20 July 2007

French Pass



We were warned not to try the French Pass road in a motorhome, unless there was no wind at all - many cars and vans have blown off the cliffs along this road. Weather was predicted calm for 3 days, so we were off...

Wonderful views once past Okiwi Bay, the road became narrower and rougher, and a lot dustier, but there was nowhere to get to the water (all private roads to million-dollar baches along the shoreline).

We couldn’t even park at the locality known as French Pass “township”, it was full of cars belonging to absent boaties, and visitors to D’Urville Island, so breakfast up at the lookout - where many local weka brought out their young for a free feed.

Turimawiwi


Turimawiwi - Once the ford has been executed, and another 7km of rough road has passed under us, this serene spot awaits - no-one else in sight. HUGE sandhills, another river crossing if you choose, but the going gets tougher, as you need to proceed along the beach from here, including quicksand and ever deeper river crossings - an adventure only for 3 or 4 serious 4wd’s together - so we call it a day and stay here 3 days, living on fresh mussels and fish - not much trout in the river.

Turimawiwi Sunset - No power, no phones, no radio, no tv, no city lights, so a great view of the comet here, but couldn’t get it on film. We keep a close watch on the local weather here (remember, satellite tv?), because if it rains in the hills, we could be here for 2 or 3 weeks to wait for the river to subside enough to get back through the ford at Anatori.

17 July 2007

Don't Try This at Home !


Anatori - This requires 4wd . . .
Yes, you need 4wd to get through here safely - the rocks on the bottom are very slippery and unstable. Don’t try this at home!
After crossing this ford (which is very susceptible to rain in the hills), you can get to a fantastic spot a further 7km along a rough road, to a serene beach called Turimawiwi.

To Anatori


Coast road to Anatori - away from the madding crowds, good condition metal roads, fantastic vistas along this west coast . . . the road gets rougher, but still easily navigable without 4wd.

Anatori, stopover after 50km of rough roads, on the west coast of the South Island, as far as you can go from Cape Farewell southwards. Quite a few sandflies, but a really peaceful spot between the cliffs and the river. Deciding whether to cross the river (if it rains in the hills, we could be stuck on the other side for a couple of weeks).