South Island
Blenheim
Blenheim is one of the sunniest towns in all of New Zealand. In fact the entire Marlborough region is known for its sun, its rich and unique soils, and its Sauvignon Blanc wine. So let's go take a look.
So long Masterton. I hope the sheep shearing contest works out next year.
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Lake Wairarapa. It has a huge catchment area, but that catchment is entirely farmland. The lake itself is sluggish and swampy, only a couple of meters deep at its deepest. So it is considered supertrophic, or highly polluted. Good fishing I hear.
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We'll hang a right at Lake Onoka and take the coast.
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Windy Wellington, Political and Culinary capital of New Zealand. If this were a stop we could get us some pavlova and wash it down with an L&P. Next time maybe.
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Cook's Strait, separating the North and South islands. Arapawa Island dead ahead.
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Right away it's a whole different vibe on the South Island. Much more rustic.
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A reach is a long, straight section of water extending inland that you can sail in one go, or reach, without tacking. An arm is a narrower extension, or smaller reach. A bay is a body of water partially surrounded by land, but smaller and less enclosed than a gulf. A sound is a large sea or ocean inlet, deeper than a bight but wider than a fjord.We're going to follow this water thingy. Queen Charlotte Thingy apparently. |
Which brings us to Picton. You can also arrive here by ferry if you're driving.
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And then it's just a short hop over to Blenheim. We can't hop too high today though it seems.
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And pretty soon we're in Blenheim, named for the Battle of Blenheim, which happened more sort of in England less sort of New Zealand. The Poem After Blenheim
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Robert Southey is an anti-war poem based on the incident and considered ironic because the character of the old man, Kasper, relates the story of the depravities involved to two children, all the while touting it as "a famous victory".
Naming Waiharakeke (Flax Stream) after a famous English victory may be considered ironic by the Māori because the Wairau Valley on which the city sits was the site of the Wairau Massacre in 1843. Oh wait - that's sarcasm, not irony. I always get those guys mixed up.
In any event, Blenheim is the heart of wine country here and also Peter Jackson's amazing World War One airplane collection.
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But it's time for a foggy landing.
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