Sun 6th Feb - Banks Peninsula & Arakoa

Today we feel as if we’ve hit the jackpot!

Yesterday on a “whim” , instead of heading south, turned Rt from Christchurch, out onto the Banks Peninsula – the site of historic Maori / British / French clashes; horrid massacres, and, eventually, the site of the final reconciliation for NZ – the signing of the Waitiangi Treaty.

Today is, in fact, a special day here today, as is Waitangi Day – the anniversary of the treaty.

We’ve had a brilliant time around here – arriving yesterday evening, to be brave and set up out first “rough camp”. No sanitised shower block; no electric hook-up; no toilets; just us! Oh yes, and maybe our lovely little NO WORRIES van.

Today we visited Akaroa, and went for a morning sail on a 1922 gaff-rigged ketch, Fox ll. We had the most wonderful weather conditions, and were SO privileged to see many pods of Hectors dolphins playing around the boat – these are the world’s most rare dolphins – also the smallest, and only found in NZ waters. Also, watched little blue, white - flippere’d penguins several circling albatrosses (gulp!), and a colony of NZ fur seals.

What a day!

This whole peninsula was formed by a HUGE volcanic eruption, many millions of years ago – and as you drive out onto the remote summit road, as we are on now – you can actually pick out the huge volcanic crater rim! Wow! Was once totally land-locked, but the sea eventually pounded a way through, thus forming this amazing harbour at Arakoa.

Tonight, we’re camped at OUR  cove (no-one else in sight), listening to the waves lapping, watching the sun going down , and sipping NZ Sauvignon Blanc. 

It doesn’t get much better than this!