Position 41 17.325S  174 00.905E

So after looking at French Pass it was off to Picton.  Talk about a wiggly windy road.  Feel quite sick. Another beautiful day though, so some great views.  You can just make out the road wiggling around the hill top.  Not sure what this shed was for, tried to open it, as you do.

Picnic spot, not sure whom for, but what a view.

Great tidal flats.

This is Polarus Bridge, about 18km west of a town called Havelock.  Pelorus Bridge is surrounded by a scenic reserve of river-flat forest that managed to escape the loggers chainsaw because it was originally designated to become a ton.  When that didn’t happen a lot of land had been logged and people realised what they had in this small chunk of forest.  Scenes form the hobbit where filmed here, but we couldn’t find the X marks the spot, although Paul thought he might have found it.

The bridge itself is mostly wood and it does vibrate something terrible.  You can swim in the natural pools of the river here.

No idea what this plant is, but it’s pretty.

Passed through a town called Havelock where we stopped for about 10 mins and no more need be said other than saw a log barge being unloaded!  Paul has the 100 odd photo’s to prove it.

Paul decided to drive the Queen Charlotte scenic drive route between Havelock and Picton.  Cullen Point lookout – looking out across Pelorus Sound, you can see the mudflats at the bottom. 

Lots of bends later but some great views of Grove Arm, which leads into Queen Charlotte Sound.  The entre coastline around here is made up of numerous little coves.  Some boats!

The interislander that goes from Picton to Wellington, making its way up Queen Charlotte Sound.  We found out later that there had been moves to site the ferry elsewhere but recent earthquakes had damaged their new site so it remains in Picton.  Lots of happy Pictonese!

This is Wainahara Wharf a hhuge logging yard just outside Picton.  The interesting thing here is, NO not the wood but the fence to the right of the logging area. The fence is a predator exclusion one.  The tiny headland of about 50 hectares has been made a nature reserve