Days 139 and 140 - Invercargill to Bluff ferry terminal

Day 139 - March 27

Invercargill layday

A relaxing day in Invercargill.

I did go to the motorcycle museum and would highly recommend this to anyone who has even a passing interest in motorcycles. It really was fabulous with a number of really interesting bikes.

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Day 140 - March 28, the penultimate day

Invercargill to Bluff ferry terminal (32km)

The walk today is notorious on the TA as one of the worst days of the trail. Not due to difficulty or length but just the monotony and inherent danger of walking alongside SH1 between Invercargill and Bluff.

As I have a shuttle booked to leave Bluff at 4.30pm I was able to leave a bit later and enjoyed a leisurely Sunday breakfast before heading out.

Brian and Kelly were parked in the motorhome at Stead St Wharf which is just as you leave Invercargill so stopped off and had a chat with them, Guy and Huia (a friend of theirs from Auckland).

Whilst I intend to ever remain the purist Brian, Guy and Huia are only walking the Invercargill estuary section then will be picked up by Kelly and ride to Bluff. I walked this initial section with them and it was great to wander along, exchange stories and generally get to know each other better. Interestingly on the trail proper the opportunities to walk side by side are pretty limited and hence conversations tend to be pretty truncated.

Passed factory where Harms and my boats were built

Leaving the others after about 10km, where the trail joined the highway, I continued on walking on what limited road shoulder was available.

Even on a Sunday this road was busy with many large trucks and frankly scary how close some of them were to you. In one case a pickup passing cares came from behind me and missed me by inches, obviously having pulled out and either not seen me or not caring. In another a truck just drifted towards me causing me to have to jump into the roadside ditch to not get hit. So not a pleasant walk at all.

There are some sections of half finished bike/walkway beside the highway but even using this was fraught as each time it started I would need to cross over to it and when it ended I needed to cross back to ensure I was racing the oncoming traffic.

It took me about three hours on the highway to get to Bluff and I was very glad to be there on one piece.

2990km done. ,10 to go two today and eight tomorrow

Arriving on Bluff early for my shuttle I did a quick exploration of the town and settled into the local pub with the oyster fishermen to watch the cricket and have a toastie.

I am so glad I’m doing these last days like this as I wouldn’t want the memory of that walk from Invercargill to impinge on the last day memories. So getting it out of the way today and tomorrow only needing to do the scenic walk over Bluff Gill and around the coast to the Southern Terminus has proven to be an inspired plan.

Now bring on tomorrow and the culmination of many weeks walking from one end of the country to the other!