We awake to a miserable day and start our early morning adventure. We unhook and head towards the ferry dock 10 minutes away. They say that this is one of the most beautiful ferry crossings in the world and we do not doubt it but today once again we lucked out and the rain stopped us seeing the real beauty. It was very much like a channel crossing except with fewer seats! Cruising through the sounds on a different day would of been a different experience! When we disembarked we headed for the local dump site to obtain fresh water and too dispose, as the intention is to freedom camp for a few days. Watching the weather forecast but also having a list of 'must dos' is proving a bit difficult and we head towards Nelson ready for an Abel Tasman National Park coast walk tomorrow. We pass Nelson and Richmond stopping to take in the surroundings and bay and finally stop for supplies and a free camp in Motekua. A lovely spot near the beach and close to the area we wish to explore. Our first impressions of the South Island is that it is more rugged than the North Island.