Abel Tasman
Here's the full story...!
I left Nelson at 6:45am for Marahau, and was on the track by 8:15am. It was a frosty start but I was speed-walking with the pack and soon warmed up. The first day I walked from Marahau to Awaroa Hut. The weather was mixed, pretty overcast and there were several showers with some sunny periods.
Onetahuni Beach was really nice – a long stretch of sand around a bay which would have been great in the sun. Pity there wasn't much sun! The whole coastline was incredible – jagged cliff outcrops over little inlets, coves, and large sandy bays. I stopped at Awaroa Lodge (very nice) around 3pm to warm up by the fire, and met a French guy as I was leaving who I’d seen earlier around Bark Bay. We had a drink and chatted for 45mins before heading on to the hut. There were 7 others there, and the fire was already going – very welcoming when you have soaking wet feet and are pretty cold. Sat and chatted to everyone, shared a bottle of wine with the French guy which we got at the Lodge, and then had an early night – I was pretty tired by this point.
Having poured with rain all night together with pretty strong winds, we woke up to gorgeous sunshine and wall-to-wall blue skies.
We sat on the porch having breakfast, and waited for tide to go out some more – the crossing from Awaroa can only be made 2-3 hours either side of low tide which was at 2pm. The Frenchy (Cume) and I were the only ones going North, so everyone else left slightly earlier after a relaxed morning. We left about 11:30am, and crossed the inlet, about waist deep in water which was pretty cold, but thankfully the sun warmed us up quickly at the other side. 
We walked through Totarauni, Goat and Anapai Bays, and reached Mutton Cove which was my favourite I think – it looked like a brilliant place to camp, kayak in the bay and just relax. We walked up to Separation Point and saw loads of seals, got a bit too close for their liking, and got chased over the rocks – they are deceptively quick! Continued on to Whariwharangi, and started a fire which unfortunately never really got going in the hut. An American girl arrived a little after us, having walked from Bark Bay that day. I realized my head torch was missing – which was really annoying as I thought I must have left it at Awaroa, but the more I thought about it the more I think someone must have taken it. Too bad. Another early night after a long day’s walking.
I got up early the next morning to leave (the other two were headed to Wainui and out), and set off around Gibbs Hill for a different route back to Totaranui. I had planned to get the watertaxi back from there, but was too tempted to go back to Awaroa and have a look for the head torch. I crossed the inlet far too early, and was wet up to nearly my chest, holding my pack as high as I could. All to no avail – no head torch at the hut. Luckily the sun came out right as I finished crossing, because I was absoloutely freezing by this point. There were a couple of others at the hut waiting to cross and go North – they decided to wait a little longer...probably a good choice! After warming up I went to the Lodge, where I met a couple of locals who were kayaking to Bark’s Bay. I decided instead of getting the water taxi I’d just walk out, staying one extra night. We had a beer and then I walked/ran to Bark’s Bay (tended to run on the downhill inclines, partly through boredom and partly to pass the time a bit quicker). Reached Bark’s Bay in record time :), and several others were staying there too. Warmed up quickly by the fire, and then walked to the bay where I chatted to the kayakers for a while and had a beer with them. They were camping out that night (did not sound like fun). I played cards at the hut with an Irish couple, a Danish girl, and a young Kiwi girl who was there with her dad.
The next day I left fairly early, pretty eager by this point to make it out and back for a warm shower and a good meal! I was out of the park by about 1:15pm, and I met three of the folks from Awaroa Hut from the first night – they had all been going South at that point, but had stopped in each hut on the way! I went into the arts and carving place at the entrance, which had fascinating Maori wood carvings, definitely worth a visit. Then I randomly bumped into Nathan and Rudy – Leask’s friends from Montrose, who I’d met really briefly a couple of weeks before, it was quite amusing.
I drove the coastal road to Kaiteriteri, where I stopped and did a short walk around Big and Little Kaiterteri, two neighbouring beaches which were really nice. SO nice to get rid of that pack! I was really tired when I made it back to Nelson, but had a great trip and really enjoyed seeing everything.
The overview...
The track is a fairly easy 56km walkway, with superb views and following a spectacular coastline. The section north of Totaranui was the most beautiful, with long stretches of white sandy beaches, small hidden coves and inlets. The first day I walked from Marahau to Awaroa Hut, then crossed the inlet a little earlier than low tide (!) and headed north to Whariwharangi the second day.
After a slight change of plan I went inland over Gibbs Hill circling round to Totaranui and made it back to Bark's Bay for a third night, before walking out to Marahau the next day. It was a beautiful walk, and although the weather was mixed I'm glad I did it at this time of year when it isn't very busy.
I left Nelson at 6:45am for Marahau, and was on the track by 8:15am. It was a frosty start but I was speed-walking with the pack and soon warmed up. The first day I walked from Marahau to Awaroa Hut. The weather was mixed, pretty overcast and there were several showers with some sunny periods.
Onetahuni Beach was really nice – a long stretch of sand around a bay which would have been great in the sun. Pity there wasn't much sun! The whole coastline was incredible – jagged cliff outcrops over little inlets, coves, and large sandy bays. I stopped at Awaroa Lodge (very nice) around 3pm to warm up by the fire, and met a French guy as I was leaving who I’d seen earlier around Bark Bay. We had a drink and chatted for 45mins before heading on to the hut. There were 7 others there, and the fire was already going – very welcoming when you have soaking wet feet and are pretty cold. Sat and chatted to everyone, shared a bottle of wine with the French guy which we got at the Lodge, and then had an early night – I was pretty tired by this point.
Having poured with rain all night together with pretty strong winds, we woke up to gorgeous sunshine and wall-to-wall blue skies.
We sat on the porch having breakfast, and waited for tide to go out some more – the crossing from Awaroa can only be made 2-3 hours either side of low tide which was at 2pm. The Frenchy (Cume) and I were the only ones going North, so everyone else left slightly earlier after a relaxed morning. We left about 11:30am, and crossed the inlet, about waist deep in water which was pretty cold, but thankfully the sun warmed us up quickly at the other side. 
We walked through Totarauni, Goat and Anapai Bays, and reached Mutton Cove which was my favourite I think – it looked like a brilliant place to camp, kayak in the bay and just relax. We walked up to Separation Point and saw loads of seals, got a bit too close for their liking, and got chased over the rocks – they are deceptively quick! Continued on to Whariwharangi, and started a fire which unfortunately never really got going in the hut. An American girl arrived a little after us, having walked from Bark Bay that day. I realized my head torch was missing – which was really annoying as I thought I must have left it at Awaroa, but the more I thought about it the more I think someone must have taken it. Too bad. Another early night after a long day’s walking.
I got up early the next morning to leave (the other two were headed to Wainui and out), and set off around Gibbs Hill for a different route back to Totaranui. I had planned to get the watertaxi back from there, but was too tempted to go back to Awaroa and have a look for the head torch. I crossed the inlet far too early, and was wet up to nearly my chest, holding my pack as high as I could. All to no avail – no head torch at the hut. Luckily the sun came out right as I finished crossing, because I was absoloutely freezing by this point. There were a couple of others at the hut waiting to cross and go North – they decided to wait a little longer...probably a good choice! After warming up I went to the Lodge, where I met a couple of locals who were kayaking to Bark’s Bay. I decided instead of getting the water taxi I’d just walk out, staying one extra night. We had a beer and then I walked/ran to Bark’s Bay (tended to run on the downhill inclines, partly through boredom and partly to pass the time a bit quicker). Reached Bark’s Bay in record time :), and several others were staying there too. Warmed up quickly by the fire, and then walked to the bay where I chatted to the kayakers for a while and had a beer with them. They were camping out that night (did not sound like fun). I played cards at the hut with an Irish couple, a Danish girl, and a young Kiwi girl who was there with her dad.
The next day I left fairly early, pretty eager by this point to make it out and back for a warm shower and a good meal! I was out of the park by about 1:15pm, and I met three of the folks from Awaroa Hut from the first night – they had all been going South at that point, but had stopped in each hut on the way! I went into the arts and carving place at the entrance, which had fascinating Maori wood carvings, definitely worth a visit. Then I randomly bumped into Nathan and Rudy – Leask’s friends from Montrose, who I’d met really briefly a couple of weeks before, it was quite amusing.
I drove the coastal road to Kaiteriteri, where I stopped and did a short walk around Big and Little Kaiterteri, two neighbouring beaches which were really nice. SO nice to get rid of that pack! I was really tired when I made it back to Nelson, but had a great trip and really enjoyed seeing everything.
The overview...
The track is a fairly easy 56km walkway, with superb views and following a spectacular coastline. The section north of Totaranui was the most beautiful, with long stretches of white sandy beaches, small hidden coves and inlets. The first day I walked from Marahau to Awaroa Hut, then crossed the inlet a little earlier than low tide (!) and headed north to Whariwharangi the second day.
After a slight change of plan I went inland over Gibbs Hill circling round to Totaranui and made it back to Bark's Bay for a third night, before walking out to Marahau the next day. It was a beautiful walk, and although the weather was mixed I'm glad I did it at this time of year when it isn't very busy.
posted by Mhairi
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home