NZ 16 South - Greymouth to Motueka

Wed. Feb. 14th, 2007: Greymouth-Punakaiki-Foulwind-Westport-St.Arnaud-Motueka
We left early at 7h15 from Revington Hotel (where Queen Elisabeth was staying, too) in direction North on Highway 6 along a wonderful coast (photo-stops) to PUNAKAIKI, stopping short before at the PANCAKE ROCKS and blow-wholes. After visiting an old wooden bridge at Charleston, despite traffic warnings, we did not see (blue) penguins near the coast, but we were more successful at Cape FOULWIND, where we had a small walk (20 mins) to see the SEAL COLONY, which was due to stay only to end of January, but this year were waiting for us... Then we took a takeaway lunch at WESTPORT - nice little town, and followed the river BULLER upwards through its gorge (very scenic!!), seeing traces of the Earthquake Slip (1929), and walked at SULLIVANS BRIDGE over the longest swinging bridge (and followed a walking track round an old gold mine there). At Kawatiri we left HW 6 to St. ARNAUD at the ROTOITI lake (somehow reminded us to the Achensee at Tirol, but: no people there and much nice nature). There we were caught by rain, so we left off via a scenic route north to MOTUEKA where we had booked before at Holiday Park and ended the very busy day with an excellent meal at a Thai-restaurant at Motueka.