Leaving Balmoral we head to Waiau to travel the inland route to Kaikoura. The pass through to Kaikoura was windy, hilly still showing signs of damage from the Kaikoura earthquake of 2016. Overall a pleasant trip through the gorge and one of the many routes we had not taken until now. Arriving at Kaikoura it was warm and we spent two lovely days walking the town looking at the galleries before deciding it was time to move on. While at the NZMCA park we met John and Barbara Kerse, a lovely couple from Rangiora and now keep in touch with them via social media. Looking ast the weather patterns Shane thinks its best to head to Canvastown a lovely little POP 10 km past Havelock…. Jude was so happy that she had something to chew me out on… it absolutely bucketed down…. wrong call Shane! (Jude never let up that it was my fault). The rain was so heavy that the Wakamarina River which normally flows low and slow was a raging torrent that carried forestry slash down and into the Pelorus Sound, as the publican of the Trout Hotel said he’d hate to have a boat on the sounds for a few weeks in case you hit one of the many logs. During the short time there we tried to catch up with Phil and Julia Robertson but unfortunately the road was closed by a slip. I like Canvastown and although the weather didn’t play ball It was amazing to see the way the river rose and spilt its banks only metres from where we were parked. No sooner had the flooding come then it was gone and so were we. It was then off to Motueka NZMCA park where we spent eight days riding our bikes regularly to Rewaka for our daily coffee fix.
