Day 20: January 20, Franz Josef to Punakaiki — Updated

The day started off as many of the last ones have with a drizzle and then steady rain.  After breakfast we headed north on the only road on the west side of the South Island, Route 6, to take us north up the coast of the Tasman Sea.  Much of this area is rain forest, so it is lush and green and dripping. The sections of the road along side the Sea remind me a bit of sections of the PCH — ocean right up against the roadway, and while not cliffs on the right, steep hillsides of green.  There are far more rivers leading out to the sea than you see in Cali, but some of the rocks jutting up in the foam seem the same.

We stopped for a town walk and lunch in Hokitika, a beach town that is also home to most of the jade, or Pounamu, mining and carving in the country. There were many shops and galleries where you could see it being carved, and a glass blowing store where you could watch that craft at work.  The town has an annual driftwood contest, where artists create out of all the driftwood found on the beach. It is not for a few weeks, but we saw some very inspiring posters — it was hard to believe that it was driftwood, but the town takes it seriously, as noted by the beachfront sculpture.

From there it was a short drive to Punakaiki, where we parked and set off on a 13km hike through the Poarora National Park, and alongside that river. (We did a quick stop at a cave that was completely dark and went in the hillside fairly far; I came to the conclusion that spelunking is not for me).  The path was wooded, and shady and very green (and sorta raining for some of it), and a climb for a good bit.  Got the heart going until we reached another swinging bridge over the Punakaiki River.  Once coming through the woods we climbed briefly into town, and went to look at the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes that this town is known for.  The pancakes are really just layers of rock that seem unlikely in an area next to the pounding sea. And the blowholes and surges reminiscent of areas like the Mendocino highlands.  It was striking nonetheless.

Dinner was at the cafe in town, and tomorrow our group splits into two, as some go hiking in Nelson Lakes area, and 3 of us (me included), go kayaking in Marlborough Sounds.