Bluff to Kaka Point - 210kms

(Written by Jazz, Ad & Stef)

Cold, wet, rainy and windy - our first stop from Bluff was just 2kms from Stirling Point. One of the windiest points in New Zealand!

As we tackled the Bluff Highway around to Pit Café we had trucks zooming past us like freight trains. Luckily Mum was towing one of our bike buggy's we used to ride in as kids - so they gave us lots of room assuming there was a baby on board!

I got frustrated at all the trucks coming past and couldn't wait to get off the highway but getting across the highway to the back roads was pretty frightening too.

Pit Cafe was a welcome site - with their spectacular parrots. They let us sleep in their covered garden so no need for our tents on our first night.

The next couple of days we managed to knock off 75kms - we had rest stops playing jail tag with new friends in Fortrose and then had to tackle some big hills to get to Slope Point campsite. It was an amazing freedom camping site close to the beach.

From Slope Point campsite, which wasn't quite Slope Point! We had to go up this massive farm track before we dropped down to the ocean again, it was extremely hard but we did it. The farmer was so impressed, he gave us some lollies and biscuits at the top! But we still hadn't got to slope point we still had 7km to go, but luckily it was down hill.

Slope Point is NZ's most southern point.

After climbing back up from Slope Point we headed for Curio Bay - a cruisy 25km. This was a planned 2 night stop to enjoy the bay and the great campsite. Plenty of rock pool exploring, eating paua, penguin spotting, boogie boarding and discovering the petrified forest were the highlights. A heavy rain warning kept us here for another day! Along with drying out our sodden sleeping attire.

Rearing to go after 3 days rest we headed for Papatowai - a massive 50km day along the Chaslands Highway. Crazy winds sent Jazz down a bank and Charlie cruising up a hill at 25kph while Mahe experiencing the speed wobbles at 60kph!

Hills galore, who said cycling along a coast line would be flat? Plenty of rest between hills and ice blocks in the right locations kept us with enough energy to climb Florence hill just before Papatowai. The winds were a little too strong for Charlie to even stay on his bike so a 500m walk in the gutter was required to push over into the lee of the hill. Kids were buzzing on the final 2km of down hill into Papatowai, maybe a little to much. Charlie took a slide off the road producing a a good supply of tomato sauce out of his knee. A few tears later and we made it to a relaxing DOC campsite equipped with kids for entertaining the young Braaksma's while mum and dad enjoyed a bit of time out.

Off to Pounawea a lovely campsite surrounded by Totara trees and the great sound of native birds. The highlight was stopping in at the local 4-square for a dose of junk food.

The forecast hadn't finished with us, for Jazz's 11th birthday gale winds and hail was forecasted for our last stretch into Kaka point. Our helmets were useful this trip shielding us from the hard hitting ice stones . Charlie spent the last 10km in to Kaka point stating " this is the worst day of my life". I don't blame him, it was cold wet windy and the rest of the family had high tailed it to the Hamilton's lovely crib to shelter from the Southland weather.

What a stage to start off with. Kids surprised us with some endurance power when needed. And survived some of the worse weather we've experienced without being high in the mountains.

Stage 2 Here we come?