Farewell Spit

Farewell Spit (Northwest corner of the South Island)

Yesterday was just a travel day from Picton (the ferry terminal on the South Island) up to Collingwood (in the northwest corner of the Island) with stops at multiple lookouts. The road wound along the coastline and up and over many hills.

Today we went on a fantastic a 6 hour tour on the Farewell Spit – a finger of land jutting out over 25 kilometers with the Tasman Sea on one side and Golden Bay on the other. This is an important estuary and nature preserve into which only licensed tour operators are permitted to go. The beautiful day was windy, but pleasant, and we saw many different birds (including an Australasian Gannet colony at the tip of the Spit). We also were able to see 2 more lighthouses (one of the main reasons for taking the tour). We were very fortunate to have a native kiwi (New Zealander) as a tour guide (owner of the Farewell Spit Nature Experience). He grew up in this area and was very passionate about saving it. Self taught about this area, he was very knowledgeable in many disciplines (botany, geology, birds, mammals, ecology, and history). He has even set up a small museum with excellent information of life on the spit including a detailed exhibit of whale beachings. With his leadership we now have a greater appreciation for this area.

View of some of the Farewell Spit from Pillar Point

Variable Oystercatcher

A map of part of the road leaving Picton. On one hill (Kataka Hill), we encountered 250 curves with several being of the blind variety to make it more challenging.

The lighthouse near the end of Farewell Spit