Friday morning we loaded up again in Collingwood after enjoying a gorgeous sunrise over Golden Bay at high tide.
The boys tried fishing, but the reel broke.
We stopped at Pupu Springs on our way back to Takaka Hill–the largest spring in Australasia, which produces 14,000 liters of water per second and has the second clearest water on earth–second only to that under the Ross Ice Shelf.
The colors under the water were amazing!
The river that flowed away from the springs was clear as could be!
Takaka Hill–see the road we were on?
I enjoyed the rock outcroppings on top of Takaka Hill.
We stopped to buy fruit at the bottom of Takaka Hill, and got a close-up view of some of the vines we had been seeing–kiwis! We had never seen them growing before.
We spent Friday night camped in the backyard of some friends, and in the morning they helped load up and tie down for the last time.
Our route home took us through an area where there had obviously been a forest fire a few years ago. What desolation!
Fall colors along Leader Road as we neared home….
Baby was happy to be home again the next morning!
[…] Yesterday morning, we left the campground and went back up Takaka Hill. First, we stopped at Pupu Springs, the largest spring in Australasia. An incredible amount of water boils up from under the ground there–quite the sight! We bought fish and chips in Takaka, and ate beside a river, then went up and over the hill. We stopped in Motueka to pick up something we needed, then went south to visit the Crozier family. They visited us in September, and we really enjoyed their family. We camped in their backyard last night. This morning, after loading up, we came home! It is so good to be here, and to have our own beds to look forward to. […]