Crispyhouse

This week, after another snowless week, Dave, Amy and I decided to go on an adventure to Jackson's Bay. The bay is on the west coast of NZ and is nothing more than a wharf and about ten houses. We went on the recommendation of Jeremy, my boss in Montana. I couldn't have found a better trip to pick up my spirits. Just to get out of the routine of Wanaka and and to explore the grandeur of New Zealand reminded me of how incredible this part of the world is. The 2.5 hr drive took us past deep blue lakes and snow capped mtns. a highlight was a huge waterfall adjacent to an arctic river. I braved the river and explored the waterfall, rewarded by a brilliant rainbow in the mist.



Upon getting to Jackson's Bay we took a short hike through a jungle trail and found a deserted cove to fish and watch the sunset. I threw out a makeshift line and immediately hooked a fish. WOW. Within 30mins all three of us had caught fish and had our dinner. Not to mention I got to see a wonderful orange sunset over the Tasmin sea.

After sunset we met some fisherman unloading their catch of lobster. Their boat was teeming with spiny lobster apparently the fishing in south NZ is amazing right now. After making friends and getting tipped off to a great deal on free oysters in Bluff, the southern tip of NZ, our new fisherman friend gave us two kilos of top grade blue cod that he had caught that day. We were set for a Feast!


Finally we found a campsite on the beach and grilled our catch over an open fire enjoying being under the bright southern stars and crescent moon. It was a cold cold night with about 1/2 inch of hard frost covering us by morning we woke to another clear sky day and fished some more off the end of the wharf before heading back to Wanaka to relax and get ready for another week at Cardrona.

Here is a photo that Dave, Amy and I took the other day on a walk by the lake. As depressing as the snow situation is right now it is consoling that there is so much beauty surrounding us and it keeps my spirits up to get outside and walk around.

We are now in the third week of the season and its starting to look bleak. While we are finally open there is only one run with snow and now we are in the middle of what is supposed to be the two busiest weeks of the season and there is still no work. This is not good. In the world of ski instructing, to lose these busy times is to lose the money you depend on to make it through the rest of the season. Talk has begun of abandoning ship. While we are all used to being impoverished ski bums it makes everyone acutely aware of finances. If work doesn't pick up in the next two weeks many people, including myself, won't be able to make the season and are faced with the grim reality of leaving.

While it is a bleak perspective on the situation those are the risks that you take when living this lifestyle. Sometimes things just don't work out and you have to find a way to keep afloat. So now with optimism that things will pick up and it will work out, I must also be realistic and begin to look at my other options. Bummer I know but thats just the way it works sometimes.