Cook Strait Crossing

Boarding the ferry was a rush.  

We had no idea what to expect.  We were suddenly worried we were in the wrong line.  There was so much buildup to this moment with all the news we couldn't believe it was actually happening! 

We drove up a long ramp to the second level and were directed where to park as they puzzle pieced in as many vehicles as they could cram.  The pungent aroma of livestock surprised us as we pulled in near semi trucks crammed with cattle and sheep.  

Exploring the ferry felt like a cruise ship. There was a drink lounge area and bar, cafe & dining area, kids area, and even private lounge for truck drivers. The deck was best of all, expansive, windy, and bright.  

Since our departure was in the evening, the bright afternoon rays soon turned into the golden hour of dusk, so all the color and scenery became ever more stunningly beautiful and serene; juts of rolling land and inlets, sailboat races, distance swimmers, and eventually the open sea ahead. 

Our favorite spot on the ship, oddly enough, was on the deck peering down into the livestock trucks at all the packed sheep below!  Watching the personalities of the sheep was entertaining; the fluffy sheep cell held more aggressive types, whereas to the shaved cell contained a much more docile lot.  There was always one rowdy rascal who would stir up drama, while the rest were just innocently trying to accommodate and adjust to each other in tight quarters. It was mesmerizing in it's own sort of way! 

It was disorienting to have a mixture of farm smell & scene along with the view of the sea.  Something we definitely have not experienced before! 

Dinner was a delight, savory Indian curries & rice and chocolate mousse for dessert. The kids fish & chips arrived in cardboard replicas of the ferry ship! 

Once Danforth & Melody caught sight of the kids lounge area, the windy deck and its views weren't quite as enticing, so they mostly hunkered down there. Corey and I enjoyed a drink on the deck, watching the sunset and forced the kids to come partake in saying farewell to outer banks of the South Island fading with the final wisps of the days light.  And then we were thrust out into the darkness of the ocean strait.  

We joined the kids in the lounge. We chatted and attempted a math game - but our tired brains didn't have much gusto for multiple layers of addition well after 9:30pm. So we eventually made our way back onto the deck.

Twinkling lights were in the distance, the moon beamed overhead and soon Wellington was in sight! We leaned on the railing, taking in the thrill of the cold wind and the dark seas beneath.  

Coming into port at night struck nostalgia for both of us from our former sailing days. There's nothing quite like coming out from the isolation of a dark sea and into the warmth & life of a city along the shore. 

As we waited in the stuffy humid parking area to de-board, to take our minds off the animal stench and engine fumes of cars already running - we visited the three story sheep truck.  We had such fun petting sweaty sheep wool and even stroking a couple noses! It was surreal looking into these creature's cautious eyes as they peered out of their hot stuffed boxes. 

After some time, lines finally started moving and we ran back to our vehicle and soon enough we were driving back down the long ramp, to the lower deck, and off the ferry and into the buzz of Wellington streets at night! 

-M