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.

I Lost My Dogs!

I'm sure every dog owner's worst nightmare would be if their dog went missing. Well, my nightmare came true. I lost my dogs! Not just one but both dogs! 

Before I share this latest ordeal, let's start from the beginning.

This post, follows the one about driving over the Crown Range. The Crown Range experience happened in the morning, then around midday we were in Wanaka, and late afternoon we arrived at Albert Town. Which proves, a lot can happen in just one day!

Now Albert Town is another place you could easily spend a week exploring. I didn't do it any justice by only spending a night there.

Just to the left, over the Albert Town Bridge, is the Albert Town Campground, which was where I planned to stay. It's located on the banks of the Clutha River and costs $10 per person/night. 

There was an empty area near the river which looked perfect. I reversed in and got myself reasonably level, turned the bus off and then turned the gas on. The spot was great. My views were of the Clutha River and the Albert Town Bridge. As I was waiting for the jug to boil, I spotted a sign, which I must have driven passed without noticing. I walked over to check it out. 'No Camping Beyond This Point' Ha! So, that's why this ideal spot was empty.

So, back in the bus, and a few hundred metres further on, close to the river was another idyllic looking spot. Another bus was parked a little further on (so, it must be okay), plus I checked for signs - no signs about. All looked good. 

Perfect, I could now put my feet up, enjoy a cuppa and reflect on that bl***dy Crown Range experience. And, while I was doing just that, another thought popped up ... was I parked too close to the river? It was a fast flowing river, and it looked as though I was almost level with it. What if there was a flash flood? 

Seriously Katrina, who has these thoughts out of nowhere? But, it was now lodged in my brain, niggling away. 

So I took a photo of the river from inside the bus and sent it to Bernie. He said, I'd probably be fine, but for peace of mind it wouldn't take much to drive to a higher spot.

And, for the hundredth time, I appreciated how simple it was to be able to move. When we had the big rig, it would have been a mission. But, with the bus, all I did, was jump in the driver's seat and move another few hundreds metres upward!

While finishing my now luke warm cuppa, I noticed a couple of people walking their dogs. Both were off leads, so I (wrongly) thought there can't be any rabbits about, otherwise the dogs would've be on leads. Not wanting Oakly and Boo to miss out on a chance to explore, I grabbed the camera and the three of us set off for a sunset adventure. 

I found what looked to be a good spot to take a photo and as I lifted the camera to my face, the dogs, in sync, used that exact moment to bolt. Had they planned this??? Who knew they could even run that fast?!

In a split second they'd charged down a bank. And my theory that there weren't any rabbits about was blown! Suddenly, there were white, fluffy tails bobbing in all directions. I tried calling the dogs, but it was a complete waste of time. So, I scrambled down the bank, after them, but they were no-where to be seen! They'd gone ... miraculously disappeared! I couldn't even hear them, surely there would be snapping twigs or crunching leaves as they sped through the undergrowth. But nothing! Absolute zilch! 

I called, I looked, I called, I searched and I then I panicked! Every time I stepped on something that made a noise, I startled more rabbits. A scene, which at first glance, appeared to be rabbit-free was actually infested with them - they seemed to materialise from all directions!

The sun was setting and I knew it wouldn't be long before I'd be searching in the dark. I raced up a nearby bank, to a path that ran above the river. All the time, calling and searching. But, there were no signs of the dogs ... only more rabbits!

After about twenty minutes (it felt like 20 hours!), I spotted Boo in the distance. I couldn't believe it - she was the one I thought would disappear down a rabbit hole. She's the smaller of the two and has been down a few holes before.

Once Boo was safely in my arms, I continued calling out to Oakly. I couldn't see any sign of him. My fear was, Oakly would run from rabbit, to rabbit, to rabbit and continue for miles! 

Then, in the distance, I heard a man shouting 'I've found your dog!' I could not have been more relieved! Or surprised, I thought I was the only one there. I followed the man's voice as he kept calling out to me. Eventually I found him, standing above a bank - pointing towards the river.

He told me he'd seen a dog go down a rabbit hole in the side of the bank. As I looked to where he was pointing, I couldn't see anything, just a bank with lots of rabbit holes. I asked, was he sure it was a dog and not a rabbit? He was certain it was a dog.

Holding Boo tightly, I clambered down the bank. The guy followed me and pointed out the the hole. Although, it had a decent size opening, when I looked inside, there was nothing. Just darkness. I called and called Oakly's name, but absolutely nothing - no noise, no movement - nothing!

However, the guy was very convincing and swore Oakly had gone down the hole. There was only one thing to do. I started digging. The guy offered to hold Boo while I dug (if I had of put Boo down, she would have been off again!) So I started to dig, and then the hole veered to the right ...

And bugger me ... there was Oakly! Well Oakly's face. He must of gone in and turned around. How big was this hole!? Every inch of Oakly was covered in dirt! He wasn't keen to come out - I'm not sure if he thought he was in trouble or whether he knew he was on to a good thing, and didn't want to abandon ship.

Thankfully, he came out. And I couldn't thank that guy enough! What were the chances!!!!!

With a dog, tucked securely under each arm, I eventually got back to the bus. By then it was dark. And as I mentioned earlier, the river was fast flowing, so I couldn't take the dogs down to wash them, if it was still light, I would've found a shallow spot, but I wasn't about to try my luck in the dark.

So I brushed off as much dirt as I could, rubbed the dogs down with a towel and filled a bowl with water and washed them as well as I could. 

By this time, I'd missed several phone calls from Bernie. He would of been wondering why I wasn't answering. But I wasn't quite ready to tell him what had happened ... first I needed a wine or two. 

That night, I lay in bed, with a dog snuggled up on either side of me. I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking how close I'd been to losing our little buddies! Between the Crown Range trip and this rabbit adventure, it was a day I wouldn't forget in a hurry.

And, to rub salt into the wounds, one of the dogs began snoring! A deep, loud and relaxing snore! Obviously their day had only tired them out! Not an ounce of remorse for those puppies...haha. 

Over Lindis Pass to Cromwell

One of the many rewards of this trip has been seeing how diverse the South Island's landscape is. Sometimes, the contrast has been noticeable within a short distance. 

Lindis Pass is an example of this. It's barren, remote, unique and breath-taking. 

Lindis Pass Scenic Reserve was formed in 1976, and was one of the first tussock reserves in New Zealand. The road through the pass is hilly and winding and is about 60kms long. 

The rolling mountainside (with an altitude of 971m) is covered in tussock grass, and for many months of the year you can see snow, sometimes down to the side of the road.

Lindis Pass links the Mackenzie Basin with Central Otago and crosses a saddle between the valleys of Lindis and the Ahuriri River.

The little bus chugged up the pass without any trouble, the long stretches of road made it an easy climb. Once near the summit, I pulled over, it was time to give the dogs a break and for me to admire the view.

After the dogs had sniffed everything in sight and stretched their legs, we were back on the road. Before long, without looking at any road signs, I knew we were in Otago. 

How? The countryside gave it away - the distinctive craggy schist rock formations suddenly appeared along the countryside. 

I was rapt when we arrived in Cromwell. Finally, we were here, in the area, known for it's spectacular autumn scenery! 

I was hoping to stay at the Rotary Glen NZMCA Park beside Lake Dunstan, I had read reviews about it being a nice spot to stay, however it has a limit of 10 campervans. Knowing there were other places I could park if there were already 10 campers, I went to check it out.

Luckily, when I arrived there were only two others there. So I drove in and parked beside some spectacular golden poplars.

And, as we always do. It was off with the key. On with the gas. And then the three of us set off to explore.
Directly across from the park, was lovely Lake Dunstan.

Lake Dunstan is a man-made lake and reservoir which was formed on the Clutha River when the Clyde Dam was developed.

The lake provides irrigation to nearby stone fruit orchards and vineyards. It's also popular for swimming, boating, waterskiing, fishing and rowing.

Clearly the smell of rabbits in the air was strong. The dogs were eager to check out every bush and cluster of plants in sight.

We followed the edge of the lake for an hour or more and then turned back.

Parts of the foreshore was lined with Briar Roses. Their thorny branches were hanging heavily with bright orangey-red rose hips.

Legend has it Chinese Goldminers back in the 1860s brought briar roses to New Zealand as a source of vitamin C. The Otago winters were (and are) harsh and as rose hips have many medicinal uses, the Chinese used them as an aid to help them survive the cold winters.

During WW11, due to the lack of citrus fruit, rose hip gathering was a popular and meaningful pastime in autumn and early winter. 

Rose hips are the fruit of the briar rose and also contain the seeds. Rose hips are high in vitamin C, which assist with immunity. They also contain anti-inflammatory properties and evidence suggests these properties are effective in relieving symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. 

Being rich in essential fatty acids (omega 6 and omega 3), makes them beneficial to skin care, e.g, dermatitis, acne, eczema, sunburn, scar tissue and wrinkles (*sigh* - if only I'd known that earlier, I would've collected bucket loads of those rose-hips and smothered my face with them! haha). I'll chalk it up, for another reason to come back and visit!

Birds and maybe rabbits, have helped disperse the briar rose seeds. Briar roses are considered a pest to farmers, they establish resistant thickets in poor pastures and can tolerate drought, hot to cold temperatures, and can thrive in low fertile soils. 

When we arrived back at the NZMCA Park, we were greeted by lots of rabbits. They barely glanced in our direction, obviously we weren't a threat.

The dogs were on their leads and they were truly mesmerised. They would've done anything to be let off!  

Honestly, I don't think Oakly slept at all that night! Every time I woke, he was sitting beside me with his face glued to the window. I could see the rabbit's silhouettes as they sat on the nearby ridge. Admittedly, they were entertaining, jumping in the air, twisting and spinning around (this cute behaviour is known as a 'binky'). Others were grooming themselves, licking their paws and rubbing their faces or just sitting still.

Thankfully, Oakly spent the whole night watching. He never made a noise. So Boo and I had a great night's sleep.

Lake Tekapo - Reflections & Rabbits.

Lake Tekapo never, ever disappoints. In all seasons it's spectacular. I thought when we stayed a few years ago, when lupins were blooming (click here to see that blog and photos), that I would've seen Lake Tekapo at it's best. And without a doubt it was breath-taking, but, here I was in autumn. And it was equally as stunning. The warm golden colours and reflections literally made me stop in my tracks.

It was everything I had dreamt it would be.

The NZMCA park on the eastern side of Lake Tekapo was a great place to spend the night. I arrived late afternoon and wondered whether I'd find a spot. The park, which is situated amongst pine trees, must be one of the nicest parks around. There were a few spaces I could've parked, but on closer inspection, they weren't level and the ground looked damp. I wasn't keen on getting stuck! Imagine having to ring the AA again, to ask for help. I'm sure there are better ways to become a valued customer! 

Eventually, I found a spot that looked firm and reasonably level. 

My furry companions as always were eager to get out and explore. And the beauty of this wee bus is, once I'd turned the engine off, we were good to go. So, with leads on, we set off to the lake. 
Once out of the NZMCA park, the leads came off, and the dogs raced around, while I took photos and we all explored.

Before long, it was obvious we were in 'rabbit country'. Many, short, fluffy-white tails flashed into view as rabbits zig-zagged about as they sped for cover. The dogs were delighted!  Me?  Not so much! I love rabbits, but the dogs love them so much more! 

Both dogs have terrier in them. Oakly is Bichon/Foxie and Boo is Bichon/Jack Russell. And they're obsessed with hunting! I wish, I could let them go and know after a couple of hours of chasing & hunting they'd come back. But they don't. Once in rabbit terrain, their hearing suddenly turns off, their speed increases and I'm left wishing I had of had them on leads.

Miraculously they did come back. And much to their disgust, their leads were put on. 

It was a good time to take photos. The lake was calm and I happily clicked away. I was in my happy place - the dogs, not so much...hahaha

There are many reasons I like recording my bus adventures by blogging, and one is, when I research an area, I always find something of interest. 

And here are a couple of things I discovered about Lake Tekapo...

Maori were first to discover the Mackenzie Basin as they travelled the area, hunting moa, birds and eels. 

Later in 1855, a sheep thief, James Mackenzie, travelled inland with a large number of stolen sheep to avoid being discovered. And that's how the Mackenzie Country got it's name. 

The first sheep farm in the Mackenzie area was built by John and Barbara Hay on the shores of Lake Tekapo. When the lake is low, remains of the old Tekapo homestead can be seen on the eastern shores.

Lake Tekapo is the second largest of the three lakes in the area, which roughly run parallel to each other. From east to west, there's Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki and Lake Ohau. Lake Tekapo is 27 kms long and has an average depth of 69 metres (its maximum depth is 120m).

The rocks in the foreground show how low the lake level was at the time we visited, usually these lie underwater.

The development of Lake Tekapo's township began after the hydropower stations were built in the 1930s. Water from Lake Tekapo is diverted through a 1.4km long tunnel, which runs under a hill to the west of the town. It then travels along a 26km long canal to Tekapo B Power Station, which is on the shores of Lake Pukaki.

Lake Tekapo is fed from the northern end of the lake by the Godley River, whose source is the Southern Alps. This is why the water is a dazzling shade of blue, the melted glacial water contains finely ground rock flour which is light, and stays suspended in the water. The sunlight reflected off the rock flour, creates a spectacular turquoise colour.

I didn't go into the township to take photos, although photographing 'The Church of the Good Shepherd' is always tempting. But, for this trip, I kept to the lake and soaked up the views and reflections. 

Perhaps this caravan found the best spot to park ... amongst the pine trees, overlooking the lake, with an end of the day sunset.

After lots of photos, I took the dogs to an area that the NZMCA has fenced, just for dogs. There they could run around unleashed. Great for me not having to worry about losing them, however they weren't fooled, they knew that the real adventures lay outside the enclosure!