest deposit of branches and trees, and had a smooch with their Blue Healer, Taz, who was honestly more interested in fetching a stick than any pats or cuddles!

Dinner in Banjo, BBQed lamb chops, then Celebrity Traitors - our flabber was truly gasted!!