Palliser Bay

On parting with Nick & Jacky we drove back to Ocean beach to spend more time. We stayed here 3 years ago almost to the day. Ocean Beach sits in Palliser Bay and is super exposed to the south, however weather permitting is a superb ocean beach, several kilometres long, great for fossicking and fishing, (yeh right don't start me on the bloody fishing again) & the Rimataka Cycle way which passes thru on its way round the coast to Eastbourne. We were only able to complete a third of it for various reasons, it was a slightly more challenging ride than some of our last excursions. It was VERY windy with a strong northerly dropping over the escarpment's and whistling out the valleys, we were reduced to walking on several occasions, the wind hitting from all directions, when we weren't bogged down in the coarse sand. However it was still a stunningly hot beautiful day and we will complete the ride at some stage, possibly from the other end.










The sun sets directly behind  Mount Tapuae-o-Uenuku (the highest peak in the Kaikoura Ranges), and makes for a stunning photo. During a clear day it's snow capped flanks are clearly seen from Palliser Bay in the Wairapa at a distance of about 120 kms, also special is that it stands 80metres taller than anything the North Island has to offer. Significant also for us, as we rafted down the Clarence (with Shannon) in Labour weekend 2013 in the company of our friends from the Nelson Canoe Club, the Clarence flowing over the feet of this Majestic Mountain..

The next day was spent mooching around the bus getting burnt, walking the beach, giving myself a haircut, & Sheryl catching up on the paperwork.The wind continued unabated, but apart from not knowing which direction the next gust came, was very pleasant. Today, after soaking my bait, we have gone back to Featherston to replenish, and relocated to Ngawi, further round Palliser Bay on the foreshore for another few days, as long as the southerly stays away.
Sheryl is still whizzing up culinary delights, tonight, kidneys in gravy with homemade pie & fresh beans. Should've left home years ago.