Our first night in Puff was spent at the DOC site at Rarangi, so from Nelson we drove the beautiful road to Blenheim and then up the east coast which took us back past the same point. From the lookout above the beach, you get this amazing view south to the White Bluffs about 12 miles away.
The beach is fed with shingle from the river the far side of the Bluffs and is growing at the amazing rate of about 1m a year, which is a phenomonal amount of materiel. Turning north, you clearly see the North Island.
We then drove the back road that hugs the coast through Port Underwood (a major site of coastal whaling in the nineteenth century) up to Picton, a slow, winding and lovely road with astonishing views across the Sounds. Here we met up with Millie, and then had another lovely meal out with her, Helen and Mary. Great fun.
On Saturday morning, in the pouring rain, we visited the fascinating vessel Edwin Fox, a wooden ship that is preserved with her own museum on Picton Quay. She is the ninth oldest ship in the world (though she was only built in 1853, so we wondered about that). She has several unique claims to fame, having carried troops to the Crimea, convicts to Australia and settlers to New Zealand.
We then bid a final farewell to Puff, who now has new adventures ahead of her with Millie, and took the ferry back to Wellington.