Thanks to Mum, we were in Pohara for four nights in a bach (Kiwi term for beach house) right on the edge of the beach… well, the beach more an extension to the lawn. A wonderful place but we had to endure two days of gales and rain as the weather we’d encountered on our drive up made its way northwards. This was the view from the house the day after we arrived
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
and this is as it was the morning we left. Absolutely perfect.
The views of the beach were pretty cool, no matter which way you looked
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
The beach was sandy with loads of driftwood and you had to go a long way out to swim as it was very shallow (the tides didn’t help)
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
but a short drive away, over the hill on a narrow dirt road was Totoranui, a deep beach with stunning golden sand.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
The Pohutukawa trees were in full flower and looked absolutely beautiful
There was a steep drop off just offshore that created some great waves and while we decided the water was just too cold, Mark didn’t hesitate to dive on it. He was taking on every big wave
and didn’t always hit them front on
but regardless, all we saw were these feet disappearing into the wave
What stopped him was when he copped a wave between the legs. You could almost hear Mum “phew” in that he’d stopped throwing himself into the surf but then instantly going “ouch” as he’d obviously copped it. I, on the other hand, thought it was hilarious and was only just managing to keep one leg on the ground to take photos, while laughing really hard. Paul, as you can see, is cringing in sympathy and walking away, not able to watch. Must be a male thing.
On the way back to Pohara we passed this and stopped off for a look.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
This chap had bought an old ship, one of Jacques Cousteaus old boats, and turned it into a rough café. A brilliant idea and while it was very much in its infancy, the chap didn’t seem keen to develop it much more. Mark was coming up with all these ideas and the guy just looked at him, absolutely horrified. He said that it all sounded good but that it “kinda freaks me out a bit too much”. He was a really chilled out character. This is the boat.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
Our time in Pohara wasn’t all about having fun, eating and drinking…. There were daily stretching classes courtesy of Mark (ignore the boxes of beer in the corner of the photo, the stretching was taken seriously….)
We ate incredibly well though and I think Mark stole the show with his incredible nachos with home-made guacamole and his special salsa. Euan took on the washing up with style
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
We spent a day looking around the area and visiting some of the many artists’ studios that are in the area. We also went to the Te Waikoropupu (Pupu) springs that reputedly the have the clearest water in the world. The only water that has been proven to be clearer is that under the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica, believe it or not. Around 14,000 litres of water/second is thrown up from underground vents. We stopped off for lunch at the Mussel Inn and had rounds of fresh Mussel Chowder washed down with the beer brewed by the Mussel Inn (below).
They don’t like mobile phones in this place and made sure that patrons were aware, with a pole covered in mobile phones staked through the SIM card.
There were a few quirky things in this area and the painted toilets fell into this category for sure. While it’s not the done thing to loiter around toilets carrying a camera, they’re not really helping by painting them like this!
Euan, Mark and Paul went kayaking for an afternoon. Euan and Paul looked more like fisherman than a kayakers!
While they were out they gathered a whole load of huge green-lip mussels from down the coast and on the way home Mark grabbed a local recipe off a chef and cooked us all mussel chowder for dinner. I think Euan, who has never been a seafood fan, has discovered the difference between seafood and fresh seafood and had a huge second helping.
As always seems to be the way, the day we left was a still scorcher and I don’t think any of us wanted to leave. We had a 3 hour drive to Picton where we were catching the ferry back to Wellington and we went via Queen Charlotte Sound which is an great drive with stunning views out over the Sound.
The bays we passed were beautiful and some had campsites right on the waterfront.
The ferry to Wellington took about 3 ½ hours and for the first hour or so, it passes through the Marlborough Sounds until reaching the Cook Straight, the stretch of water between New Zealands North and South Islands. The Marlborough Sounds have some incredible properties, many only accessible by boat.
I know you can barely see it but its all about the setting. This house was perched on cliff tops close to the mouth of the Sounds.
As we went through the Wellington Harbour Heads, we got a better view of the lighthouse around the coast from where I grew up.
and we passed a scene typical of Wellington; houses perched on the edge of hills overlooking the harbour.
Once off the ferry we picked up another rental car and headed about one hour north of Wellington to a place called Masterton in the Wairarapa. We’re happily staying put there for about a week.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
and this is as it was the morning we left. Absolutely perfect.
The views of the beach were pretty cool, no matter which way you looked
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
The beach was sandy with loads of driftwood and you had to go a long way out to swim as it was very shallow (the tides didn’t help)
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
but a short drive away, over the hill on a narrow dirt road was Totoranui, a deep beach with stunning golden sand.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
The Pohutukawa trees were in full flower and looked absolutely beautiful
There was a steep drop off just offshore that created some great waves and while we decided the water was just too cold, Mark didn’t hesitate to dive on it. He was taking on every big wave
and didn’t always hit them front on
but regardless, all we saw were these feet disappearing into the wave
What stopped him was when he copped a wave between the legs. You could almost hear Mum “phew” in that he’d stopped throwing himself into the surf but then instantly going “ouch” as he’d obviously copped it. I, on the other hand, thought it was hilarious and was only just managing to keep one leg on the ground to take photos, while laughing really hard. Paul, as you can see, is cringing in sympathy and walking away, not able to watch. Must be a male thing.
On the way back to Pohara we passed this and stopped off for a look.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
This chap had bought an old ship, one of Jacques Cousteaus old boats, and turned it into a rough café. A brilliant idea and while it was very much in its infancy, the chap didn’t seem keen to develop it much more. Mark was coming up with all these ideas and the guy just looked at him, absolutely horrified. He said that it all sounded good but that it “kinda freaks me out a bit too much”. He was a really chilled out character. This is the boat.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
Our time in Pohara wasn’t all about having fun, eating and drinking…. There were daily stretching classes courtesy of Mark (ignore the boxes of beer in the corner of the photo, the stretching was taken seriously….)
We ate incredibly well though and I think Mark stole the show with his incredible nachos with home-made guacamole and his special salsa. Euan took on the washing up with style
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
We spent a day looking around the area and visiting some of the many artists’ studios that are in the area. We also went to the Te Waikoropupu (Pupu) springs that reputedly the have the clearest water in the world. The only water that has been proven to be clearer is that under the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica, believe it or not. Around 14,000 litres of water/second is thrown up from underground vents. We stopped off for lunch at the Mussel Inn and had rounds of fresh Mussel Chowder washed down with the beer brewed by the Mussel Inn (below).
They don’t like mobile phones in this place and made sure that patrons were aware, with a pole covered in mobile phones staked through the SIM card.
There were a few quirky things in this area and the painted toilets fell into this category for sure. While it’s not the done thing to loiter around toilets carrying a camera, they’re not really helping by painting them like this!
Euan, Mark and Paul went kayaking for an afternoon. Euan and Paul looked more like fisherman than a kayakers!
While they were out they gathered a whole load of huge green-lip mussels from down the coast and on the way home Mark grabbed a local recipe off a chef and cooked us all mussel chowder for dinner. I think Euan, who has never been a seafood fan, has discovered the difference between seafood and fresh seafood and had a huge second helping.
As always seems to be the way, the day we left was a still scorcher and I don’t think any of us wanted to leave. We had a 3 hour drive to Picton where we were catching the ferry back to Wellington and we went via Queen Charlotte Sound which is an great drive with stunning views out over the Sound.
The bays we passed were beautiful and some had campsites right on the waterfront.
The ferry to Wellington took about 3 ½ hours and for the first hour or so, it passes through the Marlborough Sounds until reaching the Cook Straight, the stretch of water between New Zealands North and South Islands. The Marlborough Sounds have some incredible properties, many only accessible by boat.
I know you can barely see it but its all about the setting. This house was perched on cliff tops close to the mouth of the Sounds.
As we went through the Wellington Harbour Heads, we got a better view of the lighthouse around the coast from where I grew up.
and we passed a scene typical of Wellington; houses perched on the edge of hills overlooking the harbour.
Once off the ferry we picked up another rental car and headed about one hour north of Wellington to a place called Masterton in the Wairarapa. We’re happily staying put there for about a week.
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