Into the Interior- Ashburton Lakes; Part 1

Catch-up- July

After our initial stay in Christchurch we had to be back in the city three weeks later for another appointment so to fill in the time we headed to the interior.  High country Canterbury is one area we haven't explored in great detail and with winter in full swing we thought it would be a great chance to check out the scenery and hopefully experience some snow. Well, if you're going to do winter you might as well do it properly I say. 

Great signs to direct people around the farm buildings.

We'd had enough of  grey overcast nondescript days in Christchurch, so we headed south-west to Mt Somers first, with a plan to slowly move up SH77, known as the Scenic Inland Route (not to be confused with the temporary alternative inland route from Picton to Christchurch), onto SH72, around to Kaiapoi, and back to Christchurch. Well, that was the plan but you know us, our standby motto, when asked where we're off to next, is 'Ask us tomorrow'. Our plans are always fluid, that's what we love about this lifestyle.

Mt Somers Village is the gateway to the Ashburton Lakes, nine lakes that are part of the vast 60,000 hectare Hakatere Conservation Park which is bordered on two sides by the upper reaches of Rakaia & Rangitata Rivers and includes wide sweeping valleys, beautiful tussocklands, beech forest, wetlands and rugged mountain country. 

Twenty three kilometers of sealed road takes us through established sheep country and newly converted dairy farms, right to the edge of the Hakatere Park and the historic restored farm buildings of Hakatere Station. The buildings were bought by the National Heritage Fund in 2008 and are now managed by DOC in partnership with the Hakatere Heritage Committee.

The singlemen's or shearer's quarters (top left, below) was built in the 1870s and was added onto as the need arose. Between 1960 & 1980 up to 14 men lived in these quarters at any one time. Other buildings included a farm cottage, the cook's house, a killing shed and chicken house.

The stone cottage was built in 1862 and is thought to be the oldest building in mid-Canterbury. It was once the home of the 'head shepherd' and then became the 'married quarters'. It wasn't always lived in, it was once the post office for the area and then later used for storage.

I was excited to find behind the buildings an authentic 'Bitches Box'. I've known of them in the past but ever since the Kiwi stage show (held in woolsheds around the country) of the same name brought the name to the forefront I'd wondered if  I'd ever actually see one on our travels. 

Being brought up on a small (in comparison to today's) dairy farm, there was no need for a 'bitches box' with just one farm dog, but on a large sheep station with dozens of dogs, there would be every need. And in case you're wondering what the heck it is, it's exactly what it says- it's where the bitches (female farm dogs) were locked away while on heat. To keep them out of harm's way. I didn't know they were up on stilts though, but I guess that makes sense, any passing (or escaped) dogs couldn't break in. Poor girls, I hope the front dropped down so they at least had a view.

This old dinghy was displayed in one of the yards too. It was used for recreation and lived most of it's days beside an old hut at Lake Emma (one of the Ashburton Lakes).

Click on the photo to enlarge if you'd like to read more about the dinghy. I wonder if the 'blue duck' that is mentioned being shot is the same Blue Duck/Whio that we know of today, and that this is one of the reasons they're no longer found in the Canterbury high country and critically endangered elsewhere.

After exploring the farm buildings we headed off again, we're now onto gravel and we still have another 30kms to travel. Our destination is much further inland, right at the end of the road, towards those beautiful mountains in the background.

Our next stop is at Lake Clearwater for lunch. Just before we reach the lake the recent snowfall becomes obvious with snow still lying in the shadow of banks and trees and on the leeside of the nearby hills. The road just before the lake is covered in compacted snow and ice and it's lucky that there are some tree fellers (3 fellas) with heavy machinery that have stirred up the surface in places which makes it easier for us to cross.

There are actually two lakes here in this wide mountain valley; Lake Camp on the southern side of the road...

...and beautiful Lake Clearwater on the north side, with snow covered Mt Potts towering behind.

Lake Clearwater and the surrounding conservation land are the summer playground of many Cantabrians and there's quite a large village of baches and holiday homes overlooking the lake.

Other than the tree fellas we have the whole place to ourselves, it's a beautiful sunny day but there's a ice cold breeze blowing through. 

We have a welcome hot soup and a sandwich at a picnic table overlooking  the lake (another perfect lunch spot) and once I've finished I wander down to the lake edge taking a few photos of the baches along the way. 

Being a conservation area and also a wildlife reserve no dogs are allowed inside the park, there's  a very large sign back near the Hakatere farm buildings and several reminders along the road.

Powered boats are also not allowed on the Lake Clearwater but are allowed on Lake Camp. 

In the perfect spot down at lake level there's a camping ground, it's $10 per vehicle which you place in the honesty box, there's no power and limited facilities. I guess it would be a great spot in the summer, but now it's very cold, the water supply has frozen and the ground is covered in snow.

The village was so photogenic it was hard  to stop shooting but we still had a way to go, a couple of exciting places to visit and the afternoon was marching on... to be continued; Part 2

I've saved this Lake Clearwater pano for the last photo on this blog (click to enlarge). It's to mark an occasion or perhaps that should be an achievement. This is my 700th blog post! Phew! Seven hundred posts and most of them several screens long (that's computer speak for pages). That's one hell of a lot of writing and just as much clicking (and one patient husband). It's just lucky that I enjoy what I'm doing. And many, many thanks to my loyal readers, you make it all worthwhile. Here's to the next 700...

Takacat Inflatable Boat Review

Catch-up

Here's a first for my blog. Today I have a guest writer by the name of David Evans writing an article for me. David, as in husband, lover, best friend, chauffeur, photo model, dump station attendant and fisherman. Yes THAT David.

There have been many times over the last 3 years when we've been asked how we find our Takacat inflatable dinghy, so David decided to write a review of it for the blog. 

When we decided to follow our dreams of exploring New Zealand in our 5^th Wheeler home, a boat of some kind was always going to be on my shopping list. Obviously it was going to have to fit the guidelines of minimum storage size and weight, easy assembly and practical transport for two people.

Iveagh Bay, Lake Brunner, West Coast

As a previous motor-launch owner I had experienced using an inflatable tender and was quite comfortable with the air boat concept so consequently, I spent a considerable time evaluating what was available and what would easily fit across the front of the wellside on our Ford Ranger utility.  

That's the boat; ahead of the gate separator. 

There are quite a few brands of inflatable on the market in the 3-4 metre range, most have blow up keels and mainly have, either partitioned marine ply or an aluminium floor. The Takacat inflatable, however, is different and comes with a very innovative separate air floor. This caught my attention and encouraged me to take a closer look.

It's also important to set your criteria as to what use you are going to require from your boat and in my case I wanted to be able to use it off the beach where practical and on the many lovely lakes that New Zealand is famous for. 

North Mavora Lake, Southland

Trout fishing was a top priority for me, as was exploring the lakes and also having a stable platform for Shellie's photography. 

Glendhu Bay, Lake Wanaka

Safety was also paramount as I am very often fishing in the boat on my own and usually a fair distance from home base. Performance at reasonable planing speeds was a must to cover ground quickly as conditions can often change very quickly, especially on the mountain lakes.

Taking all these things into account, the unique features of the Takacat Lite were starting to add up to being the ideal inflatable for our needs. Firstly, and most importantly, the ability to re-board by coming in over the front end (that actually comes down to meet you) after an accidental dip fully clothed or otherwise, had great appeal to me being an older boatie. 

Secondly the boat is very easily driven with its raised air floor and only the pontoons in the water which would also equate to less power and engine weight being required. It is exceptionally easy and pretty quick to inflate, or deflate for that matter, into a nice small manageable package. 

Finally, a big plus was the very helpful attitude extended by the owner of the company, Greg Sowden of Takacat, to my many questions and queries. His genuine enthusiasm for his unique product was very infectious, well founded and easily absorbed into one's decision making. 

Consequently for me, little further thought was needed and a decision was made to purchase a Takacat Lite in the 3.4 metre configuration. My engine choice was a Mercury 8HP 2stroke which is light enough to manhandle on and off the boat and it also offered good all-round performance giving me a top speed of approximately 14 knots (25kms). 

With my first Takacat I also invested in a quality set of Beachmaster Dingy Wheels which transformed my life and made for simple launching and retrieving, even on very rocky beaches. Also for ease I purchased a 12volt electric pump to save my wife (haha) having to use the hand pump.

My time on the water in the Takacat to-date, whether in blustery or calm conditions, sea or lake, has been great and very pleasurable. I certainly have never been looking for more power although they are rated up to a higher 15hp. 

North Mavora Lake

I am often being asked whether water comes over the front and I can honestly say it never has in my case. However, I think I am a very prudent boatman and never push the boundaries. When planning in higher winds I always move my body weight into the centre of the boat using my tiller extension, even though in the worst conditions I have never felt it would flip backwards.

When Takacat inevitably introduced a newer model with optional beach wheels & built-in rod holders, I was very impressed with their decision to also run with an ‘open transom’ concept and a much modified, stiffer air floor. I have always been a great fan of open transoms since racing Sunburst sailing dinghies in my younger days. The open transom empties water very quickly after a capsize, through very large openings in the transom. Another excellent safety feature.

I loved the new features and it was an easy decision to upgrade. As already mentioned I have never taken any water into the boat but I feel even more relaxed now with the thought that I will never be required to hurriedly bail out in a worst case, rough water, scenario. The new floor has been manufactured in a much heavier material and also has a 3M reinforced surface bonded onto its top which resulted in much improved stiffness throughout the whole boat.

I cannot imagine how things might improve further and I continue to love every minute I spend in my boat, be it fishing or just cruising. I highly recommend the Takacat as very worthy of your consideration if you're thinking about purchasing an inflatable. 

Emerald Bluff, Lake Wanaka

A Quiet & Sunny Easter- Part 1

Famous last words…

Before I catch up-to-date on the blogs from the last week or so I wanted to tell you about our Easter. It’s a two part blog but I won’t keep you waiting tool long for the second installment.

Our visit started off well enough, we arrived at the DOC camp at Lake Kaniere on Tuesday well in advance of any campers coming to stay for the Easter holiday weekend. There's no camping allowed along the foreshore but there's plenty of views from up the back.

We had the place to ourselves the first night, we found an ideal area to set up camp; on the top level overlooking a section of the lake and a picturesque island just off shore. It’s a large camp site with multiple grassed levels with large bushes dividing up the various sections.

The lake is stunning, not a breath of wind to cause a ripple anywhere.

Just a few resident ducks including this female Paradise duck with her mate- they swim away the morning and then waddle up to the top level to graze on the grass and sunbath on the rocks near our van.

A male South Island Tomtit (Miromiro) calls our level and the level below his territory. He spends most of his time fighting his reflection in the car mirror. He does laps of his patch, around and around he flies, from tree to rock to picnic table to mirror to van to another tree and back to the mirror. I think he hopes that intruder will be gone by the time he gets back. Poor boy, another car pulls in and straight away he’s fighting that reflection too. His breast is a beautiful golden colour, he’s getting ready for the breeding season when it’ll turn even more golden. North Island tomtits have white breasts.

Then there are the usual suspects, about half a dozen weka, they wander about scavenging for scraps and calling loudly before scurrying off under the bushes chasing each other.

We do a bit of exploring on Wednesday and David inflates the dinghy later in the afternoon. He’s off fishing Thursday morning…

And catches his first perch which is released after he’s taken a photo. There are also salmon in the lake along with brown & rainbow trout. He has a couple of strikes but isn’t able to land any. He tells me that the lake is very dark, an inky blackness from the tannin stained water and it’s also very deep. Up near the top of the lake it’s also very pretty with flax and reeds reflecting in the still water.

On Friday we go exploring in the boat, right to the top where the reflections are. David trolls along the edges and I relax (as much as you can in a 3.5 metre dinghy).

We pass a bus freedom camping on the lake’s edge, they have an inflatable ready to go too. A little further on we see a person sitting on a large wooden seat & another skimming stones across the smooth water. I know there’s a lodge somewhere up near the top of the lake and wonder if they are from there. We later discover that there’s a short walkway down to the beach from the carpark at Dorothy Falls.

We stop on a beach to have lunch but can’t find a suitable log or rock to sit on and the pesky sandflies are annoying us again so we climb back into the boat and sit on the seats to eat lunch, floating just off shore in the peace and solitude…..until a fizz boat roars by. The sandflies still find us but don’t swarm as much as they do onshore. After lunch we move further down the lake and tie up to a fallen log. Directly behind the bush that fringes the lake is the beautiful Lake Kaniere Walkway (and mountain biking track); a 3.5hr 11km walk that follows the lake edge from top to bottom.

The cloud is closing in on the lake by the time we make our way back to the boat ramp and we can see a lot of activity along the foreshore.

There are now three caravans and their associated gazebos, BBQs and tables set up behind us and the level below us is also filling up fast…..

Ok, well it is Easter after all and this is the last chance many will have of going camping this summer. But it does seem rather busy all the same…..

To be continued……

Domestic Duties

Well it's been another busy week & still we have a long list of things to complete before we leave Napier hopefully next Monday, but possibly a day or two later.

We spent the first few days after arriving & in between catching up with Mum & Dad doing a total spring clean inside & out of both vehicles after the wild weather we'd had at the Mount had coated everything in salt & sand. It also made me realise that the hand-held Electrolux vacuum wasn't going to cut the mustard in keeping all the sand & dust out of the interior. I'd already been keeping an eye out for a cheap lightweight cleaner that didn't take up too much space. If I could have found a brush to fit the end of the handheld vacuum that would have done fine as there isn't too much carpet to vacuum, but I hadn't had any luck. It didn't have to be 12v as I could to do the vacuuming whenever we're plugged into the grid. I was in the Warehouse yesterday getting some plastic boxes & found this;

Butter pack for size comparison

Cheap as chips @ $40.00, works a treat, very noisy but boy it's got some suction for 600w & hey if it only lasts a year it's cheap enough that I can throw it out & buy another. Best of all it folds down to very small!

David also found his bargain early on in the week at Super Cheap Autos. The right size & perfectly coloured light-weight steel storage box for the rear of the fifth-wheeler. We 've been looking for a storage box for quite some time but to get one made to measure was going to be far too expensive. We'd found a "tool box" at Super Cheap earlier on in the year but the measurements weren't quite right; it wasn't deep enough to take all we wanted to store in it. It was also a little too wide, the number plate & tail lights would have had to be moved to accommodate it so we gave that away & have been on the look out for something more suitable ever since.

And we finally found it & just in time too! We wanted to be able to fit most of the "leisure" gear in the box, gear that we didn't need to access too often; golf clubs & trundlers, tramping boots, fishing boots & packs, diving fins, snorkels & masks, beach tent, gumboots & wet weather gear etc. 

We had to pull the van forward to release the citrus tree!

The support frame was built, powder coated & fitted in just over a day thanks to a contact that Dad had, Alan & Vanessa at A&V Engineering (06-844-1309) in Tamatea, Napier. Fantastic service & very reasonably priced too.

So of course with all the free space I now had inside the van, I spent the next couple of days rearranging & shuffling just about the complete interior storage about. A major job but one I was looking forward to as everything has been a little too tightly packed in & hard to get at too. We are now sorted & have space to spare!

Yesterday another major player in the ever growing Evans roadshow arrived in the driveway. One we've been eager to see since we ordered it back in September at the Covi show; our 3.4 Takacat inflatable dinghy. We hadn't actually seen this length in the flesh but we're thrilled with it & once the wheels are fitted to the transom it'll be very easy to handle. Next (& hopefully the last) major purchase will be the outboard.

We have two hard seats that can be fitted too.

 It hasn't been all work & no play, the next post will be the "fun" things.....