Today the wind and weather along the west coast play a part in deciding where we head. The cruise through the Queen Charlotte Sound is abandoned so we take a walk along one of the many walks in this area. At the end we experience stunning views of the sounds.
Also some Maori culture with sign posts and points of interest along the way. The Maori Pa is quite interesting and a good learning point for the children. Picton is a main marine access point especially through summer offering diving, fishing and wildlife spotting experiences on a regular basis.
We backtrack to Montana for lunch but not a great choice, a lovely looking restaurant but not a suitable menu for children so on to Blenheim. This town is a great base to explore the sensational Marlborough Wine Region. Unfortunately time didn`t permit us to stay too long in this part of the world….that will be another trip all of its own.
The weather has further deteriorated along the west coast so we decide to abandon our plans to travel along to Westport and down the coastline. Strong winds and driving rains are something we would rather avoid, so head down through the Wairau Valley to St Arnaud on the edge of Lake Ratoiti. Stunning scenery along the way but the drop in temperature and fresh snow along the way has made us realise that missing the west coast was a great decision.
We camp in the camp ground on the edge of the lake, stunning views looking down the lake. The cloud lifts and we enjoy an afternoon by the lake. A stunning place to stay, weather is cool and the forcast is for snow down to 700metres over night. The heater in the camper will come in handy.