The Storm Coast and Pencarrow Station: Part 2

Rough weather has closed today’s port of call, and so you have the second part of yesterday’s adventure - appropriately, the Storm Coast itself. I just love the starkness of this wind-blasted coast strewn with grey-bleached driftwood, the dark clouds enhancing the bleakness, moments of sunlight catching the lighthouse or marine vegetation to provide only occasional contrasts. Along the coast are memorials to disasters - the Interisland ferry Wahine which sank in 1964 with the loss of 53 lives, and the rusted remains of the Paiaka which sank in 1906 and has been recovered as a memorial to all the lives lost in shipwrecks along this unforgiving coast. 

Not related to the photos, but what follows is an account of our day: 

Last night, the captain warned us that crossing the Cook Strait would be ‘rough to very rough’ with winds rising from force 7 to 8. At least he didn’t warn us to move everything from shelves and make sure everything was fixed securely as we were told one day when crossing the Drake Passage - some consolation at least. Nonetheless, we sailed out across Wellington Harbour with some trepidation, expecting heavy swells as soon as we were beyond its relative shelter. 

Just as we were about to do just that, the ship suddenly appeared to perform a drastic turn, listing heavily to one side. The sound of crashing  plates and glasses soon followed, accompanied by the dismayed shouts of crew. We wondered whether there had been a change of plan and we were heading back to port, but it seems the manoeuvre was to enable the pilot to rejoin the pilot boat. Up on deck, the swimming pool had overflowed to drench those eating at the restaurant there, and throughout the ship, there were similar stories of a few chaotic moments. 

This morning, having spent a relatively comfortable night, we wake early to disembark at Picton, only to discover that we’re nowhere near land. Due to high winds and rough seas, Picton is effectively closed, and the ship is unable to return to Wellington as the berth is taken by another ship. So instead, the captain tells us, we will spend the day ‘cruising in the Cook Strait’ - we just hope the seas are kind to us! 

As it happens, it’s not too bad, and warm sunshine makes for a relaxing day of reading and photo editing  to end the year. We’re lucky - we can visit this area later in our trip - though now I’ve made the mistake of researching rough crossings between the two islands, I’m just hoping for a calm passage when we return!