Back in Blenheim

Back in Blenheim after a great tour around South Island. I drove down the east coast and back up the west coast and was really lucky with the weather.

For the last couple of days I’ve been helping out on the vineyard. At the moment the grapes are beginning to ripen (about 2 weeks earlier than usual), so the current task is leaf plucking, that is clearing around the grapes of leaves to give them plenty of air to keep them dry and hopefully avoid any fungal infections. When this is done the vines are covered in nets to keep the birds from eating the grapes. Douglas the bird scarer (a hawk-like kite) isn’t to effective and keeps slacking if the wind stops blowing.

I’m now heading off to Golden Bay and Farewell Spit. I’ve booked a caravan for a few days, the brochure says that the area is a photographers paradise!