2020- YIKES!

Timaruvian Robert (Ruby Bob) Fitzsimmons (the first fighter to win world crowns in three weight classes) battles COVD-19

What dreadful times! No one knew when 2020 started that in a few months we would be facing:

1) The worst pandemic since 1918;

2) The worst economic situation since 1929;

3) The worst racial strife since 1968;

4) The worst US leadership perhaps ever, and;

5) No clear end in sight.

My last blog-posting was a little over two months ago, April 24th. Since then New Zealand has continued to be a bellwether to the world as a small island nation fighting the virus. To review, when I last wrote we were still in Level 4 shutdown, 1461 total cases, 343 active cases, 18 deaths, and 7 in the hospital. Currently, we have been in Level 1 since June 9 with no restrictions on activities or travel domestically and only four more people have died of COVID-19 in the interim. 

In the last week the only 20 known active cases in the country have been detected, one of whom is in the hospital. All of the current cases are new arrivals from other virus-rich countries, and some of their tales have revealed distressing breaches of protocols designed to screen, isolate, and test them prior to release in the community. Fortunately, there has been NO community spread so far.

The enemy

Despite the success here so far, no one on the planet is or will be unaffected. We would usually be Stateside now, visiting friends and family, taking care of our American affairs, and attending a Continuing Medical Education course. My planned trip to Boston was cancelled, but I did stream and participate in UCSF's annual Advances in Internal Medicine. One of the lectures gave me a wee bit of optimism along the COVID vaccine front.
Niece Emily postponed her May wedding in San Diego until (hopefully) Halloween, and old friends Connie and Lisa had a Zoom wedding we "attended" this month. Mazel Tov!!

Part of the international Zoom wedding crowd

I believe I have not been with my daughter Sofia on her birthday only once before, and this was a big one, her 30th. I did not expect how old it would make me feel, or how much I would miss being with her. She posted these photos of us the next day, Fathers' Day. How I love it when she smiles!

Happy Birthday 🎂 to my Princess!

We find ourselves with two scheduled months off work and in New Zealand with international travel not wise. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is strongly encouraging domestic tourism to help give some relief to all the Kiwi tourism industry severely impacted by the lack of business, and we took her up on that. What follows is a report of our two week jaunt to the southern part of the South Island. I will try to keep my commentary pithy and let photos mostly tell the tale.

Karitane

Just north of Dunedin you can take a slight detour on the coast to visit historic and scenic Karitane. There is the site of Huriawa Pa, a fortified Maori stronghold on a thin peninsula at the mouth of the Waikouaiti River. In the 1830's Europeans started whaling stations and farm lands.

Looking north you can see the middle thin strip of land where the pa was.

The Pinnacles on Huriawa Peninsula

It was near here that doctor Sir Truby King developed his advanced ideas about infant nutrition and care and established the Plunket Society, a revered NZ institution. In the early 20th century with the patronage of Lady Victoria Plunket, they set up a charitable trust to look after the health and welfare of all children 0-5 years old, free of charge, which carries on to this day.

Dunedin and Port Chalmers

Of course we have visited the university town Dunedin many times, so I won't go into any detail now, but the weather was sunny and clear. Here is a collage of many of the distinctive older buildings.

We discovered a new favorite spot for dim sum, Papa Chou's Yum Cha. The couple at the next table let me take a photo of this adorable hedgehog-inspired bun.

We took a drive out Otago Harbour to Port Chalmers, the main deep-water port for cruise and container ships. The collection of heritage buildings helps it maintain a timeless feel. If you find yourself there at some point, I recommend:

1. The Maritime Museum
2. The Lookout from Flagstaff Hill
3. Next to that, famed local artist Ralph Hotere's sculpture garden
4. On the hill behind the city is a memorial to Captain Robert Falcon Scott, whose ill-fated 1910 Antarctic exploration left from this port.

Captain Scott Memorial

Atop Flagstaff Hill

The Catlins

Southward from Dunedin, we followed the Southern Scenic Route which runs in a "U"-shape down the Catlins on the east coast, through Invercargill at the south, and up through Fiordland and Queenstown. We drove this once before in 2010 and were overdue for a more leisurely revisit. The Catlins takes its name from a mostly forgotten sea captain and settler, and is renowned for the scenic beauty, temperate rainforest, beaches, wildlife, and waterfalls.

McLean Falls

Matai Falls

Horseshoe Falls

Tautuku Estuary Boardwalk

As you might expect there are many rewarding short and long walks.

Lake Wilkie

Tautuku Beach

Also Tautuku Beach

The most unique area in the Catlins is a small stretch of coast comprising two small bays separated by a spar of land. On the northern/left side is Porpoise Bay, a misnamed inlet where avid surfers can frolic with a small permanent pod of endemic Hector's dolphins. We spied the former but not the latter during our visit.
 
Curio Bay is to the southern/right side, a rocky shore which closer inspection reveals a forest of ancient fallen petrified trees.

A petrified tree trunk

The southernmost place of the South Island is Slope Point, which is slightly closer to the South Pole than the Equator.

Slope Point meets the sea

Waipapa Point is the extreme southwestern end of the Catlins, part of a hazardous and windy coastline and the site of a tragic deadly shipwreck in 1881 which cost 131 lives. This led to construction of the lighthouse in 1884.

(Definitely not thinking of the shipwreck at this time)

What wind does to trees

Alas, some attractions were closed for the season, particularly the Lost Gypsy Gallery in Papatowai. This 2017 travel article described a place housing:

... quirky automata, wind-up and water-driven gadgets and gizmos that he has cleverly made from found objects — shells, toys, coins, wood, watches, wire — each guaranteed to make you smile with delight. Where else could you find a bicycle-powered television, or turn a wheel to make a corrugated iron whale go through its swimming motions?

Next time maybe?
When you do go I recommend a stay at the Whistling Frog Resort. We had a very comfortable two night stay, and were delighted to be invited for coffee the morning we left by the very amiable owners, Paul and Lynne Bridson.

Paul & Lynne flanked by two other guests, Joan & John

Gore

Head inland northwest from Waipapa Point and you will be in Gore, the western end of the Clinton to Gore segment of Hwy 1.We had driven through very briefly twice before and it seemed worth a bit more time.

In front of the iconic Gore brown trout sign

The Southland appears to have suffered some economic setbacks the last few years aggravated by the pandemic and challenges of meeting modern earthquake standards, so I may have overestimated its current appeal as a tourist mecca. Many sites deemed worth a visit are either "temporarily" or "indefinitely" closed, such as the Hokonui Moonshine Museum and the Eastern Southland Art Gallery. The 2020 Gold Guitar Awards for country music had to be canceled.

Gore claims to be New Zealand's Capital of Country Music and the Brown Trout Capital of the World. Fly fishing for the introduced fish is said to be excellent. The Mataura River cleaves the town and periodically floods as it did in February of this year.

The Mighty Mataura

You will see a heritage-protected industrial building where was once milled Creamoata, no longer produced. It was a Kiwi favourite hot oat cereal for most of the 20th century. The popular advertising mascot, Sergeant Dan, is featured on the exterior, and if you are really interested the local museum has what is said to be the definitive Sergeant Dan exhibition.

For completeness sake, attention must also be paid to the Giant Romney Sheep statue, the obligatory cenotaph, and the chiming clock tower.

Ten minutes north of Gore you will find the Croyden Aviation Heritage Centre. This is part museum, part vintage aircraft restoration facility. If you have the credentials and the interest, you can fly a Tiger Moth biplane.

Bluff

Highway One runs the length of the country and ends in the small port Bluff.

Panoramic view of the Foveaux Strait from Bluff Hill

Bluff is most famous for three things:
1) A large aluminum smelting plant (bauxite ore from Australia, electrical power from the Manapouri Power Station in Fiordland National Park, with most of the final product sold to Japan).
2) The jumping off point for ferries across the strait to Rakiura/Stewart Island.
3) Bluff oysters, considered a national delicacy.
Maori legend has it that the South Island is an overturned canoe (waka) of the gods and Rakiura is its anchor stone. This story is the inspiration for a large chain sculpture called Te Puka a Maui, the "waka-side" of which is at the end of the road in Bluff and the "anchor-side" across the strait on Rakiura/Stewart Island.

Te Puka a Maui

Bluff's famous signpost

My oyster lunch...

...at the Oyster Cove restaurant.

I awoke the next morning to the realization that the Oyster Cove was the very place that on March 21 a wedding party led to the largest cluster of COVID cases to date in NZ: 98 people infected (but NONE of the staff). Everything went well and I would eat there again, so not to worry.

Invercargill

Since our visit in 2010, Invercargill has morphed into a destination for all true motor-heads. The roots were laid by Southland's favorite son Burt Munro, brought to international fame with the biopic The World's Fastest Indian, the 2005 film starring Anthony Hopkins. Although he died in in 1978, his speed record for riding a modified Indian motorcycle still stands. The original 1920 Indian Scout is found at E. Hayes and Sons Hardware, which is part museum, part hardware/general store. It is worth visiting on its own and I would be surprised if you didn't see something you didn't even know you had to have.

The original bike

Replica aerodynamic shell made for the movie; the original shell said to be in the USA

 

Since 2010 Invercargill has added two major automotive attractions. The Classic Motorcycle Mecca has the largest collection of motorcycles in the country with models from 1902 to the present.

The Mighty Atom (1921), a unique Kiwi home-build

Although extensive, this collection is modest in comparison with its big brother, Bill Richardson Transport World. Encompassing 160,000 sq. ft., the experience is in a word: stupefying! Mr. Richardson was clearly very successful in the transportation business and had a child's passion for trucks, and a very tolerant wife. He loved and collected vehicles of all kinds as well as gas pumps, signage, and all sorts of motor-related paraphernalia. The family opened Transport World after his death to carry on. Be prepared to spend most of a whole day there.

A rare and strangely beautiful 1940 Dodge RX70 Airflow truck

In addition to all sorts of trucks, he collected early Ford Letter cars, VW bugs and Kombi vans (campers), and even included a small collection of cricket memorabilia, as well as wearable art.

An outfit made of balloons: Ballunacy

My favorite memory from visiting Invercargill in 2010 was a visit to the Southland Museum and Art Gallery especially to visit the tuataras, unique Kiwi relatives of the dinosaurs. However, the museum has been closed for several years due to financial difficulties, earthquake concerns, and political squabbles. There are also many older buildings in town either being demolished or encased in scaffolding for repairs. Despite this, below is a collection of other sights that caught my eye.

Center: Water Tower. Clockwise from the left upper corner: The world's southernmost Starbucks, First Presbyterian Church, cenotaph, Town Hall & Theatre, Oreti Beach, clock tower

I must also mention the Queens Park Stumpery. Local sculptor Frank Wells designed this homage to mid-19th century Victorian England "horticultural oddities and follies", wherein slowly decaying discarded wood stumps and limbs are artfully arranged. Who knew?

Image taken from Invercargill City Council information

 Southern Scenic Route, Western Arm

After four nights in Invercargill, it was back on the road. 40 minutes later we were in Riverton, one of European New Zealanders oldest settlements. We are welcomed by the giant paua (abalone) shell.
 
Two rivers converge to form the James River Estuary which leads to a sheltered fishing harbor and out to the Foveaux Strait. Unfortunately the highly-regarded Te Hikoi Museum had not re-opened post-COVID restrictions.

The James River Estuary

 In addition to fishing, Riverton is popular with surfers. We don't surf but did enjoy the scenic beauty.

Continuing on, we took time for a short detour to see and picnic by the Clifden Suspension Bridge. Spanning the Waiau River and opened in 1899, it is the country's longest wooden suspension bridge. It has been pedestrian-only since 1978.

Te Anau

The Gateway to Fiordland National Park, we have been to and through Te Anau several times. We were aware of the story of the takahē, the rare indigenous flightless bird thought to be extinct for 50 years until 1948 when a meticulous search by Geoffrey Orbell a Southland physician found three in the nearby mountains. Since then, a dedicated preservation effort has managed to slowly build the population of the endangered species to >400 and growing. A bird sanctuary here has several takahē in residence. 

Tumbles, a male takahē

The view over Lake Te Anau to Fiordland and the Southern Alps

The hub of many tourist activities in normal times, the local economy is now suffering. With winter setting in, I thought we would take a chance of a mini-van day trip to Milford Sound. Passing up an opportunity to visit this World heritage Site would be like skipping a chance to re-visit Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, especially with the normal tourist flow down to a trickle. The weather was spectacular and the local driver/guide was a real bonus. I'll just let the photos speak for themselves.

 New Zealand fur seal enjoying a rest

Queenstown & Wanaka

Our final leg of the Southern Scenic Route is from Te Anau to Queenstown. I was particularly curious about Queenstown as it is usually chock-a-block with tourists from around the world, so it was strange to find it not quite ghost town but very unbusy as this photo illustrates.

If you find yourself in Queenstown on a Wednesday night, I can recommend popping into the Surreal Bar and Restaurant for a good meal and a lively pub quiz.







From Q-town, we ventured on to the even more peaceful Wanaka where we had a lake view room at the Edgewater.

The view from our room

We spent two days walking around the lake, watching movies in a local cinema, and eating (of course), a perfect way to end this 13 day jaunt before returning to Timaru.

And finally few odds and ends for those that have made it this far.

My biggest challenge as a very primitive amateur photographer in capturing birds I see. They often move very quickly, and I am not going to invest the time and money serious photography would take. Caged birds may sing but don't move so much, however the prison bars can be a problem. Also, identifying the birds with certainty can be a challenge. This collage is my best recent efforts.

Center: Variable oystercatcher. Clockwise from upper left corner: Kaka, Takahe, kakariki, reef heron, Canadian geese, and Australasian gannet?)

Late Bonus: Pied Shags near Timaru

Also, Timaru made the national news yesterday because a sperm whale was stranded in Caroline Bay in the center of town. Local rescuers helped free him (there are mostly juvenile sperm whales around NZ), and all hope he will survive.