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You are here: Home / Archives for Camping

Camping

On the Way to Karamea

March 12, 2023 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

We had a short holiday this year! We went to Karamea, the town nearly at the end of the road going north along the West Coast, and camped there for four nights. It’s a lot of work to get away like that, but it was sure nice to have a break. Most of our holidays have been road trips, sleeping a different place nearly every night, so this time was different and we all very much enjoyed staying in one place for the whole time.

This is a view of the mountains as we drove along the Buller River, towards the Lower Buller Gorge.

This piece of sculpture is in front of one of the few buildings along the road that parallels the Buller. Can you see what the mosquito is holding?

I’m always amazed at the engineering that went into this bit of the road. It’s one lane there, for obvious reasons!

We had a bicycle rack on the back of the ute we were traveling in, and it hadn’t been fastened on quite right (inexperienced person putting it on!). We stopped a couple of times to tighten it down, and during one of those stops Little Miss posed for me on top of this rock, near the end of the Lower Buller Gorge.

A view down the river at the same point.

The Karamea Bluff was astounding! We had never been up there before, so even though we were warned that there was quite a hill to get over before reaching our destination, it still took us somewhat by surprise. We stopped near the top to admire the view. This is looking south-southwest from the road.

Of course, the young people in our vehicle had to walk on the guard rail! James drove us; Mom, Esther, Mr. Sweetie, Little Miss and I were the passengers. Elijah drove his vehicle, too, with the rest of the family in it, and pulling the camper we borrowed.

See the cut in the hill? That’s where the road goes next, from where I took the two pictures above.

This was the scenery we found as we neared Karamea. It is in a flat area, surrounded on three sides by mountains and the fourth side by the sea.

I had looked online to find accommodation for us, and found the Karamea Memorial Domain Campground. The rates were actually affordable for us, and they gave us this nice, private corner between some of their gardens. We parked the camper in front, and pitched three tents back near the flax, and had ourselves a very nice place to stay.

This building was nearby. It housed everything else we needed–kitchen, lounge, toilets and showers.

The boys found the pool table first thing. Simon was overjoyed to find something he could do, after laying on the couch for two weeks! He used the rest to steady his cue stick, and was the undisputed champion of the family, with his legendary hand-eye coordination. They spent a lot of time playing there.

They even roped me into playing one evening!

We had the use of this lovely lounge whenever we wanted to relax and read or play games together.

They had a large, clean, well-equipped kitchen.

The dining room was perfect, too. We spent several afternoons playing a long, continuous game of dominoes here.

We took a portable grill with us, and cooked meals over it at least twice.

Filed Under: Away From Home Tagged With: Camping, Holiday Trip, Karamea, West Coast

Holiday Trip Day 3

April 24, 2012 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

Tuesday morning in Picton, while the trailer was being tied down those of us who were not involved with that process explored the rushing creek beside the campground.  Our tents had been pitched just beyond the bushes on the left side of this picture, so we got to listen to the water all night.

A bridge went across the creek here, and a trail went along it on both banks.  Grandma and several of us went exploring.

We found this beautiful waterfall downstream just a short ways.

Here comes the train!  The track ran along the hillside maybe 200 feet from our campsite! Three trains roared through during the night!  We were glad that most of the boys slept through the noise.

After we left the campground, we started up Queen Charlotte Drive again.  This time, we made it past the lookout over the harbor without stopping (no ferries in dock or coming in, this time!), but just a short way past, there was another overlook!  We pulled in, thinking maybe we’d just take a quick look from the van.  No way–there was an enormous logyard down there, and we ended up spending half an hour or more watching the activity down below.  There were log trucks coming in constantly to be unloaded, with huge clam loaders that took an entire load in one trip, and then sorted the logs by size.  There was one clam loader being worked on, as well.  There was a barge tied up to the dock, but nothing loaded on it.  This is a deep-water harbor where ships come in from the ocean to load with logs which are taken to Japan, processed into lumber, and then the lumber is shipped back here!

On we went again!  The scenery was so amazing that Gayle stopped at most of the tiny pull-offs on the way up the hill, so he could admire the view, too.  We were glad he stopped, rather than trying to look as he drove; that would have been downright dangerous.  The Marlbourough Sounds are spectacular!

Some of the geologic formations along the road were really something to see, too–look at these rock layers!

Almost to Havelock!  We stopped at another overlook and Gayle and the children went down the trail to these mudflats that are exposed at low tide.

Made it to the bottom!  Now they have to climb back up the hill.

We ate lunch at a small picnic area at the edge of Havelock, and watched the tide starting to come in to cover these mud flats as we ate.

On we went again, this time as far as the Pelorus Bridge, over the Pelorus River.  This bridge is one lane, with a walkway along one side.  We walked over the bridge, then down a trail to the rocks along the side of the river.

Simon has learned how to skip stones, and Esther somehow caught a picture of his best skip–seven jumps!

Gayle and the children walked down another trail while Grandma and I went back to the van.  They got to cross this swinging bridge.We made it as far as Nelson that night, and found a campground there.

Filed Under: Away From Home Tagged With: Camping, Holiday Trip, Marlborough Region, Nelson/Tasman region, PIcton

Holiday Trip Day 1

April 22, 2012 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

We took a week’s holiday, touring the top of the South Island.  We left early Sunday morning, after loading the van and a borrowed trailer with everything we thought we might need for a week’s camping.

It was a beautiful, sunny day, and the Waiau River was especially pretty.

After church, we set out to go north.  The first stop was to pick up oil for the van.  The oil has to be put in under the passenger seat!

Next, we stopped at Ohau Falls, because the baby seals are spending their days there again.

The sea is always beautiful across the highway from the falls, too.

This little guy found a hollow under a rock into which he could stick his feet to watch the sea in comfort!

After we left the falls, we were going through places we had never seen before.  This long railroad bridge was impressive!

Hills a little ways south of Blenheim.

We turned off on the south side of Lake Grasmere to find the campground we had selected for the night.

Setting up camp for the first time!  This was a DOC (Department of Conservation) campground.  They provided flush toilets and water (boil before drinking), but that was all. We had a propane camp stove to cook on, so Mom and I worked on that while the rest set up tents and figured out how to blow up air mattresses.  We were maybe 200 feet from the sea, which was quite loud here.  Lovely sound to go to sleep to!

Filed Under: Away From Home Tagged With: Camping, Holiday Trip, Kaikoura, Marlborough Region

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The Family:


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Girl #1, Esther, my right hand

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