Monday, March 21, 2011

Queen Charlotte Sounds

We use the lovely Smith Family Farm Campsite to service the camper and ourselves — fill the fresh water tank, dump the grey water tank, recharge the camera, iPad and iPods, shower up and do laundry. That done, we are ready to head out again, this time along The Queen Charlotte Drive and along the road that leads out into the Queen Charlotte Sounds.

Our thoughts are on what comes next — it is the 19th of March and our camper van is due to be returned on the 26th. Andrew of Cruzy Campers has told us we can keep the van longer if we like — no one is scheduled to have it after us. This is a great prospect, but adds to our long list of options: keep the van and travel to some places we missed on the south island? Use the van as cheap accommodation and hole up with a good internet connection and make plans for Tasmania and Argentina? Or somewhere else? Return the van on schedule and fly back up to the north island and tour some of the areas we missed up there?

None of the options truly call to us and say, "This is what you must do next." We have let Andrew know that we MAY want to keep the camper. We have contacted our travel agent and begun to inquire about flights we MAY want to take to Tasmania or Argentina. The balls are in the air and from there, we move on, waiting to see what pulls at us the most.

Having just returned from the visually and emotionally spectacular French Pass and the Pelorus Sounds, our expectations are set low for the Queen Charlotte and the Kenepuru Sounds— how could they possibly compete? The road out along the sound is winding, an uphill climb. It is much more developed than the Marlborough Sounds — colored mailboxes introduce private driveways down to large homes tucked into quiet bays. There are lots of B&B's and fancy lodges which cater to the hikers making their way along the accompanying Queen Charlotte Track. The views are quite stunning, but we still feel spoiled from our French Pass experience.



We stop along the way at the Portage Resort Lodge, very swish, and make inquiries about renting kayaks for a day or half day. From there, we continue the drive, past more private drives and homes to Sandy Beach where we stop for lunch, With a swimming platform just sitting empty out in the bay, it's the perfect place for an apres lunch swim. One of the residents comes down to the beach and chats with us a bit about the area and the bay.





From there we head to the Kenepuru DOC campsite. It is virtually empty and after snaring a good spot by the water, we realize it is still only 3:30 in the afternoon. The road from here turns into a bumpy, gravel road, but we decide to brave it and head to the end, to Titirangi and the small private family run campsite located here which they call "a little slice of heaven." Too good to pass up!






It is up here, at the end of the gravel road, that we find the views that again rival what we found up at French Pass. Maybe not quite as majestic, but still wonderful with sight lines straight out into Guards Bay and then the Johnson Strait.



Entering the campsite means another long, bumpy winding road down the mountain and into the bay. Cattle lines the road (sometimes blocking it) and watches us cautiously as we pass. At the bottom, Jenn hops out of the van to open the gate and let us in. We find a field next to the beach, with only three other campers. Sheep and wekas roam the field. The facilities are excellent (flush toilets, water, cold showers) and the price is only $5 per person. Sweet as!










The beach is deserted. I have a swim and only afterwards do we find the jelly fish washed up on shore. Ooops...

We meet a fellow Canada goose who seems to know we're also Canadian. He waddles after us as we return from brushing our teeth and stands guard all night around our camper (leaving nice Canadian droppings for us too...)

The owner drives down after dark on her 4X4 to collect the camp fees. She tells us about the hike to Mount Stokes, just back down the road. When the skies are clear, she says, the view from the top lets you see all around the sounds.

We plan to do that tomorrow!

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