Crossing the Cook Strait to the South

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The ferry crossing from Wellington to Picton was significantly more interesting than any ferry I have taken from Dover/Portsmouth/Dar Es Salaam.

The first hour or so was nothing special as we left Wellington harbour and entered the Strait, part of Marlborough Sounds.  Tha was fine, as it gave me time to plan my journeys south with my new-found German travelling companion who was on the same crossing.

The last two hours of the 3 hour crossing were wonderful, if rather windswept. from a distance we sighted the south island, with a few snow-capped peaks and then the rocky headlands that marked the entrance to the sounds.  the next hour and a half were then spand cruising past cliffs, beaches, rocky shores and past wild wooded areas, grazing land and remote settlements on the edge of the south island.  Around every corner was a iew seemingly more beautiful than the previous one and, although we were keen to reach our destination, in some ways we didn't want the journey to end.

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We eventually arrived in the small port of Picton where the coach met us to take us to Nelson.  The landscape had changed fom the north island and we drove through some of the Marlborough wine region, stopping briefly to taste a few whites - the Sauvignon Blanc was very nice indeed!

Arrived in Nelson and congratulated myself on my choice of hostel - the best so far.