Pancake Rocks & Blow Holes

W nocy tez padalo wiec rano zwijalismy mokry namiot. Paulina troche spuchla po ugryzieniach wiec pojechalismy do apteki kupic jakas masc na ukaszenia owadow i offa przeciw komarom. Dzisaj musielismy dojechac do Punakaiki (jakies 150 km po kretych drogach), miejscowosci na zachodnim wybrzezu, zeby zobaczyc Pancake Rocks i Blow Holes (skaly ktore wygladaja jakby nalesniki byly poukladane jeden na drugim i dziury w skalach wydrazone przez fale morza Tasmanskiego). Pogode mielismy dosc dobra, swiecilo slonce, ale wial dosc silny wiatr od morza, przez co w powietrzu unosila sie mgielka, ktora otulala pobliskie gory i w ktorej zanikal horyzont (dawalo to bardzo fajny, mistyczny efekt). Wayne podpowiedzial nam ze najlepiej byc tu w czaise przyplywu kiedy fale sa najwieksze. I tak tez sie nam udalo tu dotrzeć. Miejsce jest przepiekne. Przez te klify prowadzi sciezka na ktorej sa miejsca widokowe na rozne miejsca i efekty. W jedny fale uderzajac w klify rozpryskiwaly sie w gore na ponad 10 metrow, dalej fale rozbijajac sie o klify pryskaly mgielka przez waskie wciecia w skale. Dalej byla dziura zarosnieta krzakami o nazwie Sudden Sound (Nagly dzwiek). Jak jakas wieksza fala wdzierala sie w zakamarki klifu, bylo przez nia slychac glosny ryk. Spedzilismy tu niecala godzine co nie zostawilo nam duzo czasu na obiad i szukanie miejsca na nocleg. Postanowilismy najpierw zjesc, a potem rozejrzec sie gdzie bedziemy mogli sie rozbic. Jadac droga znalezlismy miejsce z dwoma betonowymi lawami. Tutaj ugotowalismy sobie obiad. Jednak za nim to zrobilismy zeszlismy na plaze ogladac zachod slonca. Andrzej zaczal robic zdjecia zachodu i zapelnil cala karte i wyczerpal baterie, a do nastepnego noclegu z pradem mamy jeszcze tydzien, wiec trzeba bedzie teraz oszczedzac baterie do aparatu. Po zachodzie zaczelismy gotowac obiad. Andrzej rozejrzal sie po okolicy w poszukiwaniu miejsca na rozbicie namiotu, ale wszedzie ziemia byla tak twarda ze nie dalo sie wbic szpilek od namiotu. Wiec przed nami rozposcierala sie wizja szukania po ciemku innego miejsca, a w ostatecznosci spanie w samochodzie co wiazalo sie z bolem krzyza nad ranem. Jak juz sie nam ugotowal ryz, niedaleko nas zaparkowal terenowy samochod i wyszedl jakies starszy koles z broda, w dlugich wlosach i z butelka czerwonego wina, niewyraznie mowiac spytal sie czy moze sie przysiasc. W glowach zapalila nam sie lampka awaryjna, ale sie zgodzilismy na towarzystwo. I tak zaczelismy z facetem rozmawiac i jesc obiad (Paulina zaoferowala poczestunek wysmienitym ryzem z sosem ze sloika, ale pan odmowil). Od slowa do slowa okazalo sie ze facet mial wylew kilka lat temu (dlatego niewyraznie mowil) a wieczorne wyjazdy z butelka wina nad brzeg morza to mala tradycja. Powiedzielismy mu ze szukamy miejsca na rozbicie namiotu. On zaoferowal nam podloge w jego pracowni (jest stolarzem i robi bardzo ladne meble na zamowienie). My oczywiscie nie odmowilismy. Poprostu facet spadl nam z nieba. Jak zjedlismy obiad, zapakowalismy sie i pojechalismy za jego samochodem. Jak dojechalismy do pracowni dal nam klucz i powiedzial ze rano mamy go zostawic w drzwiach. Na odchodne spytal sie czy mamy ochote na kawe. Odpowiedzielismy ze na kawe tak pozno to nie (bylo po 21), ale na herbate z przyjemnoscia. Wiec pojechalismy za nim kawalek dalej do jego domu. Tam przywitala nas Reda (facet mial na imie Ross), jego partnerka i pies. Niesmialo weszlismy do kuchni i usiedlismy przy stole. Przy herbacie i rozmowach zeszlo nam do pierwszej w nocy. Tak sie rozkrecilismy, ze pokazalismy im tez nasze zdjecia i opowiedzielismy o naszych planach, Ross oprowadzil Pauline po chatce. Potem pokazal nam jakis album o maorysach w ktorym byl jego pradziadek, wiec wyszlo na to ze Ross z pochodzenia jest Maorysem. Jak juz zbieralismy sie spac, Reda nalegala zebysmy spali na wolnym lozku w jej pracowni (ona projektuje nadruki na koszulki z motywami nowozelandzkimi, bizuterie i inne pierdoly), a nie jechali spac na podlodze w pracowni Rossa, co szczerze mowiac bardzo nas ucieszylo. Posciel byla świeża i pachnaca, a lozko bardzo wygodne, po prostu jak w raju. Rano wzielismy prysznic (dla odmiany goracy), zjedlismy sniadanko i wypilismy najlepsza kawe w zyciu (byla rewelacyjna). W czasie porannych rozmow, okazalo sie ze Reda urodzila sie w Otago (srodkowo-poludniowa czesc poludniowej wyspy, gdzie mielismy zamiar pojechac), wiec dali nam wskazowki jakie miejsca warto zobaczyc. Calym tym spotkaniem bylismy bardzo zauroczeni,i zaskoczeni, a usmiech nam nie schodzil caly dzien. To nieoczekiwane spotkanie zostanie nam na dlugo w pamieci i mamy nadzieje ze pozostaniemy w kontakcie.


During the night it started to rain again, so we had to put down wet tent. Places were Paulina was bitten by the sandflies have swollen a bit, so we went to pharmacy to get some cream and insect repellent. Today we had to drive to Punakaiki (about 150 km thorough winding roads), [lace on the west coast were we wanted to see blow holes and Pancake Rocks (holes blown in rock by big waves and rocks which look like stacked pancakes). The weather was quite good. It was sunny but there was strong wind from the sea so there was thin mist in the air which was wrapping surrounding mountains with a soft blanket and horizon was disappearing behind it. It looked quite magical. Wayne gave us a tip to be in Punakaiki at high tide as the waves were then the biggest. And guided by that suggestion we got there around 8pm (perfect timing). Whole place is not big but it is very beautiful. There is a walking path around the cliffs which we followed. On the way we passed different lookout point where you could see different views and way that waves splashed on the cliffs. In one place when the waves were hitting the cliffs they were splashing water over 10 meter high. On the other spot when waves were splashing on the cliffs they sprayed a mist in the air through narrow channels in the rocks. Another place was called Sudden Sound. It was a big hole in the ground surrounded by the bush. Here when a big wave was progressing through narrow channels in the cliff you could hear loud noise. We spend there about an hour what didn’t left us much time to cook dinner and find place to camp. When we drove off that place we found nice spot with two concrete benches so we decided that we will cook dinner here and look for camping place afterwards. In the worst case scenario we could sleep in the car. Sunset by the sea was so beautiful that we decided to watch it first. Andrzej started taking photos and shortly he filled whole memory card and managed to empty the camera battery (we had another week to go before next accommodation with electricity). After the sunset we started cooking our dinner. In the meantime Andrzej Had a wee look around to check if we could camp somewhere near, but the ground was so tough that we couldn’t pitch our tent. So the prospect of sleeping in the car was becoming quite real. When we started eating, some 4x4 pulled over and parked next to us. Some older guy, with a long hair, beard and bottle of wine in one hand made his way to us and asked if he could join us. He didn’t speak very clearly so we first thought that he is a bit tipsy already. But us we started talking it turned out that he had a stroke few years back, hence his way of speaking. Paulina offered him some of our delicious rice with tomato sauce but he said that he had his dinner already. We mentioned to him that we are looking for a place to camp overnight and he offered us a floor in his workshop (he is making some furniture). Naturally we were very happy with the offer and accepted it without hesitation. After we finished our dinner we jumped to our car and followed him to the workshop. He showed us around (the furniture in there were really nice) and said that in the morning we can just leave to key in the door. Before he left he offered as cup of coffee in his place. We said that it was a bit late for the coffee for us but we would love cup of tea. So we followed him to his house. When we got there we were welcomed by his partner Reda (his name was Ross) and their dog. We made our way to kitchen were we spend good few hour chatting away. We showed them our photos and told about our plans and Ross showed Paulina around their place. Then Ross showed us some album with photos of Maori people. On one of them there was Ross’s grandfather. It was small house but it had a spirit. Around 1am Reda said that there was no way that at that time of night we will go back to Ross’s workshop and that we can stay on a spare bed in her workshop next door (at the moment she was designing some T-shirt motives with New Zealand themes). Bed was really comfy and bedding was fresh (nice change :). In the morning we had very refreshing shower and had breakfast and the best coffee ever!!! During our morning conversation it turned out that Reda comes from Otago (middle-south part of the south island) and she gave us some tips where to go.
We were really surprised with that unexpected meeting. We really enjoyed our time with Reda and Ross. We will keep it in our memories for long time and we hope to stay in touch. It was hard to say goodbye to them and we had smiles on our faces for the whole day.

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