We 're counting: New Kayak and Mavora Lakes

Kingston without the Flyer but with BB

Butchers Dam

Daniel was the man in Roxborough who had the kayak Bill had bought six weeks earlier through Tradme sight unseen. Thankfully it was all that Daniel had said it was - with lots of additional gear. Sail, two trollies, jackets, all the gear. The issue being that overall it was heavier than our Little Yella and with Sheryl's under whelming strength it was going to be a struggle to get Big Bertha up on the car roof where it was to be carried, not on top of the bus like Little Yella as we don't have the same space with BB (Big Blue / Big Bus /Bill's Bus etc - still haven't come up with a name!!).
So for now Daniel & Bill managed (not that easily either) to get the kayak on the roof of the car, suitably stropped down before heading off to Lake Dunstan for a few days to play around with it and see how it all worked.

Delicious Central Apricots

On our way we passed many fruit stalls (typical of Central Otago) still selling apricots. We couldn't resist the 4Kg box of 2nds for $10. Hardly seconds, but they were all ripe and wouldn't last long. So it was into jam making, a dozen small pies and stewed fruit for breakfasts. Plus fresh ones to eat of course. A bit of a surprise now that we are into March that they were still available! The seasons are certainly changing.
Before reaching Lake Dunstan we came across Butchers Damn - Alexander's first water supply and a picturesque spot to park up for the night. A bit of a worry were the dark clouds heading our way over the hills in the background and an already heavy kayak on our car with two big open hatches! With some effort we managed to flip it over while still up on the car, to forestall the real,but unusual, possibility of the boat sinking whilst still being high and dry.
The rain didn't eventuate and we had a lovely walk around the damn before dusk, indeed with Bill topless as the temperature was a balmy 20C plus.

We have a convoy (Alexandra)

The next morning we headed through Alexandra where Bill picked up a new battery for the Suzuki with its current one still struggling. I did some computer work while Bill picked up some ham from the Deli (cos he couldn't find the supermarket)! $11 for 4 slices had Bill freaking out and his wallet squirming uncomfortably deep in the farthest corners of his capacious pocket....... hastily reducing the order to 2 slices. ha ha - I'm sure he will look harder for a supermarket next time! But as I said to him - it would have been a happy little NZ pig that was well cared for before ending up on our plate.
Onto Cromwell and Lake Dunstan. Here freedom campers can stay 3 nights at a time at Lowburn on the Lake side, only 3km from the town centre. So we settled in for Bill to sort out the kayak, try it out and come up with a system to get it up and down off the car. Coming down is always easier than going up, but even so it was a lot of weight to keep steady as was lowered to the ground. Phew! At least it didn't get dropped.

Inaugural paddle on Lake Dunstan

We got the great behemoth out for its inaugural paddle. Bill was more than happy with it's first outing, I was a little more cautious. It didn't feel as smooth as Little Yella.
Unfortunately the next day was misty and cold. Not suitable for a paddle. So it was into Cromwell for supplies, a tarp for the hatch covers, and a visit to the local museum learning more on the gold fields and the flooding of the Cromwell valley during the Think Big years of the Muldoon era. Then back to the bus to make jam / pies and hatch covers.

Spreading out at Camp Lowburn

The next morning was perfect for a paddle and "the motor". Sorry fellow Nelson Kayak Club Members but this beast comes with a rig to mount Bill's little 1.5Hp motor on for us to be able to go that little bit further on our travels. It performed beautifully after being in storage for a few years. We headed up to Pisa Moorings (which we paddled into, so as not to upset the locals), across the lake back down to camp. A 12.3 km round
trip over a couple of hours. Very pleasant. Bill very happy.

Looking down from Shirt Tail Rock

Thursday was time to head off once again. Our initial plan was Invercargill to catch up with some of Bill's family that live down there. But as the weather was looking good for the next few days we decided to head into the Mavora Lakes via

Kingston Beach - Dot showing Shirt Tail Rock

Kingston & Lumsden.Bill's family had a Crib at Kingston when he was young, so lots of happy memories. One memory was the often climbed Shirt Tail Rock, when he was about 6, now at 60 he wanted to relive the adventure. One look up for me was enough to realise I wasn't sharing this adventure with him. An hour and a half later he had completed the trip.
The climb affords a stunning outlook over the now burgeoning village of Kingston. As youngsters we would hurtle up this track sometimes twice daily, The track was a bit hairy in places and one day Mum (Joan) wanted to come up as it was obviously so popular. Well Shock Horror, Mum was distraught to think her little children were daily within a hairs breadth of losing their lives, being dashed on the rocks hundreds of metres below... She all but forbade the kids to ever go up again..... but they did time and time again.
The track is now well formed most of the way but the last 20mins still is a scramble from root to rock, but the view point is now complete with a well made safety rail. Gone are the days of eating biccies perched on the ledge, legs kicking out into thin air....

Fresh apples on the side of the cycle trail
(not quite ready Bill!)

We continued onto Lumsden staying in the NZMCA camp - a very handy walk into town. And the next day rode through to the Five Rivers Cafe on the "Round The Mountain" trail - a 26km round trip on the rail corridor once plied by the Kingston Flyer,
sadly now parked up in Kingston and scarcely a km of track left. I understand it has been on sold and will not run at Kingston again, least ways not in the foreseeable future. Again we have exciting memories of perhaps 6 kids riding in the engine (bare footed) from Fords Crossing down to the wharf, a km at best. The driver would stop for us kids, letting us ride whilst the fireman would be shovelling coal in, cinders smoke and steam.....God think of it now. As a young man of 20 odd, on a rare trip back to Invercargill I met the fire man ,a character called Merlin who funnily enough remembered me, and proceeded to tell of the fact they only stopped cos of Mum(a good looker) patiently waiting with the kids and always trying to entice her on board as well , which she did on occasion.
At Lumsden we had our first unwanted bus guest - but a $6 mouse trap soon sorted that free loader out. The colder days obviously bought him in - amazing how much poop a little mouse can leave throughout all the cupboards!.

Our camp sight at Northern Lake Mavora

The next generation of fishermen
Dad teaching his boys to fish - camping for the weekend

Onto Lake Mavora - passing a few cyclist doing the Round The Mountain - not great along this section on the dusty road. Saturday was busy with lots of families camping around the expansive Doc Camp. Plenty of room to spread out at this place and we soon found a place to call ours for the next few days.

Trying the sail

Our first morning was suitable for an excursion out on the lake with our kayak- a paddle to the bottom of the northern lake and then a nice breeze to try the sail out as we headed back up toward the top of the lake. Very easy to operate. Stopping back into our camp, we dropped off the kite (against Bill's desire but suited my comfort level) and picked up the outboard. Unfortunately soon after the wind changed direction and increased in strength so we returned to base without actually trying out the motor on this trip. And with the wind never easing up, there wasn't another opportunity this visit.

Walking toward South Lake Mavora

We did a two hour walk along western side of the Southern Mavora Lake, and were about an half hour into the return walk along the road back to camp when Jenny &

Jenny, Murray & Bill about to head off

Murray passed us in their new 4WD they had picked up 2 days before. Oh Murray! Such a dusty dirty drive in!! But even with a dirty car they were most welcome also carrying fresh supplies to make yummy filled rolls. Had lunch and off on our bikes on the 4WD track toward
the first hut on the lake - pretty rough, huge pot holes - good test of J&M's riding skills on their electric bikes. Another fun interlude with the Butlers and them experiencing some more remote NZ.

Tough going, with or without electric power

Following the 4WD track along the lake edge

Their new car being in response partially to our earlier trip thru the Nevis 4WD track before Xmas. This was enjoyed enough to warrant the procurement of a capable vehicle as there are a lot of isolated back country drives down this way. Only problem may be the car cleaning costs as those "white shinys" can get a trite dirty on those gnarly tracks.

On our list of "Must Do Tiki Tours" was the drive into Mt Nicholas and along to Walters Peak on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. This turned out to be a beautiful spot, with its own micro climate.The Walters Peak Homestead gardens are a credit to the garden staff, belying the otherwise tough climate experienced by some of the exposed areas down this way.The staffer we were talking to said it was a typically Central Otago climate. Not hard to believe looking at the summer blooming of so many flowers, and us camped up at Lake Mavora suffering temps in the low teens.

Mt Nicholas Station looking up Lake Wakatipu

The ride in was fab. A road not well known or travelled thankfully.The road to Mavora is 40 odd km on a gravel road and reasonably well travelled with the Mavora Lakes being a popular destination, it is a popular hunting ,fishing, boating, 4WD destination not to mention it is on the Te Aroha walkway connecting in with the Greenstone at the top of the Lake, and is part of the Round the Mountains Bike Trail, at 186 Km a reasonable sort of ride albeit with one or to long hauls.

Walters Peak Homestead & it's beautiful gardens

TSS Earnslaw loading the next group of tourists

Looking back from Walter Peak Station to Queenstown
across Lake Wakatipu

But the road carries on for another 50 K and it is a great "Big Country" drive thru stunning high country vista through Mt Nicholas Station and then round Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak Station. This is now owned by Real Journeys who also own the TSS Earnslaw and in peak season bring in over 1200 tourists daily by boat. It is a creditable operation and keeping those tourists off the road for a day around Queenstown has got to be a good thing. However any one wanting a good days drive in the southern area, in some High Country Wilderness this little known drive would be hard to beat, and the opportunity for a high tea at "The Colonels" a bonus, (or a distraction you need not attend). This would also be a "Nice" motorcycle ride in case you are reading this Mark.
We ventured one more day at Mavora Lakes, an opportunity to ride to the first hut round the lake and a ride it was. On reflection we made a good call earlier with J&M not to try and continue round as it would have been a severe test for all. Bikes and riders Tarmac it was not. I now want to complete this 10 k section in a 4wd. Need to talk nicely to Murray 😊
Five nights at Mavora and the windy weather not overly good for paddling means we must again revisit this favoured spot. There is unfinished business here ........