Havelock - 24th November 2020

Our driving trip today from Havelock to Portage in the  Kenepuru sounds..

Woke up to a nice day after all the rain we had yesterday and after we had been told that the rain would last for three days. Unfortunately we couldn’t do the mail boat run as they didn’t operate on Tuesdays.

Instead we went for a drive along the Mahau Sound continuing along to the Kenepuru Sound.

Havelock township

Cullens lookout, looking over to Havelock at the top of the Mahau Sound.

Looking back up the Mahau Sound. From the lookout the start of our drive today along the Mahau Sound continuing along the Kenepuru Sound.

Above and below are scenes along the Mahau Sound.

The above and the next below two photos are taken in the same beautiful bay.

We now went inland for about 5kms as we left Mahau Sound travelling over to Kenepuru Sound.

We are now starting along the Kenepuru Sound. 

Somebody lives way down there as there is no road only access would be by boat.

Have now arrived at Portage as far as we have driven today. Out here there is a flash lodge  in the middle of nowhere.

The view from the Portage Lodge.

Above and below the last two photos in the Kenepuru Sound. Beautiful colours in the water. They got better as the the day went on. As we left about 8.30am this morning the sun wasn’t up high enough to bring out the colours in the water.. as rain was predicted for today we thought that we had better have an early start but the rain didn’t come.

As we came back to meet up with the main highway we would turn right to go back to Havelock but decided to turn left and go  along the main road along to the start of the Queen Charlotte Drive heading in the direction of Picton, for about  8kms to see a couple of bays, Momorangi Bay and Aussie Bay. We will be doing this drive tomorrow morning when we leave Havelock but with the weather predictions it’s going to be a very wet day so wouldn’t see much. Sounds like our mail boat trip won’t happen unless for some miracle the weather forecast is quite wrong like today was.

Momorangi Bay on the Queen Charlotte Drive. Along the waterfront where the Motorhome is  a small camping Ground which is part of the bigger area across the road. A place that I would have loved to stay but it didn’t work out that way.

Looking back at Momorangi Bay

Now gone down a short access road to Aussie Bay where there is one of the Doc sites where you can  do freedom camping.  There are amenities and marked out  parking spaces about five in all. We haven’t try this freedom camping but should when you find these little gem spots.

Above and below.

This shows how they have marked out spaces along the foreshore. Such nice spots around the sounds areas.

Back in Havelock just crossing the road to go to the famous Muscle Pot Cafe for our entree before we go back to camp to cook our dinner.

Muscle Chowder so yum and so much. We won’t be going back to the van to cook dinner this is now dinner. So filling. Note the lovely mussel shaped dishes and the mussel colourings on the outside. 

Well the weather turned out great after we were told it was going to rain all day.  They are still saying tomorrow is going to be really wet all day. As I said earlier we were hoping to go on the mail boat  which delivers mail to those that live in isolation areas around the sounds.  It was going to be about a seven hour trip. It would have been a fun day but I guess it won’t happen. But you never know the weather man could be wrong. 🤞. After two nights here in havelock we leave tomorrow  along Queen Charlotte Drive through Picton back to the east coast.