Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Marlborough

For our last day in Picton we were hoping to take a tour of the surrounding Marlborough area. We wanted to visit a few wineries in the renowned region but also were interested in other food stops or even gardens. Not having a car, our motel host suggested a couple of possibilities but especially urged us to call Lynley, a woman with a van, who tailors a day’s outing to the clients’ interests. Monday night we put through a call and were able to arrange a half day tour with pickup at 11 AM. Definitely low season.

First thing on Tuesday morning, May 4, we walked down the hill to Picton’s waterfront. Here, on a whim, we paid to enter the Edwin Fox Maritime Museum, home to “the world’s 9th oldest ship”. Sometimes, the unsung sights of an area are just as interesting as the known and popular sights.


The Edwin Fox, a teak wood sailing ship was built in India in 1853. In her lifetime, she sailed carrying general cargo, troops to the Crimean War (supposedly carrying Florence Nightingale also), coolies from China to Cuba, convicts from England to Australia, full loads of pale ale to India, troops from the UK to Bombay, and finally immigrants from England to New Zealand. What a slice of history! But she wasn’t done yet.


By the 1880’s, steam had been introduced, and sailing ships were archaic. The Edwin Fox hulk became a floating freezer for sheep carcasses and at the very end a repository for coal!! In the 1950’s, she was beached but was refloated in 1986 and remained afloat until 1999 when she was towed to dry dock--a community project. Ok, I am probably much more fascinated by this than ANY of you who are be reading the blog but don’t you find it a little interesting? We thought specifically of our brother-in-law Lane!  Notice copper coating of the entire hull to protect against insect infiltration.


Back at our motel by 11 AM, we found Lynley waiting for us. We were off to Blenheim about 30 minutes south of Picton where we picked up a Japanese couple. A little later we were joined by a couple of young women from New York on a day’s outing from Wellington. The young women in particular were a lot of fun!

We have never seen so many consecutive vineyards in one place. All were in stages of turning fall colors of yellow and red and brown. The day was sunny and pleasant although we did watch the progression of a mountain fire during the course of our outing. We visited five different and unique wineries with some of the friendliest and most informative cellar doors we have ever experienced. We also did olive oil tastings (including yummy citrus infused), sampled offerings at a fudge room, walked around at an organic farm, and ended with a visit to an upscale chocolate factory.




No gardens were open it being too late in the season but we thought the day’s outing was a great success. Our half day tour got us back to our motel doorstep after 6 PM!!

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for the mention. I probably would have stayed at the ship all day. The copper sheathing is to discourage marine growth and damage by wood worms, barnacles, etc. The best bottom paint is full of copper.

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  2. You were right, San, Lane loved this! I found it interesting too--especially all the different uses/things the ship carried--as you said, a real slice of history.

    Barb

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