Twin Waters Weblog
February 27 2010
Yesterday we went to Wharariki Beach agin with friends from Canada. I am always impressed with this beach - the relaxing walk across the farmland to reach the beach and the dramatic scenery when we get there... and of course the seals. We counted no fewer than 12 seal pups and several adults. The seals seem quite unafraid of humans and as long as people continue to respect them, there is no reason why this should not continue. I attach a photo Trish took of a couple of seal pups while we are visiting.
February 13 2010
Great news! Twin Waters Lodge had been awarded Qualmark Enviro Silver status in recognition of our attempts to run a sustainable business with a light footprint on the land. These awards are hard-won - you have to be recommended by an assessor to even apply for an enviro rating.
Today it is raining - quite heavily. Not good for tourists but very necessary as the ground had got very dried out, and stress on our plants has been compounded by high seas at the beginning of the month that dumped salt in the soil. The rain is washing away the salt, washing the dust off the plants and generally freshening ands greening everything. This will make for beautiful scenery when the rain goes away.
The scalloping season finishes tomorrow, so our seaward attention will turn to fishing. The brim (a type of snapper) and kahawai (a marine trout-like fish) are beckoning.
January 24 2010
I had expected to get an update much sooner, but was confronted with a computer meltdown over the New Year period. It has been a very busy season so far, with a relatively low number of advance bookings, but many late bookings and arrivals. We would advise prospective guests to book early, as we have had to turn quite a few away and decline late booking requests. After a rather windy and damp Xmas period, the weather has mostly been settled, with some glorious hot days. Scalloping has been good, with limit catches the norm and large shellfish. The snapper are also biting!
Our local resident white heron (see photos below) has been very much in evidence, having returned from the mating grounds earlier than most. Seal pups have been regularly seen at Wharariki Beach, and the scenery there is as glorious as ever. Lately we have seen and heard the young of Tuis, Bellbirds and California Quail. Of course the adults are very much in evidence as always.
November 13 2009
Twin Waters Lodge is now open for the 2009-2010 season. Spring is well advanced, and we have had some lovely sunny days. The scallop season is open and we have been out a couple of times and returned with limit catches of nice big juicy scallops. The local birdlife is abundant, with lots of tuis and bellbirds to be seen and heard, native pigeons to be seen, and the grey warbler during the day and the morepork at night to be heard but not seen. The shorebirds are here in abundance, too, although the kotuku (white herons) have recently departed for their breeding grounds at Okarito. The cabbage trees (Cordyline australis) are flowering abundantly. This is traditionally taken as the harbinger of a long hot summer. Below is a photo Trish took of a keruru (native pigeon) at the Lodge.
July 18 2009
Twin Waters Lodge is now closed for winter - re-opening in October. It has been really cold the last two weeks, with ice on the bird-bath one day last week. Cold nights are often followed by beautiful clear days. Today was such a day, and a chance to do some grounds maintenance at the Lodge. The views of the Arthur Range with snow on the tops is spectacular - they can be seen from the deck by the guest lounge, but a more spectacular view can be had by walking 2 minutes to the beach.
I will write again in October.
April 11 2009
Starting with best intentions, I seem to have lagged in keeping this up-to-date. March has been a surprise, with a much greater number of guests than previous years. The weather has been generally good, and the extended daylight saving time (which has just ended) has made for long pleasant evenings. Trish has recently been walking up on the hills across the inlet, and has taken some nice photos looking down on the Lodge:
The royal spoonbills have returned to the Collingwood estuary, with a flock of more than 20 there.
February 25 2009
Over the last two weeks we have had about 200 mm of rain. It can stop now! Fortunately, much of the rain has been in short intensive bursts, with many fine days between. The countryside is now green and lush.
Earlier this week, we drove down the Whanganui Inlet. The road begins at Pakawau, just a few km from Twin Waters, and winds down past the Inlet (New Zealand's second largest inlet, and a marine reserve), and thence to the West Coast. On the way, we stopped at The Nugget, a delightful little cafe on a hill beside the road at Maungarakau. It is open only at weekends during the summer. It is so nice to come across such a facility and have a good cup of coffee, literally in the middle of nowhere. Further down the road, and beyond a closed gate to keep sheep in, we came to the Anatori River, which we forded and then drove on to the end of the road at the next river. From the road we had views of the wild West Coast, and of Kahurangi Point with its lighthouse. It is possible to walk down the beach to Kahurangi Point - something for another day.
February 12 2009
At last, some rain! We have had 16 mm of rain overnight, so now the browned off landscape can revert to its usual green, and the water tanks will be topped up.
The white herons are back in numbers. I saw two in the Aorere estuary at Collingwood on the weekend, and another out at the West Coast yesterday. One of the ones in Collingwood was competing with two white-faced grey herons for a patch that obviously had good heron food. The godwits are still all here, many on the beach at Totara Ave, but expected to start their migration soon.
February 1 2009
Yesterday I saw my first white heron (Kotuku) for 2009. There is a population of about 6 of these majestic birds in Western Golden Bay. Published esitmates of the numbers of this highly endangered species range from 72 to 200. Each December, these normally solitary birds fly to Okarito on the West Coast of the South Island, where they congregate for breeding. They return in January / February.
January 25 2009
Another week of warm dry weather has passed. We could use some rain to freshen the vegetation. Our central courtyard is now complete, and the surrounding garden is being planted.
We look forward to the Collingwood Summer Food Fair next Sunday, February 1. This is a local fair featuring "food caught, shot, harvested, cultivated, bred, hooked and cooked locally... and free". Last year there was a wide range of local seafood as well as wild pork and venison coming from the local environment.
January 20 2009.
Welcome to the new Twin Waters Blog. I am starting this with good intentions and hope to update it on a regular basis.
Our summer season is in full swing and we have been very busy, although we still have some vacancies. All the new rooms are fully operational, and guests are making good use of our new guest lounge and internet facilities and New Zealand books in the new library. The weather has been fine and warm, although some rain in the past 2 days has been a welcome relief for the gardens and topped up our water tanks.