17May06 Wednesday

Today we drove from Greymouth up to Picton.  The highway started out with many switchbacks and sharp turns making the average speed very low.   The West Island shoreline is very beautiful and other worldly at the same with the sea mist from the breaking waves creating sort of a fog or mist along the shoreline and mountains behind it. 

 

One of the highlights was a stop at the Pancake Rocks.  It was an interesting stopping point.and the trails are very well maintained.  Because of the way that the rocks weather and wear away they have the appearance of being a stack of pancakes that have kind of slid sideways.  From the waves beating against the rock cliffs at the bottom there has been holes and tunnels created forming “blow-holes” that when the tide comes in it forces the sea water up and out spewing water and mist all over the place.

 

We eventually made it to Picton where tomorrow we will board the Inter-Islander ferry and move over to the North Island and Wellington.