(photograph © Kiwidutch)
As we take the Inter-Island ferry between New Zealand’s Wellington and Picton, we spy something in the Marlborough Sounds that is both typically a New Zealand tradition but also not typical at the same time.
The typical part is the Kiwi ”Batch” or holiday home… they are often passed down in families through generations and may or may not necessarily be by the sea side, … but they are often the holiday get-a-way for choice for many Kiwis.
All Kiwi’s will know what a ”Batch” is but some might be caught off guard in the south of the South Island where the Scottish settler influence of a century ago has given their holiday homes a completely different name: they go on holiday to the “Crib“
The atypical part of the Batches found throughout the Marlborough Sounds is that a large percentage of them have no road access to them at all …they are accessible only by boat and were built with materials bought in by boat.
There is the solitary Kenepuru Road that traverses up of Mahau Sound as far the Endeavour Inlet, but anything further north, east or west and the entire Pelorus Sound and the vast extended area that encompasses hundreds, if not thousands of tiny inlets and bays have no roads at all. Let’s take a look at just a few of the Batches that peep out from some of the bays….
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
So special looking but beautiful place. Very interesting post.
Comment by Sartenada — September 7, 2012 @ 9:18 am |
Thanks Matti,
It’s very popular in the summer of course but I know people who go to their batches there throughout the year too. I’ll have to dig out a map photo that shows just how extensive the network of Sounds and bays is (it’s massive).
Comment by kiwidutch — September 7, 2012 @ 10:18 am |
Some of the smaller islands here in the US Pacific northwest are very similar, i.e., only accessible by boat and no roads once you’re there. I sometimes look at the vacation homes built on the shores and wonder how much use they really get. They seem like such a bother to build and then get to!
Comment by Luddy's Lens — September 7, 2012 @ 6:27 pm |
Luddy,
From what I know of here in the Marlborough Sounds, what often happens is that whole families share a place so that it gets as much use as possible. I know people who’s Batch has been passed down through generations (and sometimes the boats to get to them too) … also a few of them are “time share” or just holiday rentals so if you fancy a getaway straight after the school holidays when the weather is still good then that works too. Apparently many of them have log burners in them too and are fine for winter use.
Comment by kiwidutch — September 10, 2012 @ 5:30 pm |