After a quick overnight stay in downtown Wellington we boarded one of the Interislander ferries for a three hour ferry ride for the North Island to the South Island. The passage has been hailed as one of the best ferry trips in the world. Boarding the vessel is more like boarding a cruise ship then what most would think of when you say you are going on a ferry ride. Holding up to 940 passengers across the 10 decks the vessel offers a number of lounges and bars and open air viewing from the top deck through out the three hour ferry ride we had some of the most amazing views of the shoreline of both the north and south islands. As we entered the passages into the south island I couldn’t help but think about the wreck we would be diving the very next day that passed through these very same waters before coming to her final resting place at the bottom of port gore.
Docking in the small town of piton we meet up with our driver and guide for the next four days. Before heading to the lermintrov lodge we spent a couple hours exploring picton and enjoyed a nice lunch on the waterfront. The town of picton is very much one of the main entry points for the southern island and is filled with backpackers preparing for a trek on the Queen Charlotte Trek. I could not help thinking back to my adventure on the Appalachian trail and remembering the excitement I felt as I prepared for my departure on the trail and image that those who where about to start this trek shared that same feeling of excitement. Perhaps one day I will return here and walk in there footsteps adding another long distance trail to the conquest of my pack and trekking poles.
After a stop at the grocery store or dairy as it is known locally we loaded up in the van and headed out for our next stage in the adventure. The three hour drive to the lodge is extremely scenic and as you get further and further along you can’t help be notice how truly disconnected from the world you are. The last bit of the drive is along a gravel road with hear cliff drops on either side that or most Americans would truly test your confidence in your driving ability, one lapse of attention and it’s along way down with your only barrier between you and the ocean below being the massive trees that reach up for the sky.
As we neared our final destination the trees gave way to grass covered hills speckled with sheep and lambs. The hill sides carved out with countless paths from the grazing sheep and cattle. Making our final approach the lodge could be seen sitting alone in the bay with nothing around except more sheep. When our drive finally came to n end I must admit I was extremely impressed by our accommodations for the next four nights. I had expected something more similar to past lodges I had stayed in. Although the rooms may be bunk style, and the lodge lacks any form of connection to the outside world the majority of the creature comforts of home are still present. Most impressive was the presence of a shower that actually provided a steady stream of hot water.
Once we had gotten a chance to settle in our hosts provided us with a great welcoming dinner, and gave use the run down of general day to day operations for the duration of our stay. I turned in early and feel asleep quickly dreaming of what awaited us tomorrow when we descended on one of the largest natural wrecks in the world.
