Cook Strait

When Captain Cook discovered New Zealand for the English - the Maori people had already discovered it for themselves - he wasn't overly creative about naming the two main islands. Most people think Kiwis refer to the northern and southern islands by their relative location. But no, they really are named simply as North Island and South Island.

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. It is located at the southern tip of the North Island and is known by the locals as Windy Wellington. You could think of it as the Chicago of the South Pacific. Predominant westerlies come barrelling across the Tasman Sea from Australia and are forcibly funneled into Cook Strait, the piece of water separating the North and South Islands. Wellington is also where Kirwin and I call home.

A network of ferries connects the two islands, mostly between Wellington and Picton. The locals refer to such ferries as the Picton Ferry. The best known fleet of ships are branded as the Interislander. This photo was taken in the belly of their ship the Kaitaki as vehicle drivers prepare to drive ashore.


The trip takes about three and a half hours and is quite scenic, especially through the Marlborough Sounds near Picton. Sometimes, because of the wind, the Cook Strait can be very rough and sailings may have to be canceled.

On 13-Dec-2008, Kirwin made his first journey across the Cook Strait to begin his adventure around the South Island.