Visiting My Favourite Ducks

While I was out walking yesterday I took the opportunity of visiting my favourite pair of ducks which live on a pond not too far from where we're parked at my parent's house.

This pair of Plumed Whistling Ducks are very rare visitors to New Zealand (only 2 or 3 sightings have ever been recorded) and they have made a suburban pond their home for the last four years.

I've visited them each time we've been in Napier; there were three ducks until a year or so ago when, sadly, one disappeared. These two seem to be doing very well and are a lot more confiding then they have been in the past. They live on a very busy pond with a lot of people passing by so they're obviously getting used to all the activity. Although they are still fairly shy and unless you know where to look or stop for awhile, most people passing wouldn't know of their existence. 

It is not known where they have come from but it is thought they are either storm blown vagrants or perhaps illegally imported eggs that have hatched and then been dumped at the pond. Their natural habitat is in tropical northern Australia & Indonesia so they are a very long way from home. 

Of course I couldn't miss the chance of shooting(with my camera) some of the other waterfowl at the pond, especially with all the spring babies about.

A family of Black Swan signets resting beside the path....

With Mum and Dad quick to move close to them when I stopped for a chat.

Another family of teenagers resting under the trees....

While Mum keeps a watchful eye on them from her sunny spot nearby.

Another juvenile Black Swan sits down on the job, grazing as far as its neck can stretch in a wide arc around it's front.

On the other side of the pond a newly hatched Mallard family are out for a quick and wary walk. 

They head for the safety of the water as soon as I approach. Many dangers lurk at the ponds; dogs on the loose, wandering cats from the nearby houses, aggressive geese & swans, shags, eels, rats, pukeko, other male ducks, even other larger ducklings. It's a wonder any babies survive.

Another mother shepherds her ducklings quickly across the grass between ponds.  With their longer bills, these look like they're a NZ Shoveler hybrid.

As I'm about to cross the road and head home, I spot a wayward family of swans dwadling across the usually busy main road. Thankfully it's a public holiday so the traffic isn't too heavy this morning.

And lucky the ambulance wasn't on a call out. Talk about take their time, they even stopped for a break on the median strip. In the end I crossed behind them and shooed them up onto the grass. I hate to think how they made it back later in the day when there would have been many more cars. Someone needs to tell them the grass isn't always greener on the other side!

To the Lakehead- Nelson Lakes

…and don’t spare the horses (horsepower)!

It’s only 8kms to the top of the Lake Rotoiti so once the weather settled David got the boat out so we could go exploring and he could go fishing.

When we’re camped beside the water David manages to manoeuvre the boat in and out by himself but when we’re a little distance away, like we are here at Kerr Bay, we've come up with a novel way of towing it to the boat ramp. We used to walk it all the way to the water from wherever we were, but after doing something to my hip at Kaiteriteri and being in pain for days, I refuse to pull it any distance now. It wouldn't be so bad if the outboard wasn't on there but then David would have to cart that and set it up at the water so it’s easier towing it down complete.

A rope is attached from a centre back eyelet underneath to an upright that’s in the wellside and David sits on the tailgate holding it off the edge of the door and balancing it as I drive very slowly down to the water. The drop down back wheels allow it to roll along quite nicely on the road and I just have to watch turning any sharp corners as the boat catches the corner of the tailgate. We’ve had some odd looks and comments from people but it works for us. And anyway they’re just jealous!

Black billed gull #E61 was at the jetty to see us off.

The snow capped Travers Range comes into view as we round the bend past Mt Robert on the right.

Along the way we hear helicopters again, this time over the St Arnaud Range that runs right along the left hand side of the lake. And far off in the distance we see two helicopters with buckets underneath, this time, we know from the date on the signboards, they’re doing the placebo 1080 poison drop. They must have a very good tracking system of where they've dropped as they look like tiny dots on the landscape as they move back and forward along the range.

The lake, mountains, hanging valleys, beech forest & SANDFLIES remind us of the Mavora Lakes (still our favourite lakes), along with the rock & scree slides off the mountains which fan out towards the bottom killing trees along the way. This slide must be quite a few years old, scrub and regenerating forest is already taking hold.

As we get closer we can see the Travers River gravel flat and a tiny hut tucked into the trees, there are many tramping tracks & huts up the valley and into the mountains here, to the right behind the Robert Ridge are the tracks through to Lake Rotoroa. The Nelson Lakes National Park is very popular with trampers and a good area for families to experience the great outdoors.

A little closer and we can see a couple of boats beached at Coldwater Hut (no, you’re not blind, one is out of shot on the right)

There’s no one in sight, they’ve probably carried on up the valley to the another hut which is about 2kms up stream or to a swingbridge further on.

This is as far as we’ll go this trip, we had lunch at the picnic table on the hut deck looking back down the lake with just the ducks and pesky sandflies for company.

That was until I heard a noise, and a sweaty, boot and pack clad guy stumbled around the corner of the hut and sat on the steps. I don’t know who got the biggest surprise, he rested there for about 5 minutes telling us he’s walked up the lake from Kerr Bay, on up to the swingbridge and was now making his way back down the otherside of the lake. Each side is around 12kms long as it weaves around many small bays and the round trip takes 8-10hrs without adding the walk to the swingbridge into the mix. It was now about 2:30pm so he had a few hours walk ahead of him.

We finished our lunch and headed back down the lake, this time a little slower with David trolling on the way. The wind was picking up and there were a few whitecaps about but we stuck to the side as I wanted to visit the Whisky Falls which were about half way back along the lake edge.

David stayed with the boat and I walked up to the falls which are almost 40 metres high. The remains of an illicit whisky still were found here in the 1880s, giving the falls their name.

It was a short sharp climb up to a viewing area which happened to be on top of a whole lot of interwoven and exposed tree roots where many people have stood over the years. It was with some concern, that in amongst the roots I saw a pack & jacket. There was no one about, I looked over the edge; perhaps somebody had thrown themselves over- not likely it wasn’t that high and it would have hurt hitting those rocks ;). I looked all about and wondered what to do. Perhaps someone had forgotten them, again not likely, you would know you’re missing your pack after walking in to here for 3 hours.

I was just about to check the inside of the pack when I saw a tiny red dot (a cap) appear over the rocks at the top of the bottom cascade (see left photo) and a guy came slithering and sliding very carefully down the wet and mossy rocks. The Czech Republic guy we’d seen at the hut! He’d made good time but what a silly man venturing up to the base of the falls. He told me when he got back that he’d been very worried as the rocks were extremely slippery and he’d had a couple of near misses. If he’d slipped and hit his head on the otherside of the rocks nobody would have known he was missing; well maybe I would have as I’d have had to check the pack. But still what a drama it would have been. Now he was keen to get back to Kerr Bay and asked if he could fit in our boat!

“Sorry mate” I said, “It’s a squeeze with two people and we're going fishing, you’ll have to get walking, you’ve still got a few of hours ahead of you” 

I walked back down to the track with him and he headed off again, I carried on out to the jetty to find David had disappeared. He’d decided to do a little fishing while he waited.

We cruised back along the lake, David fishing on the way. The lake had settled down and it was very pleasant. I stretched out across the boat, lounging in the warm sun. Arrrr…..this is the life! But I do need to paint those toenails when I get a minute.

David hooked a small brown trout on this run but it spat the hook before he got it close. It would have been released anyway. He’s been out three or four times since, nearly all day on Monday and is thoroughly enjoying it and the Takacat. Unfortunately he’s yet to bring home the bacon, he has had two beauties on, played them all the way to the boat but both have managed to get off. I think it’s because he’s being super cautious; he’s darn scared the hook will puncture the boat!

And while he’s been fishing I’ve been keeping an eye on the duck families and they’ve been keeping an eye on me.

Remind us to never park beside nesting ducks ever again! It's been a very stressful week; the duck with 9 ducklings now has only 4, I’ve had to round up a wayward Mum & Dad a couple of times when they've disappeared after chasing other ducks and not returning to their babies who were squeaking under the van. I found them sunning themselves beside the stream way down the other end of the park! I think they had a brain fade and forgot they were parents, and this has happened more than once too. This family is the only one that has a drake in attendance, although a fat lot of good he does most of the time; he pecks the ducklings heads if they get in the way. He sometimes returns to the van late in the evening with another couple of drakes, it's like he's out with the boys for the night.

These ducklings are the cutest though, they feed on the sandflies that hover around my ankles when I sit at the table, jumping and grabbing them and scampering over my feet as they chase them. Mum is adorable too, I call her Daffy Duck, she stands beside me, as I sit at the table, peering over my knees just staring at my face, she lets me pat her neck unlike the other mothers who launch attacks on me if I get near.

The family with the eight bigger ducklings now has only seven, one disappeared overnight a few days ago which was strange after such a long time looking like they'd make it through. This family are spread far and wide when they're moving through the area feeding and I've found some of them lost without their mother anywhere in sight. Most of the time they seem to meet up at some stage and the next time they pass through they're back to being all there.

I did have to catch one lonely duckling who squawked his way through the vans while we were sitting outside one evening, I tracked his family down to the stream way over the other side; luckily as he wouldn't have made it home before night. And just today I played pied-piper and dropped a bread trail across the park so Mum & 5 ducklings would follow me to the stream mouth where two ducklings were fending for themselves.

And then to add to the mix another duck came out of the bushes a few days ago with another 9 tiny ducklings. I swore I wouldn't get attached to them but I did notice that they only numbered 8 the next morning and yesterday I found another one of them upside down dead in the stream behind the van- he must have been the one with the sore foot. Then to add to their(my) woes DOC came to mow the lawns & weed-eat the stream edges and that scattered the family far and wide, She now only has 3 ducklings!

I can tell you, I’m ready to pull out of here today, that’s for sure, I'm sure the families will be fine, there's plenty of other suckers in the campground each night.

 We're heading back to Blenheim for a couple of nights then onto Picton before we cross over Sunday morning. We've enjoyed out time at the Lakes but it's time to move on.

Noisy Neighbours- Nelson Lakes

We've had an interesting few days at West Bay; we've had a great time at the rally enjoying the company of many like-minded people, there were about 30 RVs altogether. After a last breakfast get-together this morning, most departed leaving four couples, including us, to stay an extra night on site. We’ll move over to Kerr Bay tomorrow morning and settle in to that camp for the next week or so. We’d have loved to have stayed put here at the DOC camp in West Bay but the gates will be closed and locked after we leave tomorrow. This camp doesn't open for general camping until December.

We were warned that it might be quite noisy over the weekend and especially late last night (Saturday) because the RNZAF, DOC and Search & Rescue were doing exercises in the area and their base was just down the road in an open grassy patch.

The new RNZAF NH90 Helicopter was being put through its paces (we'd last seen it at Wanaka Warbirds). ‘Lost’ trampers were dropped off at various sites around the lake and mountains for searchers & search dogs to locate. We heard today that the  fog stopped the 'lost' trampers from being rescued last night and they had a long walk home!

We stopped to watch the helicopter being readied for more flights this morning, the guys were giving it a good spit & polish.

And then when we came back along the road an hour or so later we were just in time to watch it lift off….

fly right along side us…..

and pummeling me and the ute with a huge amount of flying, & stinging debris as you can see in the shot!

Between us and the grassy patch is the West Bay jetty and this weekend some of the district high schools were holding a rowing regatta. So, what with these two groups & the rally happening, this quiet side of the lake was a little overrun with people and activities this weekend.

Through the quiet stillness of the first night we could hear the roar of white water close by. It was a great surprise the next day to find the outlet of the mighty Buller River flowing swiftly out of the lake right beside our campground; the white water noise was coming from rapids further down the river. David and a few of the other rally guys went spinning for trout on a couple of the evenings, David had no luck but one of the other guys caught a trout this morning on the lake further along.

The road along the front of the campground crosses the Buller River and ends 4 kilometres further on at the Mt Robert carpark which is about a third of the way up the mountain. There are a number of multi-day tramps and shorter day walks that leave from the carpark. Including the aptly named Pinchgut Track; you can see it zig-zaging up the mountain side beside the tree line. We’re hoping to do a bit of this walk as we’ve heard there are a pair of nesting NZ falcons close to the track.

From the carpark there’s also a short track along a ridge in the other direction to a lookout point over the Lake Rotoiti below. West Bay, where we are at the moment, is located at the top left. Kerr Bay, where we are heading tomorrow, is around the peninsula in the top right corner. The smattering of buildings just behind Kerr Bay is the St Arnaud village. The Wairau River valley stretches off in the distance back towards Blenheim. South Island’s Southern Alp faultline runs under my feet here, across the lake and off up that valley too.

And down through the Sabine River Valley towards the Southern Alps behind me.

We’ve been over to Kerr Bay a couple of times since we've been here, yesterday to do a walk with one of the DOC rangers which was very interesting. We learnt alot about the never ending struggle to get on top of the pest control around the National Parks.

On the way over we took a short side track to check out a freedom camping area and found the local skating rink! A tiny square tannin stained shallow pool. I wonder how often its frozen over, one of the DOC rangers said it had only snowed down to lake level four times this past winter.

While waiting for everyone to arrive I took a few photos in the car park. This one is iconic Nelson Lakes; it’s one you’ll see on calendars, postcards and in many photographers portfolios. I’m hoping to get a few at dawn and without the water taxi tied up! It should be easy as our next campsite is about 50 yards behind where I’m standing.

There’s two groups of ducklings in the area, the first day this duck had 14 ducklings, yesterday there were 11 and today just 9. They don’t stand much chance with so much activity in the area and they’re so friendly the ducklings were climbing into my hands when I rested them on the grass. They were enjoying a swim in a puddle in the carpark here.

This mother and ducklings were even friendlier, all of them clambering over my feet and trying to eat my shoe laces. When I picked up a duckling (or two) mum quacked loudly and attacked by leg. Even after I had set them back down she decided she wasn’t happy with me and ran up my leg to get at my hand. Don't you love the look on that duckling's face? I can see my bread crusts will be put to good use when we get over there.

And finally this cool VW Kombi van turned campervan named ‘Beetle’.

Checking out of Kenepuru

The sun sets over Kenepuru Sound and after a wonderful ten days, it’s time to hit the road again and finish exploring the Marlborough Sounds.

We loved having the DOC Kenepuru Head campground to ourselves for most of the time we were there but when the long Labour weekend brought at least a dozen campers to the site it was great to have some company for a change. The campground is so large that there was plenty of space for everyone to spread themselves around.

After having fantastic weather all week the rain & wind arrived on the Sunday of the holiday weekend which was a shame for those that were in tents and/or had only come for a couple of days.

Of course our departure wouldn't be complete without a weka inviting himself in to say goodbye. He got a short shift!

I’m sure DOC thought we’d outstayed our welcome, they had to mow around our van (and in fact DOC have just mowed around our van once again here at our latest site, this is becoming a habit!)

Without any stops, and travelling slower through all the twists & turns with the 5th-wheeler on the back, made the 40km to the main road feel a very long way. We were heading to the DOC camp at Momorangi on Queen Charlotte Drive which is just 6-7kms on from the main road junction so it was good to know we didn't have too much of a journey ahead of us. Momorangi was on our radar because it had a small boat ramp & good access to the Sound without us having to worry about the tide. David was keen to see if the snapper had arrived.

Unfortunately our plans were foiled. We knew that Momorangi Camp was being upgraded over winter and that they hadn't quite finished them, but we didn't know that they actually have a long way to go to complete the changes. The Momorangi Campground is leased out and while its in a nice spot it’s more like your usual campground with all the facilities, it also has the main road running through the middle of it. After coming from the quiet and remote Kenepuru Head it was a bit of a shock to find such a busy site with earth moving machinery and workman everywhere along with sections of the campground roped off. So we made the decision to continue on to Picton and around to another DOC site at Whatamango Bay.

Queen Charlotte Drive is one hell of a road, it’s a narrow and winding (what’s new) scenic drive that links Picton with Havelock. Most sane people travel the extra distance and join the two towns by travelling via Blenheim, it’s longer but faster and the roads are fairly straight. Not us or overseas tourists, we want to see the sights. I think I saw a sign post flash past that said no vehicles over 9 metres. Too late. By the time it registered we were well past and we couldn't turn around to check. Oh well, we’re used to these roads by now.

The road was narrow, and it was very winding, and it climbed up a few hills but none of these faze us much any more. It was the amount of traffic coming the other way, and mostly driving down the centre of the road, that was the worry. I know it’s narrow but there is a centre line for a reason, and if you have to cross it, slow down and check nothing is coming the other way before proceeding. These cars just pressed on seeming to take no notice of the fact that we were approaching.

Once we got to the other end and stopped at the lookout over Picton wharf I realized that a lot of traffic would have come off the ferries that had recently berthed.

We stopped in Picton to top up the tanks with diesel & petrol(generator), fill the gas bottles, fill with fresh water & dump our black & grey water tanks- thankfully all at the one service station which was great. Next was the supermarket to replenish the fridge, freezer & pantry. We’d done really well with supplies and the only thing I ran out of was milk although I still had one carton of long-life milk left, and powdered milk if things became desperate (yuk). But it was nice to get fresh veges & fruit, bread & eggs and top up the supply cupboard as well. Oh, and the wine- just one bottle spare thanks to a few entertaining nights over Labour Weekend.

Finally we were back on the road and heading to Whatamango Bay another 10kms further on past Picton on narrow winding road (no surprise there!) The wind was picking up and storm clouds gathering by the time we pulled in and even though we set up camp down by the water we were tucked in behind some low bushes and around the corner from the main wind which was blasting down the bay.

Whatamango is another large site but it doesn’t quite have the same appeal as many of the other DOC camps that we’ve been to in the Sounds have. The tide was out when we arrived but by the look of it I think it must roll in here which just happens to be very near the front of our vehicles. It’s not a tidy looking bay, with lots of driftwood and debris scattered about and exposed mudflats.

I know the weather has a huge bearing on first impressions of a place but unfortunately this one isn’t doing it for us. Maybe we’ve just been spoilt too much with the sites we’ve already visited but we’re both not that impressed with this side of the Sounds. We were going to move onto to Whites Bay or Robin Hood Bay on the east coast after this stop but we’ve now decided we’re going to head to Nelson Lakes for the next couple of weeks. We’ll explore the east coast side another time, I think we’ve just had too much of the same scenery for now.

We might not be too impressed with the site but these couple of crazy ducks are even less impressed with us. They think we’ve brought intruders to their patch.

I thought, at first, that they were pecking the bugs off the bumpers but after half an hour of quacking, head bobbing and climbing over each other I went outside to have a look. They were attacking their reflection, silly crazy ducks. I think they were a little crazy anyway, they’re either brothers or two drakes in a relationship. They wander everywhere together, side by side, they play in the puddles and rest together, it is quite sweet how much affection they have for each other. But now they’re starting to annoy me (and David), they keep coming back and attacking the bumper. All day, they've been here and even when I chase them away, half an hour later they’re back again, quacking and dabbing at their reflections.

The mate of this female paradise duck spends half his time chasing them away too.

The forecast gale force winds and heavy rain arrived this morning but as I type the sun is back to shining although the wind is still strong- I spoke to soon, it’s now pouring again with strong gusts rocking the van. And as I predicted the tide came creeping around the corner this morning, stopping just short of the ute.

We’ll sit it out here tonight and then head to Blenheim tomorrow and onto the Lakes.

And in case you’re wondering why we don’t just move further afield, I’ll let you into a little secret. We’re booked to cross back over Cook Strait in mid November. But don’t panic. It’s just for a couple of months. Family is calling and the call is pretty loud. We’ve done good to last 12 months without seeing our North Island families but we’d really like to catch up with them soon. We’ll be in Tauranga late November & most of December and then Napier for Christmas & January, including going camping at the Tuki Tuki River like we should have two years ago (the two caravans have been replaced with motorhomes since then). Then we’ll cross back over late January and continue on our journey.

And once again this might be the last post for awhile, I'm not sure how reception will be at Nelson Lakes.