Picton-Bleinheim-Sheep Farm, Rangario

We had to get up early to catch the ferry over to the South Island.   Craig, our B&B host, insisted on getting up to fix us breakfast.  He said the swells weren't bad in Cook Straight.  I think he was just trying to make us feel good.  I was skeptical.  We could hear the wind and the rain hitting our room windows all night.

Here we are looking at the ferry through windows blurred by the rain.   The Avis rental car was interesting.   We just left the car at the Ferry terminal, and then picked up a new car at Picton on the South Island.  But all on the same contract.  It's a normal thing here.
   
Underway looking back at Wellington.
   

Entering the channel that leads out to Cook Straight -- the body of water that separates North and South Islands.  Our B&B was on the coast somewhere to the right in the mist.

About this time the Captain came on the loudspeaker and said conditions in the Straight were "very rough".   We were sitting in the bar area and the bartender started handing out Dramamine tablets.  Everyone took them.  As soon as we emerged into Cook Straight the ship really started moving around.  The bow was tracing figure-eights.  There was plenty of seating for everyone to lay down and sleep so that's what we did.   You couldn't go outside because of the wind and rain.

 
   
To get to Picton, the ship actually travelled northwest across the Straight and it was for only about an hour.  Then the ferry entered a long westerly channel for at least an hour to get to Picton.  The water was relatively calm in the channel, thankfully.
 
Below, we are well into the Picton channel.  Another Inter-island Ferry is behind us in the distance.
   
The little town of Picton dead ahead.
   

We picked up our rental car and headed south to Blenheim, home of the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre.  The centre features the World War I aircraft and artifact collection of Sir Peter Jackson -- Producer and Director of the Lord of the Rings films trilogy among other films.  Jackson owns an aircraft restoration and manufacturing company that is dedicated to World War I and World War II airplanes.

We found out later that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge -- Royal Highnesses William & Kate -- following in our footsteps, visited the Centre two days after us.  They were guided personally by Sir Peter Jackson.
   

Lynnette is excited to be photographed alongside her most favorite plane ever, the "Stuka".  (Not really -- inside joke)
   
The Centre's web page has an excellent description of all their stuff -- no need to repeat it here.  To see it check this out:  Link
 
What really makes this museum exceptional is that most of the airplanes are featured in incredibly realistic, full-scale dioramas like this one. 
 
This particular diorama captures the scene after the Red Baron was shot down and Allied troops are tearing the famous all-red Triplane apart for souvenirs.
 
One of the museum artifacts was one of the German insignia off of his Triplane.
   
The Centre had four, count them, four Fokker DR-1 Triplanes.  All of them I believe are in flying conditions.
   
After the World War I Museum we drove down the east coast of the North Island to the little town of Rangiora, just north of Christ Church, where we were staying at Pete's Farm.   It was dark when we arrived, but the next morning Pete gave us a tour of the Sheep Farm.
   
In addition to sheep farming, Pete runs a "Farmstay" B&B.  We stayed in this little cottage apart from the main house.
   

Pete scheared sheep for 18 years, saving enough money to buy this farm.  He said shearing sheep was a young man's game which I can believe.

The sheep becomes very docile and calm when you you have it sitting like this.
   
 
   
Pete demonstrating how to schear a sheep.  Before.
   
And after.
   
The main house in the background.
   
Lynnette feeding the sheep.
   
These were the friendly sheep.
   
 
Pete also farms Alpacas -- similar to Llamas.  The Alpacas have almost human-like hair which makes for itch-free sweaters unlike sheep wool.
   
Friendly looking guy.
   
 
   
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