Rakaia Gorge...

We left Hororata... Driving through the flat Canterbury Plains...

Crops growing here...

Sheep grazing... Unperturbed by the bitterly cold climate...

We got closer to the mountains... Not much snow...

And here's our next destination... The Rakaia River...

At the gorge.

On one side of the road, overlooking the river is the

Mt Hutt Lodge, close to Methven and the ski fields.

On the other side of the road is the Rakaia River with the huge

wide expanse of shingle river bed... One of the largest

braided rivers in New Zealand. 

 The Rakaia River has a mean flow of 203 cubic metres per second and 

a mean annual seven-day low flow of 87 cubic metres per second.

It rises in the Southern Alps travelling 150 kilometres in a

 generally easterly or southeasterly direction before entering the 

Pacific Ocean 50 kilometres south of Christchurch.

it is briefly confined to a narrow canyon known as the Rakaia Gorge.

The Rakaia River is bridged in two places. The busiest crossing is 

at the small town of Rakaia 20 kilometres from the river mouth, 

where State Highway 1 and the South Island Main Trunk Railway

cross the river using separate bridges. These two bridges are New 

 Zealand's longest road and rail bridges respectively,
approximately 1.75 km long. A second bridge, much shorter
and less used, spans the Rakaia Gorge.

These are the two bridges at Rakaia Gorge...

Both with a lot of history.

This concrete pole measures the water depth, of particular

 interest when in flood. You can see how the water flow has

washed away the bank and the different colours of the silt and

 stone buildup over the years.

The Rakaia River is fed by meltwater from the Lyell and Ramsay Glaciers.

There are some people in this photo that I took standing on one 

of the bridges... Puts the size of the river into perspective!

There is a small sheltered camping area with water and toilets.

I want to go back when the weather improves

and do some of these walks.

The Rakaia is also well known for Salmon and Trout fishing.

I'd like to try that! Need some lessons and a license first!

Having walked over both bridges and looked around

it was time to head for home...

Along the endless flat roads, the huge shelter belts...

In this photo if you look carefully you can see the enormous

irrigation machines that stretch the width and length of the paddocks.

Time To Say Goodbye ... And The Train to Picton...

The day had come...  had been in Christchurch for five weeks.
This is my last day with my Dad... till next time.
He was looking much better than when I arrived.
Nothing like a bit of company from a bossy daughter
to stimulate and spruce things up.
He has on his new trousers and one of his new jumpers.
We had great fun getting taxis to go shopping
and have lunch in Ballantynes and the Riccarton Mall.
The stakes at the side of the photo are where I planted his
tomato plants that he grew from seed.
He has always been a gardener and still likes to potter.
We also bought not one... But two new phones.
A new mobile, which at  94 he manages to make calls on... Mostly to me!
And a new landline phone.
Both are for the hearing impaired... The new mobile is marvellous...
We can now have long conversations and he can actually hear me.

So at 7am I got the Coastal Pacific train to Picton.
It's a 5 hour journey and the carriages are new so it's a real pleasure.
This rail line was opened 15 December 1945...
Read more of the history here...
It is often blocked and closed by slips...
But the day I was on it was lovely and sunny and no stops or breakdowns.

New Zealand scenery is spectacular and this journey is one of the best.
This is passing over the Waimakiriri River
which has its source way up in the mountains.
It is one of the word's few 'Braided' rivers.
These 'Braided' rivers are only found in Alaska, Canada,
 The Himalayas a few in America and Asia and in the
South Island of New Zealand.
 How they are formed is fascinating... Read here...

 
 This is an aerial view...

The train travelled over several of these unique rivers...

New Zealand is a farming country...
We have 40 million sheep - 10 to each person!
Sheep farming has been crucial in the development of the economy...
And for 130 years was the most important agricultural industry...
We passed through lots of paddocks of sheep...

Similarly... Cows...
In 2007 New Zealand had  4.2 million dairy cows and produced
15 billion tonnes of milk... We have many more today plus beef cattle.

 
More river beds and wild gorse...
Some clever people and worked out how to make Gorse flower wine!
A prickly and labour intensive task.
Here is the recipe...


 
We came to the coast... The Pacific Ocean.
Snow on the Southern Alps at Kaikoura in the distance.

 
This is a magnificant coastline... I came here for holidays after the war...
1945... 65 year ago...
Old Army huts, by then unused, were put along the coast
and made wonderful holiday shacks.
I love it and never get tired of the
view and changing moods.


In places the road is very close to the train tracks...
Not much road traffic is there!
Only 27% of New Zealand's population live in the south Island.


It's lush and green... Nearly Christmas and the snow
is still around. The Rainbow ski field is up there somewhere.


The gorse changes to wild lupin...
 They are actually a noxious weed but very beautiful.



Then further north the Lake Grassmere Salt Works
where 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes of salt are harvested each year.


As the process happens the water changes from blue...


To a muddy looking grey...


The area all around looks arid... And salty!


The water evaporates...



Turns pink...

 
 And is processed into huge piles of salt.


The last carriage on the train is an outdoor viewing area.


I went out there as we passed through the  many hectares of
Marlborough vineyards.


The track and vineyards stretching out behind...


Marlborough has a hot dry climate, cold in the winter
which is perfect for producing award winning Savignon grapes.


Windmills are used in the winter to disturb the frosty air...
So the next seasons grapes are not ruined.


The train rounds the bend through the dry Marlborough hills...


And more or less on time...
We arrive in Picton.