A “severe” magnitude 6.2 quake has damaged homes and closed roads in the lower North Island, toppling walls and chimneys and sending rockfalls across roads. No worries it was centered about 75 miles northeast of here. But just a few days earlier we were about 20 miles from where it hit.

Little damage here in Wellington. The severe rated earthquake occurred at 3:52pm on Monday 20 January and there have been many after shocks but none have been felt here.

Today we depart the North Island by a 3 hour ferry crossing Cook Strait and arriving on the South Island.