Postie Boats and Angry Goats

Postie Boats and Angry Goats
Picton, New Zealand

Picton, New Zealand

Leaving Wellington was just so heart breaking, we were so attached to Owl and Piglet that it was like leaving behind our babies. I must have looked like absolute battered wife trailer trash sat in Blondini crying at the harbour in Wellington as we waited for the boat over to Picton.

Travelling between the North and South is no cheap affair but we were more than surprised at just how comfy and nice the boat was. So used to the delayed and dull Condor at home we were expecting a small café and to be confined to our assigned seats. What we got was about 20 different seating areas where we had free choice as to where we sat, at least 4 different bars and cafes, a huge outside deck to watch as we arrived into the Marlborough Sound and even a comfy cinema lounge. We had a lovely smooth sailing and despite being a bit on the windy side we headed to the top deck and enjoyed the view as we sailed through the beautiful Marlborough Sound. The one problem that we had with this sailing is that we had been made to park Blondini on the outside car deck and all we could do was watch on as our poor girl was pelted with salt spray coming over the side of the boat. Sorry Blondini!

Arriving in Picton was like arriving in a toy town, it was so small and quaint and quiet and a perfect start to our South Island adventure. After a night on a random campsite which still had a massive overflow of children enjoying their Summer holiday much to our disappointment. Thankfully after a little girl her twisted ankle on the bouncing pillow, causing about as much screaming as I would expect from a shark attack victim, everyone quietened down.

As with most places in NZ the main activity in Picton is to set off on walk the Queen Charlotte Track, which takes about 3 days and requires camping and days of looking at your feet to ensure you don’t fall over. Needless to say we would not be signing up for that. Instead we found the most novel tour we could, to join the postie as they delivered mail and school work to the locals who live out in the boat access only areas of the Sound. We somehow managed to get the best seats on the top of the boat to watch the postie pull over and hand over the post supplies and dog biscuits to the people and pooches waiting on the various piers. We were so lucky that just 10 minutes into the journey we saw a pod of Hectors Dolphins (the smallest dolphins in the world) jumping out of the Sound. We headed over and had them swimming around the boat but sadly they ceased all acrobatics as soon as we got near, this is the story of my life with dolphins around the world. Thankfully the sound was so calm and clear we managed to get a few good photos of them in the water.

With the mail run nearly complete we stopped off in Ship Cove, yup you guess it, Captain James Cook sailed the Endeavour here on the 15 January 1770 and used this cove as a regular base for his pacific voyages whilst he resupplied and overhauled the Endeavour. This is also the start of the Queen Charlotte track, so a few intrepid walkers hopped off the boat to walk the track.

Next we headed along the coast to a tiny little town called Linkwater, not because there is anything especially great here, but there was an incredibly great campsite. A farm campsite with pet sheep, goats and a giant pig. Pet farm animals that we get given bags of food to go and feed and are encouraged to take selfies with! The sheep were extremely compliant and enjoyed their photo shoots, the goat however was just angry. We stayed here playing with animals for as long as we could possibly justify it before heading further along the coast to another Couch Surf in Motueka.

Sheep selfie, Done, next up a goat selfie and a llama selfie??!!