The first two days of 2018

The first day in 2018 turned out to be warm and sunny.  It was an early rise as there was no partying and we took off to look at the Rawhiti Cave before heading over to Picton.  Don and Judy decided to do their own thing so it was only us scrambling up the hill around 8.30 on the first morning of the new year.  What a way to start 2018.  First we walked over a dry creek bed, then quietly along a nice flat path that gently climbed.  Then the steep part.  Tree trunks, branches and roots helped pull us up the path to the most spectacular cave - stalagmites and stalagtites have grown for around one million years making a picturesque site for any of those keen to make the trek.  We took some photos at the top and then gingerly made our way down, bottoms first at times due to the steepness of the track. We met others on the way up and were secretly pleased we were on the downhill slide back to the car.

The drive over the hill was fairly uneventful and after a rather large late lunch at a pub we caught up with Jim and Margot.  Still in our dusty shorts we took another short walk to the centre of New Zealand (strategically placed on top of a high hill overlooking the city) and finished with a coffee where we caught up on each others news.  I am a little envious that they have three days now trekking in the Abel Tasman.

Incidentally Judy has mentioned that the centre of the country has moved about 4 metres after the last Kaikoura earthquake!!

Another uneventful drive to Picton, and after shopping have landed in our digs for the next few days.  The place is an eclectic mix of antique furniture, but should be comfortable.  We hung out some washing competing for space on the line with runner beans, wild mint and fennel and half heartedly started planning tomorrow - but I think we were all a bit tired to think seriously about more energetic activities - we didn't do well in the 5 minute quiz either.

January 2nd was a quiet day in Picton.  We wandered over to the water taxi to book our Queen Charlotte experience tomorrow and had a coffee and scone.  Harry went happily off to Omaka to see a world war two exhibition and a car museum.  I wandered with Don and Judy up the valley to a dam, a nice shady and leafy walk - perfect for a day that kept thinking about raining.

The last day in 2017

Clouds came over but it never really rained until our walk into the Abel Tasman was nearly over.   We walked from Wainui to Whariwharangi Hut just under two hours walk each way.  It was a fairly easy walk and we stopped for lunch at the Hut which was once a homestead built in 1880’s.  House had that old age charm, but home for another isolated family.  Just like at the Spit - both families had tamed wildernesses - one cut down the trees to make farmland and the other brought in top soil and trees for the same purpose.  On the way back we spent time admiring baby quail and young weka.

We took off to the Dangerous Kitchen for another coffee and carrot cake, and then looked for a place to have New Years’ Eve dinner since the restaurants in Pohara were fully booked.  The old wooden hotel on the corner, was disappointingly more of a pub than a restaurant and so we decided to risk the outside café area in Plan B at Pohara.  Plan C was fish and chips and Plan D was back to the supermarket and a barbeque.  It didn’t rain so Plan B it was.

It is now 2.5 hours to go before 2018.  We are sitting outside in the dark, with some lighting from the cabin.  It isn’t raining, or windy, and reasonably mild. Christmas lights flash on the trees and caravan awnings, children ride their bikes, and the stars and moon are struggling to shine through the clouds.  We have completed four more 5 minute quizzing with the reader having to charade answers we didn’t know.  Some of us certainly have more talent than others but our skill levels will remain only to us.

The gold carders decided to go to sleep and the young one couldn’t party alone so our good bye to 2017 was only dreamed.

Farewell Spit

We started the trip in Collingwood where Charles packed us onto his 20 seater bus and gave us a running commentary on the history of the area, the bird life and the trees.  We stopped at Cape Farewell, enjoyed the scenery and spotted some more seals swimming in the sea. 

The sands blew constantly across the dunes, stinging our legs and nestling in our eyes and ears.  We were on Farewell Spit, near to the gannet colony and the light house keeper’s oasis. The gannets floated past us, putting on a fine display of gliding, staring down at us just waiting for that mouth to open in awe.

The lighthouse was built in the late 1800’s, what a life for the family with three small boys.  Living on a constantly moving sand dune.  “But Dad I left my bike out there last night and now its gone” – out comes the shovel.  The family decided that sand blasting was not a good life for their three sons and so decided to transport top soil and seedlings to create the little oasis around the light house.  Pine trees still stand strong, though the vegetable and flower gardens have now been overtaken by  lawn and scrub. 

Why does the light house have red socks?  To support Sir Peter Blake's bid for the Americas Cup!!

On the way home, an icecream beckoned and then we wandered through Collingwood, looking at the little church and old court house that is now a café.

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Kayaking and the Dangerous Kitchen

The sun woke us this morning – great day for a kayak.  So us, minus Judy packed our bags and headed off to Tata Beach, where many others had also decided to fill the kayaks lining the shore line.  After introductions, checking off names and instructions we loaded our bags (sunscreen, snacks, drinks) into the kayak and off we sailed into the wild blue yonder.  Well almost – not far from the shoreline are two little islands (we can’t remember their names but jointly they are called the Tata Islands).  On the north side was a seal – we have seen them before but we continue to marvel at these magnificent creatures in their natural environment.  This lonely seal put on quite a show – he was having squid for breakfast.  Nature can be cruel, first one tentacle was bitten off and chewed (squid tried to swim away but was slow due this recent disablement).  The seal chewed, swallowed and gulped and then looked around for the squid. Bite, chew, down goes another tentacle and so on … until the best part was left - the head.  Then a very full and contented seal lay on his back, floating, with an occasional flip of his tail or flipper.  It reminded me of a grandpa lazing in his chair after a large Christmas dinner!! 

On to another little island we paddled and a seal was sitting on a rock doing hot yoga – amazing contortions of tail, torso, flippers, head – wet fur glistening in the sun!!  We sailed through a small crack in the rock, along the coastline and landed in Murderers Bay where Abel Tasman first sighted New Zealand and then tried to land (there is a memorial to him not far along the road, remembering the slain Dutch crew members but not the Màori who gave their lives).  Incidentally a century later Captain Cook called the same coast line Massacre Bay – for the same reason.  After some morning tea and a long walk to some bushes for a loo stop (where we got attacked by another oyster catcher with a nest too close to where humans wander) we kayaked back, past the shag colony and spat (baby mussels) farm back to the golden sands of Tata Beach.

All that sitting around in a boat and we needed lunch and so headed off to the very popular Coffee Roasters Café in Pohara.  Huge portions and yummy food and a 20 question quiz in the Nelson Press kept us occupied for a while.  Time to think about what to do next – another walk... 

Wainui Falls.  We didn’t think we could find a different walk through native bush but we did.  We climbed up alongside the river, where the river bed was punctuated with huge boulders too big to climb.  Across a swing bridge and along the other side we followed the well worn track to the falls.  Mist rose from the pool below, people swam and we applied insect repellent.

On our return I was keen for another walk, but I was glad I was talked out of it because Inbal and Gil and their family texted us to say they were in – wait for it – the Dangerous Kitchen in Takaka.  So, we left Don and Judy in Pohara and drove back to that cafe (three times in two days!!), to find they had consumed three of those very large pizzas before we arrived.  We had a lovely hour with them, catching up on their holiday.  I read little Ron a story about a polar bear who found some friends like a lion, leopard, walrus, flamingo, hippo – Harry added the faces and noises to amuse Ron.  It really was a you-tube performance.

We settled for fish and chips in the park (they even sell kumara fritters in Takaka – the place of dreadlocks and purple and orange hair). After a tad more grocery shopping we drove off to the Labyrinth Rocks.  It was getting a bit dark so we didn't take any photos but it was like a natural maze of limestone rocks.  Rather fun - something to lose the family in for a few hours.

Then just because we could and because we had seen the road signs saying little Kororo (blue penguins) could be crossing the road.  We walked along at dusk in the hope of seeing them, but after reading more information we got the impression that this was the season where they hide in the bushes, moult and starve - that really doesn't sound like much fun.

3 walks in one day

Don woke to the seagulls pattering on our cabin roof - the rest of us were quite oblivious to the early morning wake up call.  We had decided today would be relaxing but Don’s counter says we have walked 18,791 steps between heading off to Takaka and returning late afternoon (to another windy and chilly afternoon).  Still, relaxing has quite a personal perspective to it – may be it is a concept of mind rather than physical.

Today, had a back drop of native bush – 3 walks of varying lengths with very different appeal (and by the way all from leaflet from the information centre).

The Grove Scenic Reserve was our first stop, a forest of rata perched on huge blocks of limestone.  Rata roots hung from cliffs, winding their way down to the floor.  We wandered through a narrow corridor to the view overlooking the coastline.

Second stop (after food and coffee at the Dangerous Kitchen), was the Te Waikoropupu Springs – the largest fresh water springs in New Zealand pumping out 11 cubic metres every second.  Beautiful deep clear cold waters – let’s hope no one gets the rights to bottle one of nature’s gifts. 

Third stop after another food stop in a car park was a walk to Pupu Hydro.  This walk retraces an old gold mining water race which was restored in the mid 1900’s for power generation.  We clambered up through the beech and rimu forest where the steps were formed by roots and limestone rocks.  The path flattened out a bit, as we began our walk along the old sluice for about 1 kilometre.  As we got higher the running water got faster. The path was mainly wooden and in A1 condition but sometimes only the width of our two feet – one side very cold water, the other a 100 metre cliff leading down the river.  Hold on tight to the rail!!  It was a spectacular journey and one we would recommend to anyone coming this way.  We reached the top where the river was partially diverted into the sluice and joined the four wheel drive track to take us back to the power house.  Another coffee at Takaka and dinner shopping saw us arrive back to our cabin.  The afternoon clouds and wind had arrived and we are once again sitting on the deck all rugged up.  I’ll have to move the laptop off the barbeque so we can cook dinner shortly.  Don has decided to leave his swim for another day – the rest of us weren’t tempted.

Travelling to Pohara

Today was moving day. A bit of vacuum cleaning and a spot of shopping and off to the Information Centre to make the shoplifter honest.  After paying my debt we headed off towards Pohara, only to be slowed down by taking the ‘local detour’, well it works for locals!! Somehow we missed the street and “no exit” signs.   At the base of the Takaka Hill we were stopped by Police telling us the road was closed for 20 minutes while a car was pulled up the cliff.  So, we had morning tea on the roadside reading the paper and laughing about the beetroot (wrapped in a red ribbon) that was fetching $41 on Trade Me – an unwanted Christmas present resold to an appreciative new owner. (Over the holidays we read more about the adventures of the beetroot - it is currently holidaying in Queenstown and has sold for around $150).  Harry wondered if the beetroot had forgotten to put sunscreen on which is why it is so red!!

There was a huge turn-out for the visit to the Ngarua Caves (probably due to the traffic jam earlier on), but we didn’t mind.  Spectacular limestone stalagmites and stalactites greeted us as we walked through the dimly lit caves, with an occasional illumination revealing their age in thousands of years (they grow approximately 2.5 cms per year).  Excavations of moa and kiwi bones were shown to be around 24,000 years old.  Falling from the top into the caves meant slow starvation – no food down here and no way to get out. 

We moved on, over the Takaka Hill, and to Pohara.  Our cabin is little – just beds for four and a deck, with some kitchen utensils and plates.  So, we are living out of the car for the next few days.  From the deck we can see the sea but can’t tell if it is low or high tide as there is a slight rise in the embankment.  It is a pity we aren’t down the other end of the camp as it is more sheltered from the afternoon wind that turns a lovely sunny day into a jeans and warm jersey day. Don and Judy arrived soon after we had rugged up and after hamburgers we had a long walk along the beach – by that time the wind had blown itself away.

Boxing Day - walking and kayaking in the Abel Tasman

Another alarm ensured we were on time for our next adventure.  We water taxied from Marahau (Maori translation, windy garden – and it was) to Torrent Bay – where I discovered a short person in long shorts is likely to get their clothes very wet getting off the water taxi to the shore.  Wet legged we walked a couple of hours to Bark Bay.  I was expecting quite a rough track full of tree roots and mud, but the Abel Tasman was smooth and well maintained. Lots of Manuka and ferns, and some lovely mosses and lichen.   Harry said it is like this all the way - what a treat!!

At one point the path detoured into a shady little glade.  I could see the problem with freedom campers – there was toilet paper dotted everywhere around.  Yuck!!  A bit further on we stopped half way for a snack and I dropped a cherry.  Out from the bush came a quail who grabbed it and ran before I could reclaim it.  Then out from the bush sauntered a male quail.  They are usually such shy birds running away from any movement but not today.  They stopped to say hello, looked for a tad more food and then wandered off. 

We continued our trek to Bark Bay, where we sat in the shade (a tad cold with the off shore breeze) and ate our lunch provided by the tour guide (filled roll, huge hunk of chocolate cake, two truffles and an orange).  The water taxi was on time (only wet feet this time due to a shallower bay and low tide) and dropped us off at Observation Beach.  There we collected our kayaks and paddled across the water way to Adele Island.  Seals galore enjoying the sun shine, playing in the water, and a baby screeching for its mother (must be hungry).  Adele Island is now clear of all pests and protected from any pests swimming across by a line of traps close to the bush line on the main land.   I think there must be a large number of pests still on the mainland as there was a distinct absence of birdlife on our walk to Bark Bay.  We practised sailing (kayaks held together and a person at each corner holding up a sail).  We got flapped in the face when the wind subsided and then took off again as it strengthened.  We are pretty tired tonight, have partially packed the car, done some washing and looked despairingly at the flat tyre on my bike (it just happened over night).  It was a bit of a relaxing evening.

Christmas Day 2017

It was going to be a busy day – just had to be so we didn’t miss our family too much.  The highlight was a skype call to everyone in Kelowna as we sat down to a much earned cup of tea and shortbread after a very long walk the length of the Motueka sandspit.  I didn’t know they had a mini Farewell Spit but it was one of those leaflets from the Information Centre that sent us in that direction.  Packed with nesting oyster catchers, gulls and godwits and a cute little bird which we think was a Red Knot.  We had walked the length of the spit (through sinking mud, waves and golden sand), wind behind us, umbrellas in hand shading us from a very warm mid 20^o’s day (it was -21^o in Kelowna!).  We crossed the dune, turned around, and the wind strengthened stinging our bare legs, forcing us to put our umbrellas down and double over as we braced ourselves for the return journey. 

The umbrellas served a dual purpose that day, protection from an on-slaught of gulls as we walked closely to their nests.  We disturbed flocks of baby godwits and oyster catchers on more than one occasion.  Back to the little red knot – he must have been about 5-6 centimetres tall.  His parents hadn’t taught him that when they screech at strange creatures it is a diversion and for him to hide.  He decided it was a game.   Buffeted by the wind the little one who hadn’t got his flying wings ran a road runner style zig zag to his parents.  They were both pretty worried about their little prodigy and eventually decided to split – one to divert us and the other to take little boy home.  Needless to say we just stopped, amused by how fast those little legs could go.  The parents guided him back to safety, gave us a dirty look and scampered back into the under growth.

Going back to the beginning of the day.  We got up a tad late, ate a leisurely breakfast and headed off to Split Apple Rock.  A long drive, and a 15 minute walk down through some pretty bush we found a lovely golden sandy bay lined on one side by a gentle ocean and by the other some steep cliffs and caves asking to be explored.  I found a giant sized weta (I mean Lord of the Ring size) in one cave – though after the initial shock I realised it was an old ponga log and the legs were old fern fronds.  Harry agreed it was a good imitation of the real thing.  Took some photos of Split Apple Rock and pondered over the minute white bits in the sea which we thought could be plastic.  We weren’t impressed by the pollution (plastic lasts up to 500 years we have been told) and were relieved when we worked out they were petals off the Manuka flowers (or were they Kanuka flowers).  We wandered back up the hill to a chorus of Merry Christmas’s and then drove off to find a picnic spot for our Christmas lunch. It was another car park where we sat under a ‘total fire ban’ sign enjoying the tranquillity and our Christmas treats.

In the late afternoon we found ourselves in Nelson where we sat in a sheltered spot to relax, snooze, read books and have some fish from the fish and chip shop that had opened for all those tourists with nowhere to go on Christmas day.  Then we got dressed in the local loos - I felt like a spy – going in wearing dirty shorts and walking shoes, coming out transformed in a dress and sandals ready for our Christmas day dinner. Christmas dinner was nice, but nothing to write home about.  Our table was set for three, so we pulled three crackers and they all had the same joke ‘What animal needs oiling? Mice of course as they squeak”.