It's a tough life, beach after beach...I think I have beach fatigue

Last Friday evening we packed our packs once again and jumped on a (thankfully Air NZ-operated) flight to Nelson, where we met James for the final trip together of his elective: the Abel Tasman Coastal Track.

Here we go!

After a night in a luxurious '5-bed dorm' (real feather duvets!) we pitched up at Kahu Kayaks for first day on the ocean. The kayak chap was a true kiwi bloke. He wore gumboots and thick socks which were removed for the safety demo, during which he walked calmly around on the spikey gravel in bare feet. His dead pan sense of humour was lost on the mainly European other kayakers, and possibly surpassed only by the water taxi driver on the way back, whose description of the seals he practically collided with went "These are all mothers and pups. You won't see the boys down here now. They came down, knocked up the girls, then buggered back up to Separation Point. Har har."

Watering Cove

The first day we kayaked. We pulled our craft up onto several deserted white sand beaches, James made friends with a bird on a log, we met the seals for the first time on Adele Island, Roger rode the single kayak through gaps in rocky areas until he got beached, I found a starfish (possibly dead) at Watering Cove, and we all made it safely to Anchorage. 

Anchorage, a wide sweep of golden sand with yachts and a floating backpackers (Aqua Packers), has a very modern DOC hut with an interactive information screen run on solar power, but no hot water. We bagged some bunks and had a long dinner, tea, wander, chat and stargaze on the beach, watching people, boats and kayaks come and go as the light dimmed. We saw Jupiter, Sirius and Canopus first. We then stiffened our sea-wet clothes in front of the fire in the hut - autumn tramping is brilliant!

Chillaxing on Anchorage beach

Anchorage beach first thing in the morning

Off early the next morning, we hit Cleopatra's Pool at around 8am. This is a small waterfall into a deep 'jacuzzi' pool that then empties down a natural waterslide, complete with two twists, into a second, big pool. Being 8am we were unsure commitment-wise to doing the slide. However we encountered an enthusiastic American in his boxers whose first words were "You gatta do it! You gatta do it! Helluva way to wake up." So we took off our sensible warm clothes and got into the freezing water and did it! I went first and can only say that once you'd committed to the 'jacuzzi' pool you were committed to the slide - it was exhilarating and a little terrifying. James volunteered as photographer: to follow when he's able to send them.

Near Cleopatra's pool

We had to get to Awaroa for Roger's water taxi at 3pm, which meant two days' worth of tramping in seven hours. This in mind we had to keep going, but enjoyed ogling the baches at Torrent Bay village, getting excited about toadstools that looked like the ones from Noddy (me), wondering and then finding out what the man we passed meant when he said "brace yourselves" soon after Bark Bay, and the promise of pizza at Awaroa Lodge. It was hard not to rip up the schedule and swim at Onetahuti Beach (and Sandfly beach, which looked like paradise but we distrusted). Instead I paddled and got eaten by sandflies.

Onetahuti Beach

Roger leaves at Awaroa

There was no pizza at Awaroa lodge but we had yummy burger, salad, drinks and sorbet. Then Roger left off the most beautiful beach in the evening sunlight. James and I continued round into Awaroa inlet, past my uncle Douglas' bach to the DOC hut. Pleasantly relaxing in the evening light we suddenly saw, crossing the inlet from the far side, a large group of (essentially) marauding hordes. The school group were in fact very well behaved and quite endearing, the girls playing American football set pieces on the beach and everyone later marvelling up at the Milky Way. We saw two shooting stars! 

Awaroa hut view

Waiharakeke Bay

James and I crossed the inlet at low tide the next day, about 7am, as the sun lit up the growing streams of water. After some foot recirculation and blister treatment we walked on to Waiharakeke Bay, which opened out in slanting sunlight and golden sand as we emerged from the damp bush. It merited a surreal breakfast and tea. The trip from there to Totaranui and beyond seemed like an endless presentation of incredibly beautiful deserted beaches, interspersed with cool bush and views over said beaches. In the end we had to rate them by sand coarseness, just to have something to compare.

At Totaranui, a big campsite with few people there and a wonderful avenue of huge trees leading to it, I got my swim in the sea. It was cold but divine. At the time I was thinking "this is what Mum would do!" and later found out I was right, about that very beach.

A divine and refreshing swim at Totaranui

We left our packs at Totaranui and walked north to Separation Point, via more outstanding beaches. On the way back we saw three baby seals frolicking in the shallows in Mutton Cove, jumping like dolphins and chasing each other. We watched them at one end, playing around the rocks, poking their noses in the air but eluding capture by James' camera. It was pretty cool being so close to them in the wild, and no one else there.

Separation Point - most northerly point of the track (sustaining craisins in the foreground)

Back at Totaranui we finished the last of the Whittaker's chocolate and jumped on our Water Taxi with skipper Jared. Far more than simply transport from A to B, Jared took us via several spots to see baby seals, stopped so we could see a huge shoal of fish, did some jet-boat-tour-like u-turns and donuts and made sure everyone got sprayed. Back at Marahau he drove the boat onto a trailer attached to a tractor parked in the low-tide shallows. He then hopped round and drove the tractor up the beach and onto the road!

Seals: mother and pup together, and bigger female...or father? Taken during kayaking.

A final, immense and delicious meal from the Fat Tui food van (parked outside Kahu Kayaks - do not miss it if you go!) in the last of the day's sun, and it was goodbye properly to James. He returns to the UK tomorrow, but I reckon he'll be back!

This week Roger has played his first game for the Wellington United men's social team. I have another match with the Wellington United women's 2nds (that's not a social team) this weekend against big rivals Petone. Watch this space.