World Travel with Bob: Picton, NZ

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Picton, NZ

With highs in the low 70s, it was a perfect day to take a walk. Since we’re in Picton, we selected the Picton to Waikawa Track, with a cutover via Scout Track, to Bob’s Bay. The walk provided a great way to get away from the central city area. The trail went through thick fern, lemonwood and berry plantings and provided some scenic outlooks over the harbor area. Despite the sunny weather, much of the walk was under a deep tree canopy with a slight breeze.

We also visited the preservation museum for the Edwin Fox sailing ship. This ship was built in India in 1853 and was used for cargo for over 30 years. Cargo included immigrants and convicts, Crimean War troops, war supplies and coal. It then took on the somewhat sad role of becoming a port-based freezer container for lamb products. After being left grounded on a Picton bank, preservationists in the mid-1980s re-floated the ship and placed it into dry dock where it became a museum center piece.