Akaroa is the backup port for Lyttelton, the port for Christchurch... But both Lyttelton, and Christchurch have both been devastated by earthquakes, twice since September 2010. When we booked the cruise, we expected to dock at Lyttelton, but the Sept 2010 earthquake closed the port, which reopened within a year, only to be closed again after a second earthquake in February 2012. Reports say the central business district is roped off, off limits, and is expected to be completely pulled down. One woman we talked to said she no longer recognized where she was, the damage was so extensive.
So, we find ourselves calling on Akaroa. Akaroa is a tender port, Volendam anchored out in the channel, and they are using small boats, the ship's tenders to ferry us ashore. Anchoring out in the channel, and the lack of an industrial harbor area means that here in Akaroa, we are not docked next to a pile of wood chips.
Ours was the first tour, and they were trying to squeeze us all onto a single tender... Which made for a very full tender... (full being a relative term... The tender seats 90 passengers as a tender, but 150 souls as a life boat). Today we were a tender, arriving a full 90, if not one or two more... Seating was scarce, and we ended up sitting in seats normally reserved for the tender's crew, up with the coxswain in the raised cockpit.
Ashore, we found another English inspired town (even if lacking a large pile of wood chips) this one with an adjoining French community, a legacy of an early French attempt to establish a colony here. We did not get a chance to explore, for we were off to ride The Tranz Alpine Express, possibly, New Zealand's most famous train, linking Christchurch on the east to the West coast over Arthur's Pass. As tourists, we are to ride the train one way, from Arthur's Pass down towards Christchurch, a bus will take us up to Arthur's Pass... And due to the earthquake we are not riding all the way to Christchurch... And, the train is across the coastal mountains from Akaroa, so the bus ride is longer than expected...
So, it's a long slow haul aboard a bus (locally known as a coach) up the valley that contains the port of Akaroa and our ship, along the sound, then a twisty climb up, then down the other side to the Canterbury Plain, then up the mountains on the other side, to Arthur's Pass... Along the way, evidence of earthquake damage is wide spread, but not excessive, and buildings we visited had certificates of inspection posted in windows. We stopped to look at a two lane country road, that had been offset about 3'.
We stopped in the town of Springfield for scones and tea... In the town's veteran's hall... Then back aboard the coach and up the hill... At the top we went a couple of miles past the railway depot to the top of the pass. There we looked down at a road that descended at a 16% grade... the railway bypassed the top via a tunnel, and were visited by a couple of local wild parrots...
Back aboard, the coach (again), down the hill, to the depot... Off the coach and onto the train... The railroad line, a part of the regular New Zealand railroad system was under going heavy repairs that had closed the tunnel west of the pass, so regular service was disrupted, and instead of traveling on a regular train, we we traveling on a cruise ship charter... A single locomotive, a generator/open car, three coaches, and two food service cars (only one in use)
So, all on board (not "all aboard") we departed down the hill... We were occasionally moving slowly, or stopping to let track workers clear the tracks... We passed a crew installing a new bridge next to the old one we used... Lunch was served, with beer or wine... I spent much of my time on the open car... Down, along the river, over viaducts, through 12 tunnels... Stopping at Springfield this time at the depot, where at least three steel locomotives and a variety of other rolling stock stood in disrepair, apparently, a project of a local railway preservation group. Back aboard for a fast ride across farm land to Ralston where we detrained, and boarded the coaches for the drive back to the ship...
Now aboard... The tenders have been fueled and recovered (since the tenders are also life boats, they must be fully fueled and ready for an emergency). The ship is spinning in the channel, and will soon head eastward, back to the Pacific, to head north to our next port of call, Picton, near the Marlborough area, known for its wine making.
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