Taking the ferry from Wellington to Picton
Today was another early start to catch the early ferry from Wellington to Picton, so breakfast would have to wait until I’d boarded the ferry.
The weather was dry and slightly overcast when leaving the hotel, with only a short ride to the ferry terminal through the early morning traffic.
I was looking forward to my first day on the south island, and the fresh sea breeze and a hearty breakfast on the ferry was a great start to the day. I managed to get chatting with a few other bikers on the ferry who were touring the south island in memory of the Christchurch earthquake in 2010. My new friend Paul provide contact details for a planned ride the following day via the Takaka Hill, and some great advice regarding local roads and places to visit.
After departing the ferry at Picton I headed south to the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre. The weather was warm and sunny, and I arrived shortly after lunch. The heritage centre is very large, with many exhibits from different eras. I decided to visit WW1 section which had been reorganised as part of WW1 memorial celebrations.
After a fascinating walk around the various planes and exhibits it was time hit the road again, where I planned to take the twisty coastal road to Nelson from Picton via Linkwater. The sun was still shining in the early afternoon, which made for spectacular views as I followed the twisty west from Picton towards Moromangi Bay.
The weather started to turn cooler as I progressed further towards Nelson, and after an amazing first day on the south island I reached my hotel for the evening just before dusk. New Zealand continues to be the gift that keeps on giving! A quick call to my new friend Paul confirmed the details for the ride tomorrow via the famous Takaka Hill.