All packed at Westport we headed south, first stop back at Punakaiki. Through blind luck we timed our visit with high tide which meant we got to see some blow hole action. Getting photos was proving to be troublesome, in the end we resorted to patience and simply waited until the waves got the right force and timing to push the water up the limestone tubes.
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Naturally being daytime there were a lot more people around. Back at the road three weka were making nuisances of themselves by walking slowly over the road and not being in any hurry to avoid oncoming traffic. We had a look through the shops but already things are starting to look very samey, hardly a surprise but most tourist orientated shops seem to have the same things for sale.
We next stopped to take a walk just before Greymouth. The Coal Creek Falls walk starts from a cul-de-sack in the town Runanga. Walking steadily downhill the track stopped at the Coal Creek Falls so naturally I took a few photos. There was a flowering fuchsia at the falls so we got some photos of the little purple flowers as well.
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
The final walk was at the isolated Woods Creek Walking Track (which I’m having trouble locating on a map, Keryn’ll probably find it). A walk through pretty forest there are many interesting mining features to be seen with deep trenches and tunnels found next to the track, remnants from gold mining activity in the 19th century. Exploring caves we found cave weta and spiders as well as lots of darkness. The track had a lot of steps and a swing bridge, the bridge interesting as it wasn’t fastened to the ground, the whole bridge suspended without ground attachment (when someone stood on the bridge their weight was enough to push the base onto the ground at each end for a bit of extra stability).
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Once finished on the track and done with pieces of both lemon and ginger slice (which I should mention were made by Keryn and Elaine in Westport once Keryn’s original supply ran out) we were off to another Marram cottage, this time in Hokitika.
