(written on February 10th from notes taken previously)
I continued my experience at Lake Eltwater about how I began it–veging out. 😅
I did take some time to dispose of my trash as well as clean up some trash. 🗑️
Once I finally got my… van in gear 🙃, I started making my down the coast toward Kaikoura. It was a cloudy day, but no rain, and that was wonderful for my first little stop of the day–Okiwi Bay.
At first, it didn’t seem like much, but after finally giving up on trying to keep my feet dry and then crossing a stream to go further down the beach, I ran into a treasure trove of fun little treasures–curious rock formations, a stunning paua shell, an injured seal, and baby seagulls, among other things.
From there, I headed south, running into accident traffic immediately south of the Paparoa Point Rest Area–just in time to hop off onto a large gravel pull out to wait out the gridlock. 🙏
And what was my surprise, but upon exciting my van and walking toward the coast for a better view, I realized I was looking down on a seal colony. 🙃
For the next nearly two hours, I made my way, slowly, down into the sealer colony getting quite close the mothers and their pups.
I moved slowly, so they would get used to my presence. Some still retreated, but I was able to get closer and closer, and some just chilled, apparently having determined that I wasn’t a threat.
And I wasn’t. I love this world’s critters–most of them, at least. 🙃
I spent the vast majority of my time just sitting there looking at them and enjoying their company. I took a few pictures, but after looking over them later, I realized that pretty much none of them are any good. None of them are in focus for whatever reason. 🤔
Once the traffic cleared, I continued making my way down the coast toward Kaikoura, at one point passing a break with a bunch of surfers and large, beautiful waves.
I continued South and was excited to get to Kaikoura, having heard from multiple people that the little town was their favorite place in all of New Zealand.
Well… I guess that’s where preferences person to person can be absolutely enormous.
It wasn’t too long after that amazing surf break that I made it to the little town of Kaikoura; and what did I find?
It was a tourist Mecca. 😕
Ugh. 🙄
Though an exaggeration, it seemed like the whole place was almost nothing but tourist shop after tourist shop. The little beach town was absolutely jam packed with people and cars.
There were tourists everywhere walking the streets.
I headed straight for the first freedom camping spot I found on CamperMate.
Slammed.
As was the second.
… And the third.
Finally, I headed over to the last freedom camping option and did find open places I could park in, but upon pulling to a stop, I noticed a big sign in front of the parking places, so I read it and found that Kaikoura has different self-containment rules than any other place that I’ve been, and my then didn’t qualify for their rules of being self-contained.
So I was 0 for 4. 😕
Having gotten a taste of Kaikoura as I drove all through it, I didn’t really want to be in the town anyway, but I did at least need a place to stay for the night.
So I opened up my maps again, saw a place called the Mt Fyffe Lookout, and wondered if maybe as I headed for the lookout up in the hills, I might find a decent place to crash for the night.
Gratefully, luck was on my side, and after fording a stream and taking a little dirt road through the bush, I found a nice little spot right next to the river to crash for the night.
Interestingly, it seemed to be a nice out of the way place for other people, as when I looked in the woods next to the little clearing where I had parked, there were several deer carcasses stashed.
I’m guessing either poachers or people who didn’t want to deal with the bony remains after their hunt and subsequent meat harvest were completed.
Anyway, I spent the rest of the night just veging there until I finally closed my eyes for the remainder of the night.
I dislike touristy places to begin with, but this was one of those places that feels like it’s nothing but tourists.
It’s a whole other level. 😅
So grateful to be away from it all in the quiet of the bush. 🙏
Lift the world.
Bring it on.
~ stephen
Lift the World 