Back South.Marlborough sounds.

We made it back to Kaikoura to pick up the rig about midnight after leaving Tauranga at 8.15am.  Was good to be back and moving our gear back into our travelling home.   The next day was cold with snow down very low on the hills.   We spent the day catching up on chores to the rig and getting it set up how we like it.   There was a grey sky with light flakes of snow falling and we couldn't get the heater going in the rig.   Joc was not a happy camper.  There was no humour in her life at this time at all and later in the day when I finally got it going the change was immediate and she was back enjoying life as if nothing had happened.

  The next day we headed up the coast and stopped about halfway to Blenheim.  The plan was to try for some paua but the swell was much too big and the water very dirty.  So the next day we headed into the Marlborough Sounds.   We took the Kenepuru Sounds road and headed into Portage. There is a DOC camp there at Cowshed Bay so we moved in there and set up right by the water.  It's a very wiggly windy road on the way in so by the time we got there we were ready for a wind down and a coffee.  It's all very picturesque with bush coming right down to the waters edge and different arms and headlands going in and out of the bays.   The water is very clear so I got the kayaks off the roof pretty quick and I headed out for a fish.    I had heard the fishing was in dire straights down hear as the cod fishery had been all but wiped out.   Fishing for cod is closed for about 3 months of the year and when it is open you can only take 2 cod.   It doesn't stop there as the size restriction is you may only take cod over 30cms and under 35cms.    Anyway it wasn't an issue in Kenepuru as the only fish I could catch were spotties.   I even went out with the flounder spear at night but didn't see any at all.

  Joc and I did a bit of walking around the roads and up over into the Torea bay on the other side.   While we were walking the road we spotted a section for sale and got nosy so we wandered up into the bush section for a look.   I'm not sure why anyone would want such a wet scrubby section but there was some very fresh deer marks leading up and down the tracks.   Might be worth a look around here one day.  There is not a lot of people around here in the winter.  The shop in Portage looks like it closed a number of years ago.  There is a resort there now but the place is nearly deserted.  Apparently it is really humming in the summer and all the camps are packed out.  One night there were 2 different vehicles in our camp,both german couples but other wise we have got the place to ourselves.

  We spent 3 nights at cowshed bay then packed up and went to Havelock to fill up the gas bottles and get a few supplies.  It seems strange as a few businesses here were closed for the winter as well with signs in the windows saying they will reopen in September.
  After stocking up we hit the road and did a quick stop at Pelorus and checked out the river and walked around to the swing bridge over the Rai river.   Its a very pretty spot there but we weren't tempted to stay as although it's a DOC camp you still have to pay whether you have a DOC pass or not.  So being such tight buggers we carried on to the Rai Valley then headed into the Pelorus Sounds where we wiggled and wound our way into Elaine bay about 40kms in.  After getting set up we dived into the kayaks and went for a paddle.  I even managed to catch a cod but you guessed it. It wasn't between 30 and 35cms so back it went.  Got back just on dark and cooked up lovely venison burgers for dinner.

At last granddaughter Luca is here.

On 7th of June 2015 Luca Sophie Steward was born to our daughter Heidi and her husband Paul.   We felt we had been waiting forever but she was only two weeks past her due date.  Maybe I'm biased but already she is a stunner with a full head of dark hair and such a cute wee face.  At this stage she seems very placid with a very relaxed manner and hardly a cry to be heard.
  We find we are almost due to head south again and we have barely had time to get to know her.  I guess we will have her whole life to do that and we will make the most of that.  We are also finding we are struggling to see everyone we want to as time is moving too fast for us.
 Jocelyns sister Jenny came over for a short visit from Aussie and we had a great family gathering at Joel and Julies place at Papamoa.  So everyone got to see Heidi while she was large with the baby then the next day she gave birth. Unfortunately Jenny couldn't see the baby before she left to head back to Aussie.
  We have really enjoyed our time living with Heidi and Paul and Hayse while up here. They are enjoying having their own house now and Paul is getting right into the DIY around the section.   Hayse is always a willing helper.  That boy really has a lot of energy.
  So over the next week we will catch up with a few more friends and family then we will be on the road south again.