CHRISTCHURCH GONDOLA AND LONG WALK

Once again, the guys from Starks turned up early morning.  They do some work in the morning and then go away for the day and let the glue or filler or whatever set overnight.  Yesterday was the glass cloth and today is the layer of filler to be sanded down, probably on Monday.

Yesterday was shopping day in Christchurch.  I needed a few bits and bobs that I couldn’t get in Lyttleton so made the trek over to Christchurch by bus.  A very easy trip, a good bus service and best of all free to gold card holders like me.

Christchurch is a well laid out city, very organised on a grid system.  It reminds me of Adelaide in Southern Australia, the style of layout is very similar.  Not surprisingly, Christchurch and Adelaide are sister cities.  Both laid out by military men, who maybe went to the same city layout design class.

If you like cities that are flat as a pancake Christchurch fits the bill, I find it a bit boring.  Downtown in the city centre there are still big gaps that haven’t been filled since the earthquake.

On board Truce is a Dickinson Newport diesel heater.  A wonderful piece of equipment that keeps the boat toasty warm in cold weather.  Some time ago I replaced the fuel metering valve but never got around to calibrating it properly.  As the weather is getting colder, I decided to get the heater running properly.  After a bit of fiddling the heater is going well, a bit scary how much heat it throws out and how hot the chimney gets.  I would not feel comfortable going to sleep with the heater going.

Today I set out to ride the Christchurch Gondola up to the top of the port hills.  My plan was to ride the Gondola to the top from the Christchurch side and then walk down the Bridle Path back to Lyttleton.  Once at the top the views were awesome, Christchurch laid out below and the Canterbury plain stretching into the distance up to the Southern Alps

The walk down to Lyttleton was easy, just a long way downhill.  I don’t know why but I find it more difficult to walk downhill than uphill.  My legs were starting to complain by the time I reached Lyttleton.  The views were stunning out across Lyttleton harbour to Banks Peninsular.

A blustery wind is blowing this evening in the marina, gusting 30 knots plus according to the port weather instruments.  I doubled up on the mooring lines to give peace of mind and a good sleep.