Changing trails

Mapua Wharf

It was our last day on the Great Taste Trail.  We had to cross the Mapua Estuary and the first boat was not until 10am which suited us fine.  It was a gorgeous morning although it was very chilly.  We had breakfast at a waterfront café and then boarded the little ferry to take us across a stretch of water which was calm as a mill pond. 

The ride took us across to Rabbit Island which is a huge sand bar or dune that is planted out in pines.  It looks no different to when I was a student at Nelson College some fifty or more years ago.  Then it was a destination for picnics during weekends with family who were visiting their boarding school sons.  It was rather nice travelling through it again.  


After that we skirted around the edge of the tidal flats on a mixture of gravel paths and boardwalks.  It is very easy riding.  Soon enough we were at the Richmond junction and turning toward Nelson.  After five days of little or no traffic the noise and speed of the expressway traffic was rather disturbing, and later as we rode around the waterfront we were amazed at the number of cars that were on the road trying to get to Tahunanui beach. The traffic was bumper to bumper moving at about 10kph.  

Tahunanui beach

Most of the riding along the waterfront was on road but fortunately as we closed in on the port entrance we were able to go on an off road cycleway that took us to a nice café we has previously visited on the bank of the Matai River.  After lunch it was time to retrieve our car, pack it and leave for Westport.  When we arrived, Rob's partner Di was waiting for us with their truck. Our bags were also at the depot ready for collection.  

Inside the ferry

After an obligatory photo of the three of us to record the end of the ride, we said our goodbyes, were in the car and off to Westport.  

We had a good run to Westport with no holdups although there were a few very slow cars on the road. I suspect they were tourists who were unfamiliar with our second rate roading network.  It is quite a  pretty drive.  

We were staying in an Airbnb with our host Ellen.  Where we stayed was a separate room from the very large former mine manager's house. The room was large and Ellen was a delight who could not do enough to be helpful.  After unpacking the car we wandered downtown which was about half an hour away.  We found a restaurant and had a reasonable meal.  

It was dark by the time we finished our meal and were in need of some breakfast supplies so we called into a supermarket.  It was shortly after that I had a navigation failure ending up in the wrong street and having to backtrack.  All was ok once I had figured it out with a little help from the GPS. 





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