Akaroa, Little Akaloa, and Okains Bay

Canterbury's nor' west wind was buffeting the ute as we set off to explore the other side of Banks Peninsula. Despite it being windy, at least it was a warm wind and there were some interesting cloud formations as a result of it.

Our first stop was at Little River. This little settlement has a population of approximately one thousand - most people have moved to the area for the rural lifestyle. 

Early last century the population was higher with people residing there who were employed in timber milling and farming.

Little River has a cafe and an art gallery and a world first, unique opportunity to stay in a grain silo. It's called 'Silo Stay.' The silo's roof can open so you can fall asleep gazing at stars.

From Little River, the road rises steeply and twists and turns to the top of the Summit Road. From Summit Road at the Hilltop, all the bays on the peninsula can be accessed. The views are spectacular.

The first bay we visited was Little Akaloa. If like me, you thought the spelling was wrong, you wouldn't be the first. The name should of course be Little Akaroa but it reflects the southern Maori pronunciation of the 'r'. Until 1864, it was spelt Hakaroa. 

The bay provides shelter for small boats and has a cluster of holiday baches close to the shore.

The view from Summit Road overlooking Little Akaloa Bay.

The next bay along was Okains Bay. Although it seems like a long way to drive from the summit - you're there before you know it.

Okains Bay is a popular camping spot. The campground is at the end of the road, right beside the sea. No dogs allowed at the campground.

Okains Bay has a beautiful, sandy beach that's safe for swimming.

Great to see some older buildings had survived the earthquakes.

Petrol Station

Local Store

Fire Station

Okains Bay is rich in Maori history and has a museum that started as a private collection of Maori artefacts collected by a local. The Okains Bay Cheese Factory which was no longer in use, was bought and renovated and is now a public Museum.The exhibits include a working Blacksmith shop, a saddlery, a slab cottage, stables and many local buildings have been reconstructed.

The Whare Taonga houses the Maori collection of treasures.

Our next stop was to be Le Bons Bay, but we were mindful of time ticking on and we were keen to see Akaroa too. So we missed Le Bons Bay, and decided to leave it for the next time we're over this way.

The Summit Road rewarded us with stunning vistas in all directions. We passed a keen cyclist making his way along the craters rim.

The road is twisty and windy with stopping points along the way to admire the fantastic scenery.

The right of Summit Road overlooks picturesque Akaroa.

We were surprised at the amount of gorse and broom growing over some areas. Although an invasive scrub weed, this dazzling yellow plant did look eye-catching against the bright blue sky.

Akaroa is a historic French and British settlement nestled in an ancient volcano. The enchanting township oozes charm, with many French characteristics, such as historic cottages cloaked in roses and French street names. 

This beautiful seaside village is a popular tourist destination offering colonial architecture, art galleries, cafes, craft stores and many sports, arts and cultural events.

Since the earthquake cruise ships have stopped in at Akaroa. The harbour isn't deep enough for the ships so they anchor in the bay and passengers are ferried to shore.I was hoping to watch a cruise ship come into the harbour but only yachts and jet boats were to be seen.

Akaora (meaning long harbour in Maori) has a population of around 700. During summer and when the cruise ships arrive the amount of people increases dramatically.

It was a super hot day without a breath of wind, people were cooling off in the water. Others were savouring the views while enjoying a cool drink on the water's edge.

The historical Akaroa Lighthouse was relocated to its current location in 1980. It's one of the few remaining early wooden lighthouses in New Zealand. Originally this six sided lighthouse with four levels started operating on the Akaroa Heads in 1880. For over a hundred years it guided ships to and from the harbour before being moved to the township of Akaroa.

We could have spent much longer exploring Akaroa but we didn't want to rush through the various sights. We decided we'd come back and visit again and stay a few days in the area.

So we left Akaroa and drove to Robinson Bay, which is between Akaroa and Duvauchelle. This diary farming area is hilly with beautiful scenery. 

And just around the corner is Duvauchelle Bay. There's a campground here, with views across the bay - brightly coloured boat sheds to the left of the bay add appeal .

Barrys Bay also hosts boat sheds, these are more rustic looking than the vividly painted ones in Duvauchelle Bay.

On the way home and back at sea level we passed the eight metre long Lake Forsyth. Lake Forsyth has extremely poor water quality and has done since the 1900s. So far attempts of opening this toxic lake to the ocean to fix the problem has had limited success. 

Last year, after a spell of dry weather the blue-green algal blooms caused sheep and pets to die after drinking the water. One farmer lost 30 sheep after drinking the water.

The main cause for this environmentally unfriendly stretch of water is the phosphorous-rich soil (the area's volcanic soil is rich in phosphorous) that lies on the floor of the shallow lake. Also erosion of nearby river banks have caused fertilisers to be washed into it.

Signs warn that water is unsafe for people and animals.

The best trout fishing takes place when the lake has recently been opened to the sea and fresh sea-run brown trout and silveries have entered through the channel.
When we stopped we saw a trout angler out fishing. I wouldn't be keen to stand in that water nor eat anything that came from it!

We had a fabulous day and a good look around, but we really only scratched the surface. So when we're staying in the area next we'll put a couple of days aside to go back and discover all the other gems the region offers.