Maclean's Reserve - A Spot to Stop Near Mot

Between Motueka and Tapawera is Maclean's Recreation Area - a large freedom camping spot, suitable for campers big and small (including tents). 

When we arrived I was surprised to see so much empty space - there were only a few campers. I'm guessing some were a family group, because close to their camper-van were several tents. And other than us, there were only a couple of buses parked near the end of the reserve.

The river was noticeably clean, and ideal for all ages and abilities - slow flowing with a few deep holes, perfect for paddling or swimming. What a bonus finding a river unaffected by toxic algae. 

Oakly and Boo love; having freedom to roam, to explore new places, to discover new smells, and during the warmer months cooling off in the river, is the icing on the cake. 

Oakly 

As the dogs scope out the area, I enjoy fossicking about, looking at the vegetation, watching insects, finding stones, in fact I enjoy checking a place out, as much as the dogs do.

While I was debating whether to have a swim or not, an inflatable boat came floating by.

It was packed with gear and the couple on board, waved out as they passed. They said they were searching for a spot further downstream to pull into, to camp for the night. 

When we left the reserve, I kept an eye out for the couple in their boat and eventually spotted them pulled in beside a little sandy beach. It seemed they'd found what they were looking for - a perfect place to pitch their tent.

Not long after, we arrived in Motueka and went to the NZMCA park, wondering if we might have left it too late and we'd find it was full. Fortunately we arrived just at the right time as there were only a few spots left. And what a bonus, it was a beaut spot at the edge of the park with a nice, flaxy outlook.

Later in the afternoon a cute, little visitor hopped by, and wasn't at all fazed by us. Luckily the dogs were snoozing or they would have been keen for a chase (not that I would have let them).

As the sun was setting we wandered around the estuary. 

Of course the dogs were fizzing because they could smell rabbits and were zipping in and out of bushes. And when they eventually reappeared ... they'd changed colour! They were covered in thick, black, smelly mud! Bernie was not at all impressed. 😂 LOL

Luckily there was a tap nearby so I was able to get most of the mud off. 

After a nice, warm shower back in the bus, both dogs smelt divine and ended the night tired and content after their day of adventuring.

First Overnighter

I decided to have the first night away in our 'new' bus not too far from home. Bernie was working so it was just me and the dogs.

After looking at the NZMCA app and reading posts in various Face book groups, I chose to go to a DOC campsite near St Arnaud - Teetotal Camp. First, and most importantly it was dog-friendly,  with several walks right beside the camp. Secondly, we hadn't been away overnight in this particular bus, I thought if I ran into trouble, I was only an hour from home.

We (Oakly, Boo and I) arrived just after midday on a hot summer's day. Only one other camper was there so choosing a spot to park was easy. I decided on an area beside some trees for some shade for the dogs.

As I mentioned, one of the reasons I picked Teetotal Camp was due to reading some Facebook posts. One post had shown photos of dogs in a river and with that thought in mind Oakly, Boo and I set off for a walk. Usually I don't walk the dogs during the day in summer as I'm mindful of how hot it can get for them. However they were itching to get out to explore and I figured they could cool down once we got to the river.

After walking for more than half an hour there was still no sign of a river. I thought of turning back, the dogs were hot and seeking shade to rest. However, I thought if we turned back they'd have to walk another half hour or more and still wouldn't get to cool down in the river. But, how far away was this river?

After some toing and froing, I decided to keep going, hoping the river wouldn't be too much further. Oakly is 13 now and in the last 12 months has started slowing up. Nowadays he likes to stop every few metres to smell everything in sight, so it was a slow walk.. 

In the distance I heard some dogs barking and when they appeared, along with their owner, I asked how far ahead the river was. She told me there wasn't a river ahead. Fortunately she lived in the area and suggested rather than returning on the same track, we follow a less trodden path. She knew the area well and explained the shorter route. So off we went.

Oakly handled the return-walk surprisingly well ... it was Boo who struggled, so I had to carry her some of the way. I felt awful having them out walking in this heat.

It was great to eventually see the campsite! 

And, after a nice, big drink of water we lay down to rest.

The dogs signal when they're ready for dinner - I never need to check my watch. It's alwaysbetween 4 and 5pm. When they indicated they were hungry, they ate in the shade and not long after were napping again.

I had a rough idea how to turn the inverter on so I could turn Netspeed on, but when I tried it didn't work. Normally, this is when I'd see if Bernie knew how. However, he wasn't there so I had to figure it out myself. I know it's not rocket science but the set up in this bus was different than our previous set-up. However I'm pleased to say, I figured it out!  Then I celebrated a successful day with a movie and wine.

Later that evening I messaged my Facebook friend to ask where the river was that she'd posted while staying at Teetotal. I laughed when I read her reply. Turns out, when she stayed there they took a day trip to Nelson and stopped at the Motueka River to give their dogs a swim. When posting photos of their time at Teetotal she'd included the Motueka River photos. LOL.

Wow, we could have walked for hours and not found a river! Thank goodness we stumbled across that local lady walking her dogs!

Out Of The Blue

Often I look at buses and campervans for sale on Trade Me and last week I noticed a Toyota Coaster for sale in Blenheim. It looked good and the description sounded great so we arranged a time to view it.

And to cut a long story short ... we are now the proud owners of a blue bus.

                    Photo was taken at St Arnaud on the drive home after buying the bus.

Weekend at Ward Beach

Ward Beach is a wild, deserted beach with interesting rock formations about 50kms south of Blenheim. Bernie and I have stayed there before and were looking forward to spending a weekend relaxing with the dogs. 

Once parked we opened the back doors of the bus to be rewarded with magnificent ocean views.

Oakly found an ideal spot. Lying on the bed he had the perfect view to watch and wait for any sign of movement.

 

Beside the bus, beneath a large macrocarpa tree is a pile of decorated stones. Previous campers have left a memento of their Ward Beach visit.

As the sky darkened, it looked like the forecasted rain wasn't far away, so we set off for a walk before the weather closed in.

Old tide marks on the rocks show the rise of the sea bed due to the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2016. 

Due to fault movement the change in the seabed level has had a big impact on local commercial fishing. Before the earthquake several crayfishing boats were launched from Ward Beach with the aid of bulldozers. Nowadays it's not as busy because the Environment Court issued an injunction order to stop fishing companies from launching off the beach. This was due to the concerns of Forest and Bird that bulldozers dragging boats would disrupt the habitat of the banded dotterel and the variable oyster catcher. 

From a distance it looked as though white paint had been splattered across some rocks. These white markings are what's left of the kelp and sea life which were once attached to rocks before the coastline was uplifted. Now that the remains have rotted away all that's left behind is a white substance.

The different rock formations make great photo subjects. Not only is it a great place for photographers and sight seers, I'm sure geologists would enjoy this area too.

Just a short walk from the Ward Beach reserve are some large spherical boulders. Their cannon ball appearance makes them similar to the popular Moeraki Boulders on the Otago Coast. Although not as big as the Moeraki Boulders they're the same type of formation.
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With rain approaching, we decided to turn back.

Looks a bit like a moon landscape.

And just as we got back to the bus the first drops began and before long rain was hammering on the roof. It was cosy inside, listening to the sound of the storm raging. The bus groaned and shook as each wind gust hit. Falling asleep to the sound of the blustery weather around us was bliss. 

When we woke the next morning the sky was blue and the air still, there wasn't a breath of wind. Such a contrast to the night before.

I decided to take the dogs for a walk southwards along the beach. We started by following the Flaxbourne River running out to sea.

Upstream the river provides irrigation for stock and is named after the large Flaxbourne sheep station. Currently the residents of the nearby township 'Ward' have a plan in place to rename their town 'Flaxbourne'.

A white-faced heron took a break from searching for its breakfast and obligingly posed for a photo. The white-faced heron (matuku) has some interesting ways of feeding. At times it slowly stalks its prey (small fish, frogs, insects and other aquatic creatures), while other times it may give chase. Another technique it uses is called foot raking, this is when the heron stands on one leg and uses the other leg to rake the underwater debris to stir up small creatures, which it quickly spears and eats.

Oakly and Boo merged into the environment well, they even had a camouflage look going on.

This large black and white shag known as a pied shag didn't seem at all bothered by us walking by. Worldwide there are 36 species of shags, which are also known as cormorants. New Zealand has 12 of these species living mostly near the sea, however they can also be seen near lakes and rivers.

The end of the Flaxbourne River - where the river meets the sea. 

The rocky outcrops that have appeared since the earthquake made an interesting walk, there were a few rock pools but not a lot of life in them.

The only splashes of colour seen, were clumps of bright orange kelp, a few random shells and a handful of hardy plants. The barren, rugged terrain created a unique beauty. I found it therapeutic looking at the different rock patterns and shapes, with the sound of the ocean nearby.

From a distance I thought the birds (in the above photo) were penguins, however they turned out to be small shags, which quickly scarpered into the sea as we got closer.

One of the bonuses of this walk, were the seals we met. Each one was basking in the sun. Perhaps they were taking a break from foraging for food or maybe they were having time away from the demands of their pups.

Although it was tempting to walk to the next peninsula I knew Bernie was waiting for us back at the bus. That walk would have to wait for another time.

Red In The Morning ...

The other morning the bus had a warm, pinky glow inside, a sure sign there was a sunrise worth getting up for. I couldn't get out of bed quick enough but if I'm honest, knowing I can climb back into bed again makes it easier. When I'm up, watching the sky change colour, I wonder why I don't do this every morning.

Bernie has just bought me a new tripod, so this was the perfect opportunity to try it out.

At first the foreground was dark but as the sun rose higher, rows and rows of grape-vines seemed to magically appear.

It wasn't long before the sky changed again and pinky mauve tones emerged.

As was I taking my gumboots off back at the bus, I noticed the nearby tree had a golden glow as the early morning light touched it. For a second, I toyed with the idea of walking further along the river to see what the willows would look like. It was a toss up between the colours of the willows or my warm, snuggly bed. Surprisingly, the willows won!

And, crikey it was worth it. Although it's spring, the trees had the look of autumn.

And, then it was back to the bus, where I received the warmest greeting from my furry-friends. What a great start to the day!

I thought, I'd show you where we're staying and what Damfam Vineyard is like.

How To Get There
From Blenheim drive north towards Picton, turn right at the Spring Creek roundabout. Cross the one way bridge (Ferry Bridge) over the Wairau River and turn right into Wairau Bar Road.
Drive about a kilometre along Wairau Bar Road and you'll see on the right, a hand-written sign, 'Damfam Vineyard'.

Drive over the small gravel rise and follow the road ...

To your left you'll see the vineyard that supplies grapes to Yealands.

Ahead is a gate, which is the entry to the camping paddock.

As you drive through the gate, on your right, is a recycled fridge. It's full of books campers have left for others to enjoy and beside the 'library' is the box to pay for your stay.

And, only metres away is where you can fill up with fresh water.

As you can see, I took these photos after a few days of rain. However, Winston has assured us that despite the rain the ground remains firm - he hasn't had to tow anyone out yet!

Puddle reflections ...

In the distance you can spot our bus....

And a close up photo shows us parked beside the river.

Near the bus is an intriguing tree. I'm guessing it's a fruit tree as it's smothered in blossom...but why does it have plastic bottles hanging from it? I need to find out...

And then there are the sheep. Several protective ewes were busy safeguarding their lambs, ensuring they didn't wander too far or get into any mischief. Some lambs appeared to be timid, staying close to mum, while others were more adventurous and attempted socialising. They didn't always get a friendly welcome, there were a few unfriendly sheep about! However it was great entertainment watching their shenanigans.

Damfam Vineyards is an ideal place to stay if you're about to catch the ferry to cross to the North Island or if you've just crossed over to the Mainland. Being dog friendly is a bonus and for those travelling in large vehicles, there's oodles of space.
The sunsets are pretty special too.

 Thank you 'Damfam Vineyard' (Winston & Robyn), for sharing your slice of paradise.