Post 36 – SOUTH ISLAND TRAVELS, 2026 [Week 3 – Sunday 11th to Saturday 17th January]

I spent Sunday 11^th January at Sumner Beach where strong winds were whipping up a sandstorm on the foreshore Esplanade as I passed the iconic Cave Rock at the entrance to the village. So I drove down to Scarborough Park —–

—– at the sheltered end of the beach —–

—– which was packed with families ——-

—– enjoying the surf —–

—– and the water playground.

On Monday 12^th I revisited and walked the trail around the —–

—– Otukaikino Wetland near Kaiapoi, designated as a Living Memorial.

The Department of Conservation together with funeral directors Lamb and Hayward are restoring the wetland by planting trees to commemorate the loss of loved ones. Annually a memorial service is held at the wetland to honour the memory of those who have passed during the year

Although rare birds such as the spotless crake and the Australian Bittern have been seen at the wetland, the only birds I saw were —–

—– the NZ Scaup, or diving duck.

Late afternoon I drove out to ——-

—— Hororata, the base for —–

—— my Tuesday early morning adventure. Hororata is a one hour drive southwest from Christchurch into the Canterbury Plains.

Ballooning Canterbury has a NZMCA (NZ Motor Caravan Association) POP (Park Over Property) site in a field next to their HQ, so I settled in with the motorhome for an early night having to rise in time for a 5am check-in on Tuesday 13^th. With pilot Nick (who first flew balloon solo at age 12), ground crew member Dean, and 5 other expectant ballooners we headed off in the dark to the Glentunnel Domain towing the balloon package and the basket on a trailer behind the van.

Launching the balloon was a fascinating exercise, involving assistance from members of our party ——

—— who in the dawn light held the open end of the balloon while a blower forced cold air in to inflate it. The basket at this stage is lying on its side.

At the top end of the balloon Dean invited me to take a photo down through the inside —–

—– toward the opening through which air was being forced.

Once the inflation size had reached an appropriate level ——

—— the basket was stood on its base, passengers scrambled aboard, the —–

—– gas burners were activated,—–

—– and I waited expectantly for ——

—— liftoff as ground crew member, Dean, put the mooring ropes and blower away and got ready to follow our voyage from the road.

Afloat at 6am we were ready at 6.08 to view ——

—– the sunrise from 2,500 feet —–

—– when Nick, our pilot, —–

—–took time out to take a photo of each of us on our own camera.

The view to the southwest took in the cold air fog —–

—– nestling in a valley ——-

—— while directly west we looked back onto the foothills leading to the Southern Alps.

Heading slowly eastwards —–

—– the open country gradually morphed into —–

—– flat plains with —–

——- views of Coalgate farm-lets and their ——

—–animals, the cows looking up at us, but the sheep unconcerned.

As we passed over Coalgate Village we were able to see our shadow following us —–

—– over the sale yards.

Nick then increased our elevation with ——

—— short bursts from one of the burners ——

—– so we could look back on Coalgate.

On the south side of Coalgate we could see across the plains fields dotted with —– 

—– centre-pivot water irrigation systems which were in —–

—– full operation everywhere we looked.

We also passed over a barley crop ——

—– where Nick took us down low to skim along just above fence level —–

—— where we got a good view of an irrigator watering the pasture next to the grain crop.

After an hour afloat it was time to look for a landing place. Now we were in dairy farm country —–

—– with the cows looking inquisitively up at us.

As we climbed to look ahead for a cow-free paddock, I watched our shadow —–

—– “herding” this mob of cows.

Spotting a potential landing spot we dropped lower again and swept over the grass a metre or so above the ground. Nick had to take evasive action —–

—– to lift us over an oncoming irrigator ——

—— which I was able to look back on as we passed over.

Dean (in the van with trailer top right of this photo below) radioed Nick to confirm that the paddock behind —–

—– the stock yards on this farm was a good landing spot, ——-

—— so he carefully touched the ground with the basket gripping and sliding over the grass until we came to an upright stop – brilliant flying.

With the basket then set on its side —–

—– gradually the balloon began to deflate.

It was then all hands to work —–

—— letting the hot air out of the top of the balloon, —–

—– wrapping it up, —–

—– and packing it into its cover.

We then gathered around the hospitality table (bubbly, fruit juice, muffins and fruit) —–  

—– and with pilot Nick (on the right) celebrated a successful conclusion to this really great adventure.

So at 8.30 I was on my way back to Christchurch to spend some of the day sorting the 175 photos I took during this flight.

Wednesday 14^th January it rained all morning, so I stayed in camp for the day, taking some walking exercise around the Holiday Park when the rain cleared mid-afternoon. Thursday was wet all day with steady rain starting 7.00am – a day in-house working on route planning for the weeks ahead. Friday, with some drizzle in the morning and cloudy and cool the rest of the day, I spent on housework and laundry before heading to nearby Northlands Mall for lunch and shopping for supplies. With Wednesday to Friday being a “washout” I maybe will come back to Christchurch at some stage later in this trip.

Saturday 17^th was more rain as I headed north to Waipara to take the Weka Pass Railway trip on the Sunday morning.