22 December 2024 -New Zealand- South Island -Lake Wanaka
We had a good lie in and then breakfast and we then went for a coffee in town. The weather was not as bad as forecast.
We then drove to Cardrona again went to the same farm as Jules was going riding. She was riding a horse called Willow and they were going on a 3.5 hour hack around the hills. It was quite warm when she started and the sun came out from time to time.
I went to the Cordrona Hotel – the local pub and bought a beer and sat in their beer garden studying the pilot books for Australia and working out where we were going to go. This takes time as there are many rivers and lake entries that have bars and some are just too shallow really for Stormbird. It was also interesting to get your head around the weather and the currents that run down that coast. There are also sorts of bays but many are full of moorings so you have to work out what is possible and not. It seems so far away yet it is quite close.
Jules’s group came to the pub for a drink before they then got back on their horses and rode off back to the ranch. I drove back to pick her up and the weather was quite nice now and the sum was out. We drove back to the hotel and sat and enjoyed the sun and some tea. I continued my study of the OZ coast.
We had a light supper and then a walk in the evening light which had lit up the mountains on the other side of the lake. There is a legend that a tree grew from a fence post in the lake and into a tree. The picture of the day is the tree outside our hotel.
Stormbird
I heard no more today so am sure all is well and she is waiting for us to return.
Opportunity Year Two
In year two I will be going from New Zealand in early January 2025 across to Sydney and up the Eastern Australian Coast, Indonesia and then through Bali, Singapore and on to Thailand to end year two about the end of November 2025. I will need some more crew.
If there is any interest do email me at hine.nick9@gmail.com
The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com