Took us a while to get out of the Woodlyn Park this morning. Ruby had been up most of the night with an ear infection and thereore so had I. Both feeling a little weary. Matthew downloaded some photos to give to Bary and that took a while too. The kids entertained themselves while the adults did the work. I think they struggle a bit with the fat that we are working as well as having fun.
We made it ti Taumaranui in time for a life saving coffee, twelve is too lat in the day to have the first coffee...it will e scheduled in at an earlier time for the rest of the journey. We looked at getting mobile broadband, no place to get it in Taurmaranui. Ite's too hard to habe to stopat internet cafe along the way to upload this blog and check the email etc. Will have to wait to New Plymouth.
Anyway job done and off to the Blue Duck Station. It takes a while to get there over some gravel near the end and somemulti coloured bridges later we pulled in to the cafe. You wouldn't think that you could find a decent cafe in such an isolated place but we did. The cafe is but a small part of what is going on here. Dan Steele is the man who has the passion and the vision that has created a little piece of paradise. In some ways created, in other ways allowed nature to recreate what was here before man made his mark. Dan is mad keen on the Whio or Blue Duck. He has made it his mission to recreate their habitat and eradicate the predators who are cutting down their numbers os that now there are only 600 breeding pairs left in New Zealand. We me Eco Warriors who work for food and accommodation. They check traps, assist with docking sheep, make coffee, whatever is required.
So here we are on the edge of Taranaki and King Country at the gateway to the National Park. We arrive tired and a little 'windy road wobbly' to a great reception. Food, and coffee, puppies and a baby goat alonside a bird who stunned itself flying into a cafe window. The Irish couple behind the counter multi task in their job description, in an afternoon I saw Irish, organise a digger rescue, cook for guests and take out a hunting mission.
With the weather looking didgy for tomorrow we decided to take up the offer of looking around the station this afternoo. I had no idea what was coming. We got into a Polaris (sp) which is like an over done 4wd golf cart. Ruby in the front with Dan, Matthew and I in the middle and the boys standing at the bavk with about 5 of the 12 or so dogs that were keen to come. We Blasted on farm tracks, past buildings that had been abandoned along with the farms that were given to returned service men as reward. Not much reward for farming as most of the land is vertical and coveredin bush. Saw some bee hives located among the Manuka, these supply the budding Blue Duck honey business.
Things were hot and dusty and we ended up standing at the top of a waterfall that went down to a waterhole at the bottom. Mika had designs on diving off , which Dan agreed to as long as Mika went with a snorkel and cleared the whole water hole first. Plan B was to walk down to the bottom which we did. On arrival we found kayaks awaiting and the kids were off. Ruby made a grown up friend called Sophie and they went paddling together. We got some great photos which we will upload at some point. I was in yet another Moa dress and had an intense desire to swim. So I whipped it off, (slip underneathe) and jumped in...Bliss Then Matthew and I got a go on the kayaks and went through an area of high rock carved out by the river. Magic.
We never managed to catch sight of a Blue Duck but learned an awful lot about them and the history of the area. Kids are better off here then in school. The look of joy on their faces as we blasted around and the sound of laughter as the farm dogs took the wrong turn and had to catch up, was one of the things this journey is about, giving the kids the experience of a life time. The Blue Duck Cafe is officially very high up on the list as a favourite in The Search for the Great New Zealand Cafe.
so
No comments:
Post a Comment